Key Club makes blankets for children at Carson hospital

Douglas High School Key Club members drifted into the Shady Grove Coffee Co. after school on May 23-24 to make fleece blankets for children hospitalized at Carson Tahoe Medical Center.

The blankets were to be delivered to the Carson City hospital on Friday.

"We're aiming for 10 blankets," said junior Marisa Bertolone, one of five who had arrived early to cut the edges and tie knots to finish the soft, colorful blankets. More students arrived in the next hour.

The Key Club consists of 20-30 members. New this year, the club came up with the idea to put a list of hotline emergency phone numbers on the backs of all student ID cards.

"This is a major endeavor on their part," said Key Club adviser John Amundson. "Whether they're being bullied, abused, they can anytime, 24/7, get some expert to help them."

The Key Club hosted the Spring Fling, a prom for special education students, on May 18, and continued doing all the activities the club has traditionally done from year to year, plus added some of their own. The 2006-2007 Key Club schedule of activities that have concluded or have yet to be held: a Muscular Dystrophy fundraiser that raised more than $700 in Northern Nevada; a spring flower drop-off in June, a "ding-dong-ditch" where flower pots are left on people's doorsteps; the Turkey and Ham bingo Kiwanis events; the Spring Fling; raising funds for Christmas in Kampala, providing school supplies in Africa; a turkey dinner drop-off; an Angel Tree; fundraising for a student at Pau-Wa-Lu for a prosthetic leg; the Rake and Run; Blue Rock Park Cleanup; Candlelight Vigil for the Purple Ribbon Coalition; and doing Christmas caroling.