Every winter, athletic teams at Aurora University come together for a project to help comfort youngsters in hospitals, group homes, shelters and more, and this year was no exception.
Beginning at 11 a.m. Tuesday, representatives from the university’s many varsity sports teams dropped by the Thornton Gymnasium at Alumni Hall to participate in the 22nd annual Project Linus event in support of the Belton, Missouri-based nonprofit group that since 1995 has given away more than 9.3 million blankets to children throughout the country.
“I like that we get together every year and do something as a group,” said Matthew Frauendorff, 22, of Downers Grove, at Tuesday’s event. “I’ve done this for four years and we usually get 20 of our players here between the men’s and the women’s golf teams. Over the years – since freshmen year – I thought this was a great opportunity to give back to our community.”
The event was again sponsored by the university’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. Frauendorff said he joined the board of the committee and currently serves as treasurer.
“We run this entire project and the operation,” he said. “It’s just important to me. I’ve always believed in volunteering and it’s nice to see kids come together for an hour helping out other kids.”
He said “we hope this can bring a little light to the lives of people not in as fortunate a position as we are.”
Brian Kipley, director of athletic communications at Aurora University, said each blanket takes anywhere from five to 15 minutes to complete based on the number of people involved and overall, the event “usually produces about 100 blankets each year.”
“It’s safe to say over the course of the more than two decades we have had the program that at least 2,000 blankets have been given away,” Kipley said a day before the event.
The blankets made this year are going to Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital and its pediatric unit, he said.
Kipley said the blanket-making effort “is open to anyone on campus that wants to come and make blankets but that 99% is student-athletes.”
Olivia Buzzelli, 22, of Plymouth, Michigan, said she works with Frauendorff serving as the president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and that this too was her fourth year participating in the program.
“I’m part of the women’s hockey team. I think reflecting on Project Linus, we’re very privileged as student-athletes, and to give back to the community is huge,” she said. “To get the whole campus involved – all the sports teams involved – I just think it’s really beautiful to give back.”
Buzzelli said in the past, the group collectively “has made about 100 blankets” a year, but that this year they were going to make more.
Last year, the school received a donation of materials from Joann Fabrics but this year, Buzzelli said each student- athlete donated $5, which allowed the school to buy more fleece.
“The pieces of fabric were already matched together so all they have to do is unroll it, cut it in strips and tie it,” Buzzelli said.
The effort paid off as officials reported at the end of the project that 155 blankets were made, a new record total for the university.
Peyton Elliott, 21, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was also representing the women’s hockey team at the event and said she was also tying blankets for the fourth year.
“It’s a great cause. Being able to help out at the hospitals that are in need and being able to give back. It’s a huge part of being an athlete here at Aurora (University),” she said.
She said its not hard to recruit people to take part in the event.
“We’re all in every year, and it’s an expectation of our teammates to be here and we get to help those in need,” she said.
Justin Zimmerman, 23, of Aurora, said he is currently a grad student representing the baseball team and that this was his third year working with Project Linus.
“For me, I just keep in mind it’s for a good cause and it’s for the kids and I guess that’s what motivates me to show up every year and do my part,” he said.
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
