By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

“It’s like giving them a hug.”

That’s how Maplesville High School student Barneisha Harris described Project Linus.

For their community service project for the year, Teresa Stewart’s Family and Consumer Science classes created a special fringe on blankets to be donated to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham through Project Linus.

“I know it’s going to help a lot of kids feel happy and safe,” Harris said.

Student Jaycie Armstrong said the blankets will be used to help comfort kids during their stay in the hospital.

Harris said she had watched the Peanuts cartoons but had never heard of Project Linus until the class started the project. Once the project was explained, Harris said she thought it would be interesting.

Some created the blankets from fleece material, while others simply added the design to a store-bought blanket.

Stewart said students created a variety of sizes.

“They are not meant for warm; they are meant for comfort,” Stewart said.

Stewart first heard about the project when her daughter participated in it during a leadership conference.

The following year the assistant principal’s son had received a Project Linus blanket during an extended hospital stay while being treated for leukemia.

“That just kind of inspired it (her class participating), just seeing what an impact it made on him,” Stewart said.

She said it had been a few years before she was able to bring the project to her class.

Harris wanted her blanket to have purple as the main color.

“I thought purple would be a good color because it brings at ease, and it’s like a calm color,” Harris said.

Armstrong said the students also chose fun and colorful designs that could be enjoyed by a boy or girl.

Students worked on the project for two weeks.

“It was actually really fun to watch everyone work together on a project that helps other people out,” Harris said.

Family and Consumer Science students that are 16 or older will be able to deliver the blankets to the hospital for distribution as needed by the staff.

Stewart said these students will also be able to have a tour of the different health professions at the hospital.

The students will be donating at least 60 blankets.