More Than 850 Binkies From Four Chapters at Bink-a-Thon

The MrBallen Bink-a-Thon is done for another year, and four chapters made more than 850 Binkies. Beaverton bagged 257 in one day with about 50 volunteers. Temecula ran a drop-off event, and both Temecula and the Monroe, Connecticut chapter landed new grants. Susan thanks the church, local businesses, and volunteers who made the day possible, and shares where about 150 Oregon blankets went right after the event. She also has holiday ideas for chapters, including a casual bring-your-own-fabric sewing day, using 4x6 postcards to save on postage, and turning fleece cutaways into no-sew hats and scarves. Chapter leaders get an update on simpler quarterly reports. And if you or someone you know needs community service hours, Susan explains where to start on binkypatrol.org.

Key Points

Four chapters made more than 850 Binkies. Temecula made about 385, Beaverton 257, Monroe, Connecticut about 125, and Texas about 100.

Beaverton made 257 in one day. About 50 volunteers filled Holy Trinity Catholic Church and bagged 257 blankets in one day.

Temecula went drop-off style. Kimberly's chapter dropped off 325 blankets and still had 60 more set aside for another delivery.

Two chapters won grants. Temecula received a $1,500 Walmart grant and Monroe, Connecticut received $5,000 to fill requests from Al's Angels.

Holiday projects keep chapters close. A couple of hours with bring-your-own-fabric sewing keeps volunteers working and visiting between big events.

Reports are getting simpler. Quarterly chapter reports are shorter now, and chapters can stop mailing paperwork in.

Community service hours count. The Community Service page under Ways to Help on binkypatrol.org walks people through making blankets for required hours.

Takeaways

• A one-day event with about 50 volunteers can produce hundreds of blankets when the space, supplies, and teaching are in place.
• A drop-off event works for chapters that can't host an in-person day.
• Small grants from local businesses like Walmart add up for chapters that make blankets year round.
• Local partners can give more than money. Space, coffee, fabric, borrowed sewing machines, and matched volunteer hours all made this event work.
• Smaller sewing days between big events keep chapters close and productive.
• Chapter reports are simpler now, and paperwork no longer needs to be mailed in.
• Making blankets can count toward required community service hours.