Lap Blankets Presented to Mercy Hospice

By Jack James
Through the miracle of the Internet, a plea was made for lap blankets to help comfort Hospice patients in the Mercy Hospice in Fort Smith. Something was needed to keep the patients warm as they sat in their chairs or wheelchairs and something that wasn’t so “hospital” looking would be a blessing, they said. Well, a post to the masses of social media got several ladies attention. One of those ladies was Fort Smith resident Mary Tomlin!
Mary Tomlin heard the call and went to work immediately. She was already collecting material for a project with local Girl Scouts that was donated by her friend Terry Hunter. Terry’s mother had left a tremendous amount of material when she passed and she was doing something constructive and nice in her mother’s name. When Mary called her and approached her about donating material to the hospice blanket campaign, she didn’t hesitate to hand over all kinds of material for it. Mary made 13 blankets!
On Friday, December 14, 2018 the blankets were presented to the Mercy Hospice in the Mercy (St. Edward’s) Hospital. On behalf of Mary Tomlin and Terry Hunter, Jack James presented the blankets to Hospice Head Nurse Edith Brown and Nurse Amy Hollen. They were beyond thankful and appreciated the time and effort of the donation. It really was Christmas! The head nurse saw the one in the photos and was already handing it to one of their patients who she knew would enjoy it. The blankets are given to the patient and something that the family can take home later.
If you are interested in making a lap blanket to donate to the Hospice care, please do so! They really do a great service to those who have little time and comfort left. (Any part I played was to honor God, my Father and in the memory of cancer patients who lost their battles, especially my sister Donna Jo Johnson, and friends Woody, Roy and Debbie S.) “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”-Matthew 10:42