By Sue Wambolt, Contributing Writer
Marlborough – On Friday, July 20, local teens and tweens entering grades 5 to 12 are invited to the Marlborough Public Library Bigelow Auditorium to make no-sew blankets for local children in foster care. The program will run from 2 to 4 p.m. and includes snacks and a movie.
While there are art projects for teens and tweens at the library each month, this is the first time that the finished product will be donated rather than taken home. The library staff is working with Nancy MacDonald, family resource supervisor from the Framingham Department of Children and Families Office, who will be delivering the blankets to foster children in Marlborough and surrounding towns. One of the library staff members is Teen Services Librarian Jessica Bacon.
“I was collecting ideas for teen summer programs and what other libraries are doing with their teens,” Bacon said.?”One of the libraries had their teens knit blankets for preemie babies and we thought we could do something similar here in Marlborough.?When the Friends of the Marlborough Public Library offered to buy our materials, we knew we could afford a fun program. Allison Brooks-Juengel, a fellow librarian who runs all of our Do-It-Yourself Teen Art programs, and I came up with a bunch of ideas and ultimately settled on no-sew blankets for foster children.?I brought it up with our teens and they were excited with the idea.”
Bacon hopes that those who attend and make the blankets will realize that they are important to the community and that there are many things that they can do right now to help others.
“Making no-sew blankets is really easy and will mean so much to foster children who don’t have much that they can claim as their own,” Bacon said. “We plan to take time to talk about the foster care system and what it's like to live through it. We will have a few books on display that cover these topics as well.?I am hoping that after the event the teens will come up with a volunteer project they would like to do next summer and make this program a yearly tradition.”
Brooks-Juengel was able to find a sale on Jo-Ann Fabric's website, enabling her to buy enough material to make 35 blankets.
The library recently created a Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TeensMPL,?which teens can follow to learn about upcoming programs. On Fridays until Aug. 17, all teen followers will be eligible to win a food gift card.
To register, email Jess Bacon at [email protected] or call the?Circulation Desk at 508-624-6900. Registration is suggested, but is not required.