A middle school student wanted to bring comfort to nursing home patients. So she came up with a plan to distribute blankets of hope.
"I have fleece blankets, which are warmer, especially in the winter time," Gabby Bogart explained.
Her great grandmother, Nanny, spent the last few years at Beverly Park Place Health and Rehabilitation.
Gabby's mother, Jaclyn Bogart, said, "Gabby's always cold anyway. Well, so was my grandmother. She would come in and it could be 90 degrees outside and she would have on a long sleeve shirt, pants, and a jacket. She was just cold."
Gabby explained, "I decided to start a blanket drive and get some fuzzy socks together and we're going to bring them down here I think the Friday before Thanksgiving and we're going to give them out to all the patients."
Gabby's goal is 270 blankets, one for every resident.
Sandra Maples with Beverly Park Place Health and Rehab said, "I think it's really amazing for a young person that age to take such interest in elderly people."
Gresham Middle School plans to help the 7th grader collect them and raise money to buy some more.
"Everybody I know of would like a cuddly blanket," Maples said.
The donated blankets are comfortable and soft and the Bogart family will make sure they're clean.
"We're going to take the blankets home. We're going to make sure every one of them is washed, laundered, and ready to go," Jaclyn Bogart said.
Gabby plans to give them to the seniors in time for the holidays.
"I hope they feel warm and they feel like they still have family left," she said.
Her mother said, "There's not many 12 year olds out there, or 20 year olds for that matter, who would try as hard as she's trying to get this done."
Gabby's Nanny died earlier this month.
"I think she would be really happy I'm doing this," Gabby said. "She would be ecstatic about it."
She would be happy her granddaughter will offer blankets of hope.
If you would like to donate a blanket take it to the main office at Gresham Middle School.