“My name is Lucy Blaylock and I am 11 years old. I started sixth grade this year. I am also the owner of the non-profit, Lucy’s Love Blankets, which began in 2017 when I was 8 years old. I wanted to come up with a fun gift I could make my friend for her birthday, and after talking to my mom about it, we decided a blanket would be fun. After shopping for the perfect fabric, she sat with me and taught me how to sew.
I called it a ‘Love Blanket,’ put a hand-stitched heart on it with my name, and wrote her a poem. After I got home
from giving her the blanket, I decided I wanted to do more. I wondered if there were other kids who could use a little extra love. I thought maybe my mom could do a giveaway on her Instagram account, and I could find another child I could make a blanket for. When we posted the giveaway, 16 nominations came in. I read about all the kids and when it was time to pick a winner, I cried and begged my mom to please let me make them all a Love Blanket. She immediately said yes and we got busy!
And that’s how Lucy’s Love Blankets was born!
As of today, I have made over 600 blankets, and have shipped them to 17 countries around the world. They have gone to kids who have been bullied, struggling with illness and disability, dealing with hard issues such as divorce and death, mental illness, struggling in school, and a variety of other things. The only requirement for a Love Blanket is simple… it’s a child who needs a little bit of extra love.
I still remember the very first blanket we made. It went to a little girl named Marley, who was autistic and had been bullied in school. Her blanket had unicorns all over it and I was so excited to send it. I even used some of my own money to buy a little necklace to send with it. Her mom still keeps in touch with us and lets us know how she’s doing.
One of my favorite things about making Love Blankets is getting to know the kids and then trying to pick the right fabric for them. I love hearing their stories and seeing their pictures. When I hear their stories, it helps me feel connected to them. I love seeing their stories on social media and I feel so happy when I see them doing well. They are always so happy, even though they are dealing with some really hard things. When I see kids like that, I want to be like them.
The hardest thing about making Love Blankets is knowing certain blankets are going to kids who are dying. There have been a couple of times when we haven’t been able to get the blankets shipped in time before they passed away. Those have been hard for me. But my mom always tells me it will still be a gift that will mean a lot to their families, so I’m always glad we’ve sent them.
One of my favorite Love Blankets I’ve given was for another girl my age named Hazel. She has alopecia and has been really brave about it. She recently shaved off all her hair, and she is happy and confident. She has taught me a lot about how to face hard things and has been really inspiring for me.
The one thing I’ve learned the most is no matter how hard the challenges are these kids are dealing with, they are really strong. It has made me grateful for my life and for my blessings. I can’t fix the problems they are dealing with, but I can make them a Love Blanket and let them know they’re loved.
My favorite quote is, ‘No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted,’ by Aesop. The reason I love it is because I believe every act of kindness matters, no matter how small it is. I love that being kind is easy. I love that it’s something everyone can do.
Another question I’m asked a lot is what advice I would give to anyone who wanted to do something to make a difference. I would say just choose one thing and start. Don’t wait for the perfect plan. Just do something. I had a friend pick up a pencil for me at school one day, and it wasn’t a big thing but it was kind and it mattered to me. Even if it’s small and you wonder if it will really make that big of a difference… do it anyway. You never know, it may be exactly what someone else needs. I’m young, but there are some things I know for sure, and one of those is the world can always use more kindness.”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Veronica and Lucy Blaylock from Gallatin, TN. You can follow their journey on Instagram and Facebook. Do you have a similar experience? We’d like to hear your important journey. Submit your own story here. Be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.
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