Retired Kane County educators donate friendship blankets to nursing homes

Aurora Area Retired Teachers Association collected 55 blankets in an annual drive to warm patients in area nursing homes at their luncheon meeting June 4 at Lincoln Inn in Batavia.

After the meeting, volunteers delivered the blankets to Batavia Rehabilitation and Avantara Aurora (McAuley Manor), Pearl of Orchard Valley, The Grove of Fox Valley, Elmwood Terrace and Jennings Terrace, all in Aurora.

The completed covers reflected a year of at-home work by association members in the Friendship Blanket program, formerly called Warm Fuzzies. Top blanket maker was Margie Engberg of Oswego who sewed 23 covers, according to a news release from the association.

Returning as program leader was Eva Balek of Aurora, a retired K-12 art teacher formerly in West Aurora School School District 129. Assistants were Marilyn Ruby of Geneva and Linda Weiss of Batavia, according to the release.

“COVID-19 challenged our flexibility to continue our blanket donations, but we are back on track collecting and giving our beautiful craft work to community nursing homes,” Balek said in the release.

The association holds membership luncheon meetings at 11:30 a.m. on the first Tuesday of February, April, June, October and December at Lincoln Inn Banquets, 1345 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia.

Prospective members are invited.

Membership is open to retired teachers, administrators, support staff and spouses.

For information, call 630-921-1307 or visit aurorartdtchrs@outlook.com.