CRESCO – The NE Iowa Chapter Binky Patrol needs your help! The non-profit organization is currently searching for donations of blankets to distribute to children in need. Area Coordinator Roxie Svoboda says a “binky” is a homemade blanket that can be sewn, knitted, crocheted or quilted.
“I was looking for somewhere to donate some blankets and I did some research and found this group,” she said. “They let you distribute the goods locally, and they don’t go outside the area if you don’t want them to, so I decided to go ahead and apply for the chapter license because there were no chapters in Iowa. I was approved, so I’ve been doing this for about three years now.”
CRESCO – The NE Iowa Chapter Binky Patrol needs your help! The non-profit organization is currently searching for donations of blankets to distribute to children in need. Area Coordinator Roxie Svoboda says a “binky” is a homemade blanket that can be sewn, knitted, crocheted or quilted.
“I was looking for somewhere to donate some blankets and I did some research and found this group,” she said. “They let you distribute the goods locally, and they don’t go outside the area if you don’t want them to, so I decided to go ahead and apply for the chapter license because there were no chapters in Iowa. I was approved, so I’ve been doing this for about three years now.”
Svoboda says that many people in the area have never heard of Binky Patrol. “I put brochures in Pine Needles Quilt Shop [Decorah] and Quilter’s Garden [Cresco], but it seems that a lot of people don’t really pick them up, so it’s been hard to get going.”
Still, Svoboda says Binky Patrol accepts any type of donation – anything from a crib-sized blanket all the way up to twin-size. “We like them to be new,” she iterated, “but they don’t have to be homemade and they don’t have to be quilts. They can be fleece, knitted, crocheted, sewn – basically anything, and we welcome a purchased blanket. We then sew a label on them before we distribute them.”
To date, Binky Patrol has distributed blankets to Regional Health Services of Howard County, Winneshiek Medical Center, and also to Lutheran Services in Decorah and the Ronald McDonald House in Rochester, Minn.
“We like to have a variety of colors,” said Svoboda. “Sometimes people tend to go for the pretty, girly colors, and miss the boy colors, but I’m starting to pick that up a little more now.”
She added, “Last year, Disney ran a ‘Give a Day, Get a Day’ promotion and as a result of that I was able to take around 80 fleece blankets to Ronald McDonald House. I was pretty overwhelmed with how many I had received, and those blankets actually came from all across Iowa. People send them to me.”
In addition, monetary donations are accepted. “…but we have to submit the funds to the national office and then we get a percentage of it back, so donations of blankets are a little easier for us to control on the local level,” said Svoboda, adding that blanket-makers are needed as well. “If somebody wants to purchase some fabric for us, we’d welcome that. I’ve received yarn from people who have no use for it anymore, so I could use some knitters or crocheters to create some blankets for us.”
Svoboda looks to host Binky Patrol’s first-ever call for volunteers on Saturday, March 12 in the Cresco Bank & Trust meeting room from 12:30-5 p.m. “I will be putting together what we call a ‘bat,’ where anybody is welcome to come down and help. We don’t just need sewers, we need people to iron, people to cut and those sorts of things.”
Svoboda urges those who would like to participate to call in advance. She can be reached at 563-663-2725, or at neiabinkypatrol@hotmail.com.
For more information, visit the national Binky Patrol, Inc. website at www.binkypatrol.org.
What is a binky?
A binky, as prior mentioned, is a homemade blanket that can be sewn, knitted, crocheted or quilted. They can range in size from 36”x36” to twin size. All patterns are acceptable as long as the blankets are soft and washable. However, please use a 3/8” or 1/2” inseam. If tying the blanket off, please make sure the yarn is double-knotted and no longer than 1”. Also, please keep fringe on crocheted or knitted binkies short as well. No buttons should be used. Binkies may be made with or without batting. Remember, sometimes batting makes the binkies heavy for young children. Binky Patrol labels will be sewn into the corner before they are sent to their destination.
Where do the binkies go?
They will be distributed to local hospitals, shelters and agencies where they will be given to children in need of comfort. If you know of a support organization or group in northeast Iowa that would benefit from these binkies, please let the local chapter know.
Please remember…
•One binky can make a difference in the life of a child.
•One binky is better than no binkies.
•A person of any age can make a difference in the life of a child.
•If it’s soft, washable and from the heart – it’s perfect!