Four students and a group of administrators traveled from campus to Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital recently to donate dozens of handmade blankets.
The gifts were brought up to the pediatric floors, and a few were given out to the young patients in the play areas, who were glad for the visit and the gift.
Student Sean Meehan of Hanover said doing such good deeds brought plenty of rewards.
“Seeing the smile on that young kid’s face made it all worthwhile,” he said. “It’s a great feeling.”
The blankets were made by volunteers from across campus and beyond, including students from the first-year honors program and from the Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative (ICEI), as well as individuals from the Old Colony YMCA Big Sister Big Brother WOW program, the MLK day-residence halls, and the first-year service-based residential learning communities.
The effort was dubbed Blanket Buddies, and blankets were produced last fall. When the stack was ready for distribution, a get-together was held in April allowing the participants to vote as to where they should go. Mass General’s pediatrics won.
Students Sean Meehan, along with Ian Lewis (Bridgewater), Clara Nichols (Hanover) and Kate Larrivee (Taunton) are enrolled in the ICEI. They not only helped make the blankets they’re the ones who got to make the delivery.
After a young patient named Gavin, who’d left his own favorite blanket at home, accepted his new one, Clara Nichols got one of those big thank-you smiles.
“It was heartwarming,” Clara said. “It was so nice to see Gavin take it.”
The rest of the blankets were stowed on each of the pediatric floors, ready for when new patients arrive and are in need of a little comfort.
“Your donation came at the perfect time,” said Sacha Heather Field, a child life specialist at MGH. “We literally will use them every day.”
Melissa Tecci, a child life specialist, thanked the students for the blanket donation, agreeing that, “These are something we’re always in need of.”
The administrators facilitating the donation and the trip to MGH were, Tina Raeke, Mary Price, Zachary Chipman, Laura Mulvey, and student Kassie Reynolds of BSU’s Community Service Center. (Story and photos by John Winters, G ’11, University News & Media)
