BLANKETS PROVIDED WITH LOVE

Infants addicted to drugs and alcohol are getting fleece blankets from
Langley students.

Every year babies are born to mothers who struggle with addictions and
who have used drugs or alcohol during their pregnancy.

A group of Langley students are hoping to bring a little bit of love
to these precious beings.

King's School participates in several outreach programs. In the past
they have done Adopt a Street missionary work, cleaned houses for the
less able, and yard work. This time they thought they'd try something
different.

King's School Grade 10 students Arum Han, Rebekah Schumacher, Tia
vanDeventer, Erika Wooding, and Grade 8 student Tiffany Romeyn along
with her mother Amanda Romeyn and the girls home economics teacher
Beth Griesel have made 13 fleece blankets that will be given to
addicted babies.

Located at BC Women's Hospital there is a special care nursery, Fir
Square, where addicted babies spend the first precious moments of
their lives, Amanda said.

The babies are often seized by the ministry and put into foster care.
And they lack the care and attention needed for them to grow up to be
healthy, caring, and loved individuals, she added.

The real person behind this is Amanda, Griesel explained. She
approached Griesel with the idea to get the girls to help the community.

"I was looking for how I can reach out and help people," Amanda said.
"These babies are forgotten and they have a hard start in life."

She hopes that the blankets will go wherever the babies go and that
one day they will know that they were made especially for them.

The babies at Fir Square often have to face withdrawal. Addicted
babies tend to be premature and suffer from low birth weight,
seizures, tremors, excessive crying, vomiting, sleep problems, and
fever.

When the King students were approached with the idea of making a
difference, they were very enthusiastic, Amanda said.

"The girls were willing to do it without getting any appreciation or
recognition for it," she said.

"It wasn't for attention, but was to just do it."

They recognize the work they are doing will dramatically alter the
lives of the babies.

"[It] reminded me of how good of a condition I'm in," Han said. "I'm
born into a Christian family and I'm loved."

Making the blankets doesn't involve much work. It takes about one hour
to make and costs $10-20 depending on the price of the fleece.

The girls made the blankets during class and some took material home
to make some more blankets.

The process has taught the girls a life lesson they will never forget.

"We live in a rich world. We don't know what it's like not to have,"
vanDeventer said. "We have a lot but we need to give of what we have."

Amanda is wishful that this initiative will encourage other people to
start thinking outside of themselves.