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Central students make blankets for nursing homes, homelss

Knoxville Journal-Express - 4/17/2017

A group of women soccer players have been putting smiles on the faces of individuals living in nursing homes by making tie blankets.

Kallie Holte, a junior at Central College, has been handing out tie blankets for residents in the community, with help from her friend Kalee Findlay.

Tie blankets are a type of fleece blanket.

When Holte was in high school, her grandmother Wilma took care of her husband. After he passed, she did not have much to do. Holte's mother asked Wilma if she would be willing to crochet blankets to fill up her time. Wilma began crocheting blankets.

Holte's mother, a pediatrist would go to nursing homes twice a week. She took the blankets made by Wilma to patients and the residents. The residents loved them.

During Holte's sophomore year, the fall of 2015, She and her friend Findlay began a club based on what her grandmother and mother had done, and called it "Laps of Love." But they ran into a minor issue.

"Nobody in the club could crochet blankets. So we decided we would make tie blankets," Holte said.

About 20 students participate each month to help make blankets, Holte said.

The blankets are smaller than a normal blanket, and are usually used as a lap throw.

The blankets are made by two layers of fleece, then cutting three inch strips along the edges and corners. Then the strips are tied together.

The students average 10 blankets per month, and give them away every two months.

"We deliver them to nursing homes and we donate them to homeless shelters," Holte said.

Findlay is a friend of Holte's, and said she wanted to get involved in an activity that helped people in the community. Holte had the idea to make the blankets.

"We both just made it happen," Findlay said. "It brightens people's day when we visit."

Holte had similar sentiments on Laps of Love.

"It's not only meeting people at Central, but we get to be involved in the community and we are not just Central College," Holte said. "We are a part of Pella."

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