Blanketing Those in Need with Love — and Warmth

At Christmas, 10-year-old Lisa Sandoli started thinking about how lucky she was to receive so many gifts and new clothes. Then she started thinking about the homeless and others so much less fortunate.

So she went to her mom with a plan.

“At the time, it was very cold outside, so she thought she could collect blankets for the homeless,” said Lisa’s mom, Sandy Sandoli.

Her mom thought it was a great idea, and Lisa asked her friend and fellow South Mountain 4th grader Katherine Besom to help her out.

The two went to Principal Tina Lehn, who approved of the drive and let the girls put up posters up around the school and make announcements on the morning video snnouncements, asking for donations of new or gently used blankets.

Both Lisa’s and her older sister Jenna’s Girl Scout troops (Troops 699 and 21126) are going to make fleece blankets to donate to the project as well – about 20 to add to the 26 they collected at school.

The girls are planning to donate the blankets to Turning Point Shelter for women and children in Irvington.

"I felt great about doing the drive so that people will have warm blankets to use to keep warm," Lisa said. " I enjoyed organizing the drive and can't wait to show my Girl Scout troop how to make the fleece blankets we will also be donating."