Students Pitch In to Tie Blankets for Children’s Hospital in Madison
February 23, 2019
Due to an unfortunate accident, Sydney Ditscheit, a junior here at NDA, has decided to give back to the people that gave her and her family “such great care.”
Two years ago Ditscheit was in a UTV accident and had to be airlifted to the American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison where she spent three days in intense recovery. She received a tied fleece blanket during her stay there.
“What’s funny is that I don’t remember anything from the hospital, and even a few weeks after the accident, including receiving the blanket,” Ditscheit recalls. “It wasn’t until afterwards, when I wanted to give back to my community, that I saw the blanket and realized that was how I could give back.”
So far, she has been able to arrange and fund three “rounds of blanket-making,” totaling to 55 blankets donated with another 42 ready to be donated after this last round.
Ditscheit gives all the credit to her volunteers because without them this would never have happened.
“The volunteers, the people that help tie the blankets and make homemade cards to go along with them, are the people who make this happen,” said Ditscheit, “I’m so, so grateful for classmates and peers that are willing to take their time after school to help me out.”
She especially thanks Mrs. Jill Gerl, her staff supervisor, who was the greatest help throughout.
“She helped me get the library booked, the posters hung up, all the materials set up and she watched over the whole thing,” said Ditscheit.
For her previous “round,” Ditscheit received a grant from Disney and Youth Service America to cover the fundraising with the help of selling bracelets at school.
This year, all of the funds came from family, friends and her GoFundMe page.
She hopes to organize one more “tying party” before she graduates next year; however, this all depends on funds.
“The GoFundMe page is still up and running and that’s the best way for people outside of the school to donate, as of now,” she said. “If anyone in school wants to help out, I can take cash of check at any time.”
If anyone has any questions, they can reach her at her school email or find her in the halls.
https://www.gofundme.com/blankets-for-a-better-tomorrow
