Potlatch teen takes on collection of 65 blankets for the elderly

Moscow's Good Samaritan Village will receive 65 blankets for the elderly this Christmas, thanks to volunteer project conceived and carried out by one high school student.

Potlatch resident Tayon Meckel, 16, takes online classes but is involved with Family, Career and Community Leaders of America through Potlatch Jr.-Sr. High School. She has been involved in FCCLA and community projects for years, but wanted to gear her efforts toward a nursing home.

"I decided I wanted to get them gifts, because I noticed last year in Lewiston they had something kind of like this ... so I talked to the nursing home and they said some of the things they always need is socks and blankets," Meckel said.

Meckel started advertising for donations near the end of November and already had 35, with the promise of about 10 more, by the first week of December. She would like to end up with about 45 for the women and 20 for the men at Good Samaritan Village. In addition to advertising through palouseads.com, she started a Facebook group and put fliers around Moscow and Potlatch. There is also a donation box at Floyd's Harvest Foods and at Potlatch No. 1 Federal Credit Union.

Gritman Medical Center quickly donated 20 blankets to her project, and others have given various blankets and fabric as well. She said places such as Walmart and Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft stores sells fleece blankets for $2 to $3, so donations don't have to be expensive.

"They can be any kind of fabric as long as it's washable," Meckel said. "It can be crocheted, if people want to make one, and certain sizes don't matter as long as they're like throw blankets."

Meckel said fabric donations are happily accepted, and she plans to make one or more of the blankets herself. People can give blankets that are "gently used," as long as they're washed and clean for donation. Large blankets are also accepted, she said, as they can be cut into smaller ones.

"I tried getting a hold of a few places, but nobody really got back to me ... I was going to try to do more than one nursing home, but realized 65 blankets was already so many," Meckel said. "I'm planning on doing it again next year, and hopefully involving other places also."

This is Meckel's fourth year in FCCLA. The first year, she said she went to districts and gave a presentation on traffic safety. For the past two years, she has also been involved in a project where they embroider and put books in tote bags to give to kindergartners at Potlatch Elementary School.

"We do a lot of fundraisers, like right now we're doing our quilt raffle ... and we're working on a drive to get used, non-working electronics as a recycling project," Meckel said. "I think FCCLA really helps with self-esteem, and I just really like helping my community. That's what I've done with almost all my projects."

Her mother, Jackie Meckel, said if her daughter surpasses her goal of 65 blankets, she'd like her to donate the rest to the Potlatch Fire and Ambulance.

"We have a great fire department here and I know if they have toys donated to them, they'll give those to the kids when they have to ride in an ambulance," Jackie Meckel said. "So I thought with blankets that's something they could also give them to hold on to, especially in the winter."

Jackie Meckel said Tayon and her younger sister, Kathleen, frequently take part in community service without prompting.

"I never tell them they have to do it. I'll say that something is going on and ask if they want to help, and my kids will join in," Jackie Meckel said. "You can't ask for better kids when they do stuff like that and want to give back."

Kelli Hadley can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 234, or by email to khadley@dnews.com.