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After 16 years and 36,000-plus blankets, Janet Geissler is leaving nonprofit Project Linus, which supplies free handmade blankets to hospitalized children.

During her 16 years the volunteer director of the Philadelphia chapter of Project Linus, Janet Geissler has distributed more than 36,000 handmade blankets to patients in area children's hospitals. Geissler retired from Project Linus on March 1, 2019.
During her 16 years the volunteer director of the Philadelphia chapter of Project Linus, Janet Geissler has distributed more than 36,000 handmade blankets to patients in area children's hospitals. Geissler retired from Project Linus on March 1, 2019.Read moreJanet Geissler

Who she is: Janet Geissler, 64. On March 1 she stepped down after 16 years running the Philadelphia chapter of Project Linus, the national nonprofit that distributes free handmade blankets to patients in children’s hospitals.

How she got started: In 2001, a friend was offering free knitting and crocheting lessons to anyone who promised to make a blanket for Project Linus. (The group is named for the Linus character in the Peanuts comic strip, who loves his security blanket.) Two years and 25 blankets later, Geissler took over the Philly chapter.

Number of blankets distributed during her tenure: More than 36,000.

Best part of the job: Working with generous volunteers committed to helping kids and families get through a hard time with a little bit of comfort.

Why she’s leaving: She’s prepping for retirement from her full-time job in records management at Prudential Insurance and wants to free up her schedule for photography and other hobbies.

First thing she has done since leaving Project Linus: Knitted a blanket — for Project Linus.

To learn more, visit www.projectlinus.org.

- Ronnie Polaneczky