The third to fifth grade children’s group at Annual Conference, led by Angi and Scott Harney of Elkhart, Ind., on Friday, July 5, delivered 103 blankets to the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids.
According to Karen Juno, administrative support coordinator, this is the largest donation of blankets the hospital has received–as well as the first donation ever from children.
The children’s group created the fleece blankets by tying a fringe on each one as their service project for the Conference. The blankets were donated by the Harneys’ congregation, Creekside Church of the Brethren in Indiana.
In a report to Newsline in advance of the Conference, Angi Harney reported that “my congregation is working very hard to get the blankets cut prior to next week. Our congregation raised more than $1,200 to buy the fabric for this project and so far we’ve had more than 30 people who have helped cut.
“I’m so excited the kids are going to be able to do this,” she added. “I remember all the service projects I did as a kid and they were awesome!”
Juno talked to the children’s group about which of the 223 children in the hospital would receive the blankets. Some of the children had tired of tying blankets, but “they’re probably feeling pretty good about themselves now,” Harney said.

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