HANNIBAL — Upon completion of their textile art assignment, River High School art students decided to donate their hand-sewn, nine-patch quilt squares to My Very Own Blanket, a group that is dedicated to warming the heart of every child in the foster care system with a blanket and pillowcase.

The donation gives foster children a feeling of comfort, security, and most of all, a smile. It connects diverse people, community groups, business and services through this volunteer opportunity and ministry to our children in foster care.

These gifts are comforting and familiar and children can take them from one home to another.

Through the loving care of volunteers, thousands of blankets and pillowcases are donated each year to children in foster care. The Sardis branch is in its ninth year and have donated 2,000 blankets to foster children in Monroe, Washington, Noble, Belmont and Wetzel counties.

At Christmas, 120 blankets were given. Each blanket is personalized with the child’s name, a tradition for “My Very Own Blanket” since 1999. To get involved: make blankets at home; volunteer at the workshop located at 37231 Mound St., Sardis; offer donations of cotton, flannel or fleece fabric, batting or yarn, or be a Blanket Sponsor by giving a monetary donation.

For more information on how you can change a life, contact www.mvob.org. Pictured are Alice Kingry & Linda Reed of My Very Own Blanket along with fourth period art students.

Students who participated included Zoey Miller, Karigan Pfalzgra, Hannah Straub, Hunter Driggs, Savannah Childress, Adria Snyder, Abbie Rufener, Meghan Sullivan, Rachel Indermuhle, Maggie Persinger, Mackenzie Goddard, Kenzie Stack, Kirsten Brown, Breanna McElwain, Cole Brown, Kyle Sisson, Jonas Schmidt, Grant Williams, Riley Lollathin, Thad Indermuhle, Morgan Andersen, Zac Haney, Hunter Knight, Drew Dietz, Sam Cordery, Keanu Barkes, Heath Rosen and Dillon Grimes.