Blankets for Babies: Pfizer Pearl River Colleagues Support Local Agencies

From Pfizer: A Pfizer colleague got the idea from her daughter’s school project. Three years later, it has resulted in nearly 50 Pearl River colleagues donating almost 300 baby blankets – most of them handmade -- to various organizations in the Rockland County area for the benefit of low-income families.

The Blankets for Babies effort at Pfizer has involved beginners as well as expert crocheters. A group of Pearl River colleagues meet during their lunch hour every other week to crochet their blankets, and many crochet at home.

Kim Froeschl, a comparative medicine training specialist for the Worldwide Comparative Medicine group, has crocheted dozens of the blankets donated by Pfizer, as have Dorothy Plummer, a senior scientist for the Vaccine Research & Development group, and Terri Mininni, a principal scientist for VRD. Barbara Peters, a senior manager for the R&D Business Technology group, became an original contributor to the Babies for Blankets effort after learning to crochet.

“We are glad to help people in need and happy knowing that the blankets we make will provide comfort to a young child and their parent,” explained Froeschl. “It’s nice to see people from around our Pearl River site come together for this.”

So far this year, the Pfizer group has donated blankets to Birthright of Rockland County in Nanuet, Westchester-Rockland Project Linus, and the Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in Valhalla. In the past, Pfizer colleagues have also delivered blankets to the Rockland County Pomona Health Complex in Summit Park and the Rockland County Women, Infants, and Children office in Spring Valley.

“We were pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming generosity of the Pfizer employees who donated 18 gorgeous handmade Blankets for Babies to us, sharing not only their precious time, but also their talents,” said Karin Lancellotti, director of Birthright of Rockland County. “It is so wonderful to be able to benefit from the charitable efforts of strong businesses in the area who give back to the community. And we always welcome new volunteers!”

“We’re grateful for the donation of blankets from Pfizer,” said Adele Shapiro, chapter lead for Westchester-Rockland Project Linus. “It helps us get blankets to children in hospitals, and children in shelters and other traumatic situations in Rockland County. We welcome donations all year.”

Photos courtesy of Pfizer:

(Image 1) During the past three years, Pfizer Pearl River colleagues have donated almost 300 baby blankets – most of them handmade – to local organizations, including the Westchester-Rockland Project Linus, Birthright of Rockland County and Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital in Valhalla earlier this year. Pictured are (left to right) Beth Noe, Jennifer Bielawne, Kim Froeschl, Terri Mininni, Mikele Simkins and Barbara Peters.

(Image 2) Pfizer Pearl River colleagues recently donated 18 handmade blankets to Birthright of Rockland County in Nanuet. Pictured are Barbara Peters, Terri Mininni and Kim Froeschl of Pfizer, Birthright volunteer Anne Celauro, and Dorothy Plummer of Pfizer.