What is a Bink-A-Thon?

A Bink-A-Thon is an event where a large group gathers for one day to make as many blankets as possible to be given to a local shelter or hospital. There are stations set up for sewing, tying the blankets off with yarn, painting squares (younger children love this part) and just organizing the fabric.

Last year’s Bink-A-Thon (BAT) involved 5 states and produced over 750 blankets within 6 hours. Money was raised to help offset costs for each chapter – batting, yarn, postage stamps and printing of promotional materials to gain more volunteers.

This year 28 chapters in 17 states and 2 countries!

If you aren’t near a Bink-A-Thon location or would like to help from a distance you can do it a couple of ways: Sponsor a Bink-A-Thon participant or chapter. Pledge an amount of money per binky made or a flat amount. Some people like to sponsor chapters in their own state to help that chapter’s efforts to make binkies for local children and teens. Some like to sponsor the “home” chapter for the national effort. You can also make “kits”. Enough fabric to make a 36 x 48 binky is a “kit”. Just send it to headquarters, or drop off near your local chapter, or mail to another participating chapter.

These are the chapters participating in this year’s Bink-a-Thon so far. Click on the links to go to their email or state page with more info and links.

Below is the most current list as of 9/15/00

WARROAD, MINNESOTA:
No information yet. Contact Area Coordinator Lorri Wong for details. 218-386-3532.

MONTREAL, QUEBEC:
No information yet. Contact Area Coordinator Doris Saki for details. 514-951-1106

MECHANICSVILLE, NEW YORK:
No information yet. Contact Area Coordinator Dayle Gruder for details. 518-664-5271

STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK:
No information yet. Contact Area Coordinator Yolanda Ferrentino for details. 718-351-5800.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, MICHIGAN:
No information yet. Contact Area Coordinator Kelly Fiedler for details. 810-781-2536

BELLEVILLE, NEW JERSEY:
No information yet. Contact Area Coordinator Irene Sands for details. 973-751-2760

QUINCY, ILLINOIS:
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the Quincy Mall Community Room. Contact Area Coordinator Debbie Shierling for details. 217-223-4178

TAMPA, FLORIDA:
This Bink-A-Thon will be held at the home of Area Coordinator Marne LaForge. (cell phone since she doesn’t know her new number yet) 813-453-6526. Location and date are up in the air because of a change in close of escrow! They are in need of sewers with machines and others to help cut the fabric into kits ahead of time.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE:
No information yet. Contact Area Coordinator Wanda Moon for details. 615-331-6126

SHAWNEE, OKLAHOMA:
No information yet. Contact Area Coordinator Jeri Spurgin for details. 405-878-8061

WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA:
New Hanover Regional Medical Center’s Canterbury Annex. It in the Coastal AHEC classroom across the street from the hospital. We are in need of fabric, batting and backing.Contact Area Coordinator Juli Harvey for details. 910-791-9115

WATERTOWN, SOUTH DAKOTA:
Event to be held at the local VFW. Contact Area Coordinator Colleen Graham for details. She is in need of help cutting fabric ahead of time, needs batting donated and help at the event making binkies. 605-884-1922

HARRISONVILLE, MISSOURI:
No information yet. Contact Regional Director Melissa Roth for details. 816-884-2229

WARMINSTER, PENNSYLVANIA:
No information yet. Contact Area Coordinator Marie Bredbenner for details. 215-443-7365

CAMP HILL, PENNSYLVANIA:
No information yet. Contact Area Coordinator Yvonne Makowski for details. 717-731-9778

EAGAN, MICHIGAN (TWIN CITIES):
No information yet. Contact Area Coordinator Caryn Ward Lantz for details. 952-440-2340

BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA:
No information yet. Contact Area Coordinator Sandee Milhouse for details. 812-339-1560

CRAWFORDSVILLE, INDIANA:
Oak Hill Tabernacle Fellowship Hall 601 Oak Hill Road Crawfordsville. Food furnished by: Dairy Queen (full meals) Arni’s Pizza. Contact Area Coordinator Angela Largent for details. 765-362-1869

DELAWARE, OHIO:
Senior Citizen Center, 420 Park Ave., Delaware, OH. Contact Area Coordinator Corey Hedges for details. lilmislegs@yahoo.com

ANAHEIM HILLS, CALIFORNIA:
Monday Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m. in Orange. Contact Area Coordinators Jerry and Pattye Duffner for details. They have fabric for this event. This chapter is ALWAYS in need of yarn for ongoing efforts. 714-685-6844

TUSTIN/SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA:
First Congregational Church of Santa Ana. 10-4 Two groups getting together. Contact Valerie Sims for details. 714-835-8844

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA:
St. Edward’s Episcopal Church, 15040 Union Ave. 8am to 2pm. Contact Area Coordinator Nancy Edwards for details. They need volunteers, fabric cut ahead of time and sewers at the event. 408-358-2357

NORTH LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA:
Community Presbyterian Church (in the Fellowship Hall) 6380 Orange Avenue, Long Beach, CA 90805. Please RSVP. Contact Area Coordinators Pat Pendergrass (562)423-0451 days or Mary Uht (562)728-1050 in the evenings for details.

