Dec. 23, 2008 — Due to efforts of local teenagers, orphans in Africa will be able to stay warmer or at least have something soft to snuggle up with. Approximately 30 teens gathered at Community Evangelical Free Church for an all-nighter on Saturday, Dec. 13 to tie, sew and crochet blankets. The blankets ranged in sizes from baby blankets to adult-sized blankets.

Tressa Murray, 17, of Susanville, spearheaded the project after watching videos of orphans shivering while they slept because they didn’t have a blanket to keep them warm.

The blankets will be sent to Zambia, a country located in the southern part of Africa. Initially, Murray planned to send the blankets through World Vision, a Christian relief organization, but is now going to send them through Mustard Tree Ministry an organization who provides resources to Zambia.

By sending the blankets through Mustard Tree Ministry, Murray said there will be free shipping and that way more blankets can be sent.

Others helped with the project by donating money and fleece. Murray said there is a $60 to $90 carryover, which will be used for another service project.

“This isn’t going to be the last thing we’re going to do,” she said.

Murray hopes to make more blankets and possibly work with World Vision and its other humanitarian aid projects.

For the past year, Murray has sponsored a child from Ecuador through World Vision, which is also the organization that provided the video clips that Murray watched.

She said some of the videos show large rooms — with dirt floors — full of shivering children sleeping without blankets. Other clips show families living in a home the size of a medium-sized American bedroom. She said some of the children are considered lucky if they have a cardboard box to sleep in.

The blankets will be mailed on Tuesday, Dec. 30 and Murray said she hopes to get photos of the blankets being handed out.