The reason for this, as Julia herself explained, is all the many and varied uses of a piece of cloth; "... blankets can make tents or lean-tos. Some blankets when cut up can make diapers for babies. Blankets can be made into clothes. Blankets can also be used to bundle up belongings to carry them from place to place. And, of course, blankets can keep someone warm at night when they sleep."

Breiling said that once the blanket idea began circulating around the school, the other kids became interested. Middle schoolers decided to help out with the packing and the sorting, the most recent example of which came right before Thanksgiving, when 111 blankets were stuffed into a bus bound for a warehouse owned by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Quaker-run service organization. From there, they will be shipped overseas and distributed to Afghan refugees in neighboring countries.

The blanket bonanza will continue over into this year's holiday season. Students continue to rally donations from their churches and local Quaker groups, and some of the teachers are crocheting squares for a couple of collective blankets made with, as Breiling said, "particular love."

"Blankets are still poring in," she said, all types, from hand-made to well-used to fancy ones bought from stores. More and more blankets will be solicited until Dec. 21, when a second bus will be loaded up.

"I want to help the Afghani people because they have to leave their homes because of the war," said Julia. "I care about them because they have that of God in them and they are just as important as we are. Sending them blankets will show them God's love."

Anyone with a blanket to donate can call 301-798-0288.