Knott Hall, along with Circle K, will hold their annual Aidan Project Sunday, and event that invites students to help make blankets for cancer patients because, according to the College of Science event description, “Cancer is cold.”
Sophomore Nathan Kriha, the Knott Hall service commissioner, said the Aidan Project started in 2006 when a member of Knott Hall discovered he had cancer.
“The Aidan Project is basically an opportunity that we do every year with Circle K,” Kriha said. “Years ago there was a student named Aidan [Fitzgerald] who had cancer and he recovered, but something he really wanted was to have a service event for those who are in the hospital dealing with cancer.
"So ever since then there’s been the Aidan Project, which is an opportunity to make blankets in South Dining Hall for kids who are in the hospital with cancer," Kriha said. "It’s a really nice thing.”
Junior Patrick Sheehan, Knott Hall co-president, said various members of the dorm have contributed to the work necessary to prepare for the event.
“We organized an event … the week before [Thanksgiving] … where we actually took all of the rolls of fleece and cut them into blanket size,” Sheehan said. “We cut them and put them into bags and got all of that ready to get carried over [to South Dining Hall]. Another thing we do is make baby blankets too, so we cut some smaller pieces too.”
Kriha said that along with members of Knott Hall, members of the campus service organization Circle K have also helped prepare for the Aidan Project event.
“Buying felt was a big thing too, finding places to buy it, and that was actually all Circle K,” Kriha said. “[Circle K] is a club that focuses on service in the area, so for instance … at the beginning of November, they went out into South Bend and raked leaves for people who can’t actually rake themselves.
“They’re very oriented in service, so if anyone wants a good opportunity to be involved in the community with service then Circle K is a good club for that.”
This year’s Aidan Project will take place Sunday in the East Wing of South Dining Hall, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. During that time, all students are invited to come and help make blankets for local cancer patients.
“There will be stations for people to come in,” Sheehan said, “All the blankets are already cut, actually, we did that ahead of time, so it’s just going to be actually making them into blankets. You just knot the ends of them and make them look good on the corners.”
Kriha said the goal of the event is not only the quantity of blankets made, but to engage the student community.
“The goal is just to get through all of the stuff we have and not have extras,” Kriha said. “We just want to see a variety of kids from campus come … because last year it was pretty much only Knott and Circle K, there weren’t a ton of outsiders, so this year we’ve tried to make it a little bit more known to the campus.
"So hopefully, our goal is just to have as many people come as possible," he said. "Everyone’s welcome.”
