Chapter established June 2, 2005

Salem, MA & Virtual Binky Patrol Chapter

Delivering Binkies throughout New England

     

Marlys Vaughan, Area Coordinator

Email: NewEnglandBinkyPatrol@gmail.com

Cell Phone: 603-799-1127

November 2022  Boston volunteers
March 2022 – Thank you to Girl Scout Troop 70400! They made six beautiful twin sized fleece blankets.
Our chapter continues to be busy! For anyone interested in seeing what we’ve been up to, take a peek below. 2021 was another very busy year for this Binky Patrol Chapter.
We could not do what we do without our many volunteers. Dawn and Beth continue to work tirelessly receiving, sewing labels, sorting, bagging, delivering and running Bink-A-Thons and somehow they both manage to still find time to do some quilting of their own!
With sincere gratitute to all of the volunteers,
Marlys
Area Coordinator, Salem MA and Virtual Chapter
Item Quantity Out
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Blankets – Crib size 185 75 249 239 289 295
Blankets – Twin size 37 25 31 82 178 213
Mittens 30 9 22 33 49
Hats 31 15 115 137 51 182
Ear warmers 4 37 39
Scarves 28 26 33
Sweaters, baby 1 75 50 1
Booties 38
Pants 1
Layettes 9
Shawls 4 1 1
Toys / Stuffed Animals 8 8
Fabric Donations – in yards 46.5 5
Batting – for quilts 1 queen
Yarn donations – in skeins 1 1
Misc supplies donated 1 rotary cutter 1 pkg rotary cutter blades
Despite the ongoing challenges of Covid-19, we continue to provide blankets to those who need them. Using extra precautions, we are able to receive, label and deliver blankets throughout our local communities.
If you know of a child or teen in need of comfort, please reach out to us! We are happy to help get a blanket to them.
September 2020
A huge thank you to two of my long-time volunteers, Dawn and Beth who have worked tirelessly since November 2019 to help coordinate and receive donations, organize and run Bink-A-Thons, work with individual volunteers and they have delivered over 300 blankets since December 2019.
In November 2019 I ended up in the hospital with a severe back injury. Dawn called me and said “How can we help?” She and her husband picked up all of the blankets that had recently been donated and were at my house. She and Beth worked tirelessly sewing labels on the blankets, sorting and bagging the blankets. They reached out to several agencies and scheduled deliveries. Before Christmas they had delivered over 200 blankets. Since January they have coordinated BATs and worked with several volunteers providing pre-cut fleece, organized several cutting/prep sessions and then received the finished blankets. They once again sewed labels, sorted, bagged and delivered over 100 blankets and they are still receiving blanket donations as I write this. Without their help I would have had to suspend operations for the chapter but thanks to their efforts, the Salem, MA/Virtual chapter is staying busy as always! It takes a village.
A huge Thank You to the following volunteer blanket makers:
  • Girl Scout Troop 70400
  • Haworth Furniture Employees
  • Jackie S.
  • Dawn S., Reading, MA
  • Beth, H. Haverhill, MA
  • Caring Hearts Prayer Shawl Ministry, Ashburnham, MA
  • Crafters with a Cause, Rutland, VT
  • Phillips Academy, Andover, MA 
  • Suzie C.
  • Jonathan N., Windsor, NH
  • Donna, Amanda & Family, Woburn, MA
  • Elaine R. and the members of St. Alphonsus Parish, VT
  • Sujaana A.
  • Evan M.
  • Laurie B.
  • Elaine C.
  • Sarah B.
  • Sally S.
  • Heather L.
  • Terry C.
  • Lisa G.
  • Caroline S.
  • Martha W.
  • St. Denis Prayer Shawl Ministries
  • Ashley G. 
  • Shane P. 
  • Kelly F.
  • Olivia
  • The Ipswich Council on Aging Volunteers

A special Thank You to my mom, Janet, who tirelessly sews labels on the fleece binkies, crochets ear warmers, and helps deliver the blankets, hats, ear warmers, mittens, shawls and scarves received here at the chapter! I couldn’t do what I do without her help and support.

    

    

March 28, 2018: Sadly Donna lost her mother to a long illness. While at her bedside at the hospital, Donna spent many many hours, and while there picked up her crochet hook and made blankets. Her daughter soon got involved as well as other family members. Donna made a huge donation of 108 Binkies in March 2017 on what would have been her mother’s birthday. Donna and her daughter have decided to make this an annual event in honor of her mother.

This year, Donna and Amanda have done it again! Thank you so much for your wonderful donation of 57 Binkies and 8 stuffed animals! Your tireless efforts are so appreciated!

In April 2017 we had another wonderful BAT when we partnered again with Philips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. The volunteers were amazing and in just over an hour they tied 37 fleece blankets! We have already marked our calendars for next year’s event!
With the April 2018 B-A-T in mind, if anyone is interested in donating FLEECE for the event, we would welcome any donations or gift cards to JoAnn Fabrics where we could purchase the fleece. Our chapters rely on donations in kind to make the blankets, so any help is greatly appreciated!