Bonners Ferry resident Marianne Larkin has a close friend in a rest home. When her friend began struggling with the loneliness and isolation that came with the coronavirus pandemic, Larkin knew she wanted to do something to help, but soon realized that her friend wasn’t the only area senior who needed a morale boost.

It wasn’t long before she came up with “Cozy Covers for Senior Laps.” Her goal? 100 blankets or quilts to hand out to area senior living facilities.

She can’t do it alone, however, and is reaching out to the community for help.

In addition to her time, she has also put in about $350 of her own money, enough to make about 20 blankets. She needs additional funding, yarn and helping hands to finish the project by the end of February.

Larkin needs knitters and crocheters to help make the blankets. She’s looking for pieces to be approximately 3 ½ x 4 feet (big enough to cover a lap and small enough to tuck into a wheelchair).

Larkin is confident that “our wonderful little community” will step up to the challenge, helping put a smile on the faces of area seniors and “cheer them up and let them know that they’re not forgotten.”

Larkin says if everything goes well, she’d like to turn it into an annual project; next year she’d like to focus on blankets and quilts for the hospital nursery.

If you would like to donate your time and help create the quilts, you can email Marianne Larkin at [email protected].

If you would like to donate to the project, you can drop off funds, yarn or new quilts and/or blankets at the Bonners Ferry Veterinary Clinic, 6657 Main Street, Bonners Ferry.