Blanket making for local children’s resource center

 Above: Students with Jen Liedtka in the Frederick K. Miller Chapel sanctuary after counting the total number of blankets collected. Photo Provided By Jen Liedtka

March 25, 2021

By Marj O’Neill ’21, assistant editor

During a unique school year for service project opportunities, the primary service initiative on campus is blanket making for victims of abuse.  

Students at LVC have been making no-sew fleece blankets for the Children’s Resource Center (CRC) for the past two years and prior to the 2020-2021 school year, various student groups participated in the project. After the tragic loss of a 12-year-old boy in Annville as a result of abuse in late fall, Jen Liedtka, the service and volunteerism coordinator, decided to give more focus on the project.   

“Late in the fall, we decided to highlight the work of the CRC at the Symposium and the opportunity we have to work with them,” Liedtka said. “Horribly, another situation of child abuse then happened in Annville and we put even more focus on our support of the organization, including President MacLaren’s 250 blanket challenge.”  

Earlier this semester, President James MacLaren challenged the LVC community to join him and his family in making 250 blankets, which helped make the project a success. The campus community well-exceeded his challenge, with approximately 537 blankets collected.   

“It was a true community collaboration,” Liedtka said. “Students from the Annville-Cleona school district made about 100 of the blankets we collected. Many other community members participated too, with the Annville-Cleona Subways serving as drop-off points for those blankets. Various community organizations also participated. And a special shoutout to our own student athletes who made over 175 of the blankets.”  

The CRC is an advocacy center with offices in Harrisburg and Lebanon that seeks to reduce the trauma and aftermath of abuse for children ages 0-18 who are brought in by Children and Youth or the police. Each child can select a hand-made blanket or stuffed animal as a comfort object to take with them. The CRC indicated that the children often choose the blankets, especially the older youth they see.   

“While we are so thankful for the chance to support the work of the CRC through our blanket-making project, I hope that everyone will take the time to become more aware of issues related to abuse,” Liedtka said.   

Students interested in making blankets for the CRC can contact Liedtka at liedtka@lvc.edu for more information.   

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