TRUMBULL — The Binky Patrol of Southern Connecticut (BPSC) is planning a Binkathon, a one-afternoon event during which hundreds of binkies will be produced for future distribution.

The event will take place Saturday, October 25, from noon until 4 pm, at Christ the King Church, 4700 Madison Avenue in Trumbull. During that time, area residents are invited to learn how to make a binky — a small, handmade blanket to be distributed to children born with HIV or AIDS, addictions, or chronic or terminal illness. Binkies are also given to abused children, children struggling through foster care, and any child up to age 18 who is experiencing a trauma.

The handmade items measure from 36 by 36 inches for children, upwards to a teen-size afghan of 46 by 60 inches. Groups occasionally receive requests for smaller binkies, which measure 2 by 2 feet and are intended for premature babies, strollers, and what the group calls “Binky Angels.”

They can be sewn, quilted, knitted, or crocheted. While many choose to create a full blanket for The Binky Patrol, others create any number of squares and donate those to the Patrol. Volunteers then match and sew the squares together, creating unique patterns and styles.

Patterns are up to the creator of each binky, who must follow two simple rules when creating each blanket: the finished binkies must be machine washable, and they must be created in a smoke-free home.

Binkies can also be made of fleece, which are usually done in a single layer, but can be doubled up for chilly weather.

“When we need them quickly, then we do the fleece,” said JoAnn Bruno, who has been a member of BPSC since early this year, when the group was formed by Monroe resident Jeanne Malgioglio.

Binky Patrol was initially founded in Laguna Beach, Calif., in May 1996. Susan Finch posted a sign-up sheet in front of her retail business seeking volunteers to help her make blankets for a local woman’s shelter. From its initial five volunteers, Binky Patrol has grown to more than 160 chapters and an estimated 20,000 volunteers nationwide ranging in age from 4 to 94.

Now based in Beaverton, Ore., Binky Patrol continues to grow. BPSC was founded in January 2014.

“My first big collection was the scarves for Sandy Hook,” Ms Malgioglio said October 8. “I have a friend whose daughter attends Sandy Hook Elementary School, and I wanted to do something for her” after 12/14. So Ms Malgioglio made a scarf featuring the SHES school colors of green and white. She decided to see how many scarves she could collect for students and faculty of SHES, so she launched a Facebook page soliciting donations.

Having run a service club for nearly a decade at Madison Middle School in Trumbull, where she is a teacher, Ms Malgioglio was familiar with organizing such projects. What she wasn’t prepared for was the overwhelming response to her request.

“We ended up collecting 2,500 scarves,” she said. “They came in from 46 states and nine countries.” Many of Newtown’s first responders also received the gift of a handmade green and white scarf last winter.

When she began looking into doing “something more permanent, instead of jumping on different projects,” Ms Malgioglio said, she discovered Binky Patrol. JoAnn Zimmerman, who had been helping Ms Malgioglio for much of the local patrol’s creation, became its co-chair in May.

There are no formal Binky Patrol meetings — “There is a core group who talks a lot, but everyone works independently,” said Ms Malgioglio — but organizers did organize one drop-in date at a Monroe coffee shop during the summer.

“We may do that again, but we depend on people to drop off or mail us their finished binkies,” she said.

The material used for the binkies is found or purchased by the volunteers who create the blankets.

“We don’t have a budget,” said Ms Bruno. “Everything is paid for out of pocket, but the volunteers.”

Local handcrafters can work as a team, or on their own and drop off binkies at one of the local drop-off sites. Collection boxes have been set up at A Bead of Roses, 274 South Main Street in Newtown (Plaza South); Salon Sanctuary & Day Spa, 380 Monroe Turnpike in Monroe, and Patience Pediatrics, 501 Main Street in Monroe.

For those who would like to mail their binkies, they should be addressed to Binky Patrol Connecticut, PO Box 58, Monroe CT 06468.

In September, the group passed a milestone, with more than 1,000 binkies made and donated.

BPSC recently gave binkies to the siblings of Emily Fedorko, a 16-year-old who died in August following a boating accident in Greenwich. Just last month, the group arranged for the creation of 90 binkies, which were given to the 90 members of Kappa Delta sorority at Sacred Heart University following the death of their sister, Kaitlyn Doorhy.

Binkies have been donated regularly to Danbury, Griffin, Bridgeport, St Vincent’s, and Yale-New Haven Hospitals; regional birthing centers, burn centers, and EMS departments in Newtown, Monroe, and Trumbull to have on hand when needed.

While most stay within the greater Bridgeport region, one member of BPSC recently posted a photo on Facebook of two binkies she had created using fabric printed with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Her Facebook post featured a note that explained the binkies were heading to Indiana “to help a little 5-year-old who is battling leukemia and his twin brother who will be his bone marrow donor and hero. Sometimes you need a little help and hug from your favorite turtles.”

“There are nine of us doing this regularly right now,” said Ms Bruno, “but we are hoping to expand our group.”

The final touch on all Binky Patrol binkies is the affixing of a Binky Patrol label. With the tag line “Because we care” in the center of the label, it is one more way for each Binky Patrol recipient to know that someone cares about them.

An International Event

A Binkathon is an event where a large group gathers for one day to make as many blankets as possible to be given to a local shelter or hospital.

There are stations set up for sewing, tying the blankets off with yarn, painting squares (perfect for younger children), and simply organizing fabric. Children are welcome, according to an October 6 BPSC Facebook post, “as long as they are supervised and they can learn the importance of helping others.”

It can be, according to binkypatrol.org (the national website), “a crazy day of pot-luck, sewn fingers, spilled coffee, a lot of laughs and a ton of binkies!”

The Binky Patrol of Southern Connecticut hosted a Binkathon on April 26 at Monroe Town Hall. Volunteers of all ages showed up to help. Among the projects that day were blankets for the students of Jonathan Law High School following the stabbing death of student Maren Sanchez, 16, just days earlier.

“We created and donated binkies for every member of that school’s junior class,” said Ms Bruno, “all 200 of them.”

Organizers of the October 25 event are hoping not only for volunteers, but also help with materials.

“We’re really hoping for donations of materials,” said Ms Bruno. BPSC did recently receive a large donation of fleece, according to the group’s Facebook page.

“We’ll have a corner for knitters and crocheters, where they can create squares for blankets,” said Ms Malgioglio. “We’ll also have an area where people can stop in to drop off blankets.”

A recent donation of $500 and “a really good sale at Joanne’s Crafts” allowed the group to buy “a lot of blanket kits,” she added, “so people can stop by and make blankets using those.”

Binky Patrol Founder Susan Finch has issued a request to all chapters.

“October 25 is World Make A Difference Day,” said Ms Malgioglio, “so she decided to try to get as many chapters involved in this Binkathon. She is hoping this becomes an international event.”

All are welcome to participate in the Binkathon, said Ms Malgioglio. There is no charge to participate, but donations will be gratefully accepted.

“If they would like to donate while they’re there that would be great, but there is no cost to attend,” she said.

Materials and a limited supply of tools will be available.

“If they have their own stuff and they want to bring it, that’s fine,” said Ms Malgioglio. “We’ll have a lot of fleece, so sharp scissors will be helpful, but we will have some to go around.”

Registration is not required, but is available, and will help for those arranging for refreshments. Registration can be done on Facebook, through Binky Patrol Southern Connecticut.