Bob Jones senior creates project to make weighted blankets for special education classes
MADISON – Special people in this world, when they see an opportunity to help someone else, seize the moment and take action. Carden Mayfield, a senior at Bob Jones High School, is one of those special people.
Mayfield has organized a project called Cuddle Buddies to make weighted blankets for children with ADHD, autism or anxiety – a unique blanket that can help these students calm down and focus in the classroom. Since making her first blanket more than a month ago, Mayfield has received praise and gratitude for the project from special education teachers.
Mayfield said she got the idea while working at Columbia Elementary School, helping with the extended day program. “I work with some of the kids who have anxiety, autism or other issues like ADHD that can impair their education time. When they get worked up, some will even hit themselves and get very upset. The only way we are able to get them calmed down is to hold them tight,” Mayfield said. “We were trying to come up with a solution that would better help the children during those times when the idea for Cuddle Buddies was born.”
One teacher suggested trying weighted blankets. “So, I decided to try to make one,” Mayfield said. “I have a lot of time on my hands, and I wanted to do something to give back to these kids because they have taught me so much about patience and understanding.”
Mayfield organized her group, Cuddle Buddies, and started making her blankets. She made the first one with a particular student in mind.
“One of the children, who actually inspired me to do the whole thing, is autistic,” Mayfield said. “He got worked up one day, so I told him to come sit by me, and I put the blanket on him. He went from being worked up and upset to laughing and relaxed within five seconds.”
Others who have benefited, too. Mayfield made sure each of the special education classes at Columbia had a blanket for their students. “The teachers have told me many stories of kids who got worked up but after putting the blanket on them, they can focus again and have a normal discussion when they would not usually be very attentive.”
Weighted blankets put gentle, deep pressure onto the body, which then causes the body to produce serotonin and endorphins, which are natural chemicals in the body that help one feel relaxed. The pressure is similar to feeling held and comforted.
Mayfield has organized a series of sewing days for volunteers to help make more blankets, which she hopes to give to all the schools in Madison. The first sewing day was Feb. 18, and another was held March 18 at Columbia.
“It was fantastic,” Mayfield said about last week’s event. “We had 20-25 volunteers show up, and we were able to finish about 13 blankets. That was a huge deal because it would have taken me weeks and weeks to make that on my own.”
The blankets made last week will ensure special education classes at Rainbow Elementary School will each receive one this week.
Another sewing day is planned for April 22 at Columbia Elementary.
“There is a lot of need for the blankets in our area,” Mayfield said. “The more help we can get, the more blankets we can make to help others.”
To recruit help, Mayfield has created a few options for people to donate time, money and materials. She uses JustServe.org for volunteers and to help people know how to donate materials needed for the blankets. There is also a Gofundme.com page and a Cuddle Buddies Facebook page.
“The community has been a very big help,” said Mayfield. “We have used so much of our supplies in our last sewing day that we need more. If we can get enough help, I would love to expand this to other schools outside of the Madison City Schools district as well. I just need the volunteers and donations to be able to accomplish it.”
The Facebook page can be found at www.facebook.com/CuddleBuddiesWeightedBlankets.
