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Melissa Weido and others organized their fifth annual blanket drive for assisted and senior living facilities this year, expanding beyond Columbus to bless others across the county, Tuesday, Dec. 23.
Those involved with the drive delivered 365 blankets to residents at the Columbus Oaks Assisted Living, Columbus Oaks Health Care, Parkview Manor Nursing Rehabilitation and Tru Care Living Center and Community. The final count soared above the goal of 240. Weido said she was amazed at the amount donated.
“I’ve contacted the elementary school, and we are going to have some blankets that we are going to be able to donate to them, and I know of some individuals that are housebound here in Columbus,” Weido said. “It makes me really happy that we can give back to the community.
Weido started the drive in 2020 and previously only donated blankets in Columbus. The first year was just the nursing home. The second year she added Columbus Oaks Assisted Living, and Tru Care Living Center and Community the third year.
“I thought it’s going to take me seven, eight years until I get enough that I can do the whole county, and then I just had so many giving hearts this year,” Weido said. “…I started calling Weimar…and then, ‘Oh my gosh, I get to do Eagle Lake.’” Weido credits the expansion to the number of donations. She said she intends to search for more places in need of donations, like other schools, in the future to keep up with the growth. Weido requested for future donations to come with gift bags.
“That’s a big thing. Yesterday, I was going to Dollar Tree and bought, I think, right at 200 bags,” Weido said. “…It’s part of the package. I do ask if you donate a blanket that you donate a bag. We still got to work on that a little bit.”
