Manalapan Girls Donate Handmade Blankets To Women With Cancer

MANALAPAN, NJ - While summer is in full swing and sweltering heat has officially hit the Jersey Shore, several young Monmouth County residents are still concerned about locals who still need to keep warm. Led by one Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District teacher, 10 volunteers recently came together to knit blankets for sick residents who need additional warmth.

Founded by school teacher Briana Leschen, the volunteer group of 10 girls joined forces outdoors on June 11 to knit chunky blankets for Mary’s Place By The Sea, an Ocean Grove-based respite home for women who are receiving treatment for cancer. The group was able to purchase yarn from Manalapan-based Get Crafty, with co-owner Celena Soliman volunteering to teach the girls how to successfully knit the donations.

“I just think it’s a great way for a young girl and local business to empower other young girls by teaching them a new skill that they can use to help others,” said Leschen of the project. “I’d like to make this community service project a regular event that benefits different organizations.”

“We chose to participate in this event because it means so much to us to be able to give back to the community,” said Get Crafty owners Celena Ali & Mike Soliman in a statement. “We were touched by Briana's idea of offering "comfort" with a blanket to those dealing with cancer and we were so happy to be a part of it. We always help whenever we can, and we thought this was such a nice thing to do for the women of Mary's Place By the Sea ... these types of events are the most rewarding to us and we look forward to participating in many more in the future.”

Several volunteers told Patch of their own personal connections to cancer and how deeply meaningful assisting the women at Mary’s Place felt:

“I was inspired to participate in the Blanket Project because my friend recently overcame childhood leukemia,” said Grace, one young volunteer. “Making comfy knit blankets and donating them to Mary’s Place by the Sea was a meaningful way to give back to people who are suffering with cancer.”

“It felt so good to make that blanket,” said another volunteer, Zoe. “I don’t know who it’s going to but my heart is happy knowing that it might make someone else’s heart happy too. It was also really nice to meet other girls. We did something good and had fun too.”

“I wanted to use my talent to do something positive for people going through a tough time,” said local middle school student Jailyn Owimrin, who has taught herself how to make knit blankets and started her own business called Made By Jai.

“So many friends and family members have been affected by cancer so this was the perfect way to give back and show support,” Jailyn’s mother Jeanine added. “If even just one of these blankets brings comfort to the women at Mary’s place, we have done our job.”

Leschen will be hosting another volunteer group in July to benefit the Ashley Lauren Foundation, a New Jersey-based nonprofit that provides financial assistance, emotional support, birthday parties and outings for those who are battling pediatric cancer. Any adults or children over the age of 12 interested in participating should contact bmleschen@gmail.com.