LAGUNA BEACH, CALIFORNIA:
Laguna Beach Retirement Community. PCH/RUBY. 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. Those who RSVP and can stay for the entire event will be served lunch from Wahoo’s Fish Taco. Fabric provided. Bring your machine if you have one, scissors with your name on them. PLEASE RSVP for lunch count and planning to Event Coordinator, Laura McCoy – 949-837-9024 or Susan Finch 503-214-8346.

TRI-LAKES/MONUMENT COLORADO:
Contact Regional Director Nancy Smith for location and info. 719-481-9037. Lunch will be provided. They need everyone to RSVP. Sewers with machines, cutters, etc. All are needed.

GRAND JUNCTION COLORADO:
No information yet. Contact Area Coordinator, Shelly Kenner for details. 970-245-8402.

COLORADO SPRINGS/SECURITY, COLORADO:
Contact Area Coordinator Christie Desbouillons for more information – 719-390-4414

POMONA, CA – CAL POLY:
Cal Poly is sponsoring the Bink-A-Thon in that area. More volunteers are needed. Please contact Area Coordinator, Meredith Bailey for more information:mdancer@gateway.net

There will be a list of participating chapters in a week or so. This list will continue to grow.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information
Susan Finch 714-832-4388,
949-499-BINK

BINKY PATROL’S 4th ANNUAL BINK-A-THON
FALLS ON NATIONAL MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY

October 28, 2000, Beaverton, OR- 9a.m. to 3p.m. blanket crafters who volunteer for Binky Patrol – Comforting Covers for Children will be making “binkies” for children in need across the country on this one day. This annual fundraiser and “binky drive” is held to get as many blankets as possible made and given to children with this nationwide effort. The Bink-A-Thon is an event where blanket crafters get pledges per binky made by them on that day.

The Southern California Bink-A-Thon will be at the Laguna Beach Retirement Community on PCH at Ruby (2130 S. PCH). Lunch will be provided by WAHOO’S FISH TACOS and 10 Pfaaff sewing machines will be on loan from MOORE’S SEWING CENTER of Mission Viejo, fabric is provided by Hoffman California Fabrics in Mission Viejo. Children are also invited to participate by painting squares at a table provided for them. Parents and volunteers will be available to assist the kids who are drawing on squares or learning to use a sewing machine, cut, etc. It’s a fun day for all.

Twenty one other chapters in Colorado, Northern California, Michigan, New Jersey, Indiana, Florida, South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Illinois and New York will be participating in the Bink-A-Thon by making blankets at the same time for the children in need in their hometowns.

Binky Patrol needs pledges for the sewers, volunteers to make the binkies that day and to help out at the event. Event Chairperson in Laguna Beach is Laura McCoy 949-837-9024 or National Event chairperson, Susan Finch 503-214-8346, will be waiting to answer your calls for ways to be involved in this event or Binky Patrol. Pledges are used for local chapters to purchase materials to make more binkies to comfort more children and teens.

Binky Patrol is an all volunteer, non-profit organization and was founded in May, 1996 by Laguna Beach resident, Susan Finch. The group makes and gives blankets to children infected with HIV, AIDS, children with other terminal and chronic illnesses, those who are abused experiencing trauma or are in foster care. Over 150 chapters have formed across the country,three in Canada, one Military chapter stationed in Germany and one chapter in England.

This all volunteer effort’s focus is to raise community awareness by getting businesses, children, seniors, men and women involved by making binkies, locating local shelters and hospitals for their deliveries and getting them into the loving arms of these children. Volunteers number over 5000 and over 70,000 binkies have been delivered to date.

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Above is a sample of a press release for a local BAT to send to your local papers announcing your Bink-A-Thon. Print this and retype the text and paste it to look like this one. Change the name, location and corporate sponsors to fit and double space the body of the release to put it into proper format. Always leave Susan as an additional contact at the top with your name as the local contact with phone number and e-mail.

 More logos and art are here.