SVMC Emergency Department Receives Donation of Blankets for Children

Caption: Danielle Ploof, a middle school science teacher at Pine Cobble School, delivered the blanket donation to SVMC.

Caption: Left to right, SVMC Emergency Nurses Jim Follett, Kat Cloud, and Olivia Marko accept the donation on behalf of the children who use the Emergency Department.

BENNINGTON, VT—May 18, 2022—Just as the rain began to fall on Thursday, April 14, Danielle Ploof, a middle school science teacher at Pine Cobble School in Williamstown, MA, stopped by Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) to spread some sunshine in the form of 50 handmade blankets for children using the Emergency Department.

“These blankets are so soft and adorable, with child-friendly prints. We know they will be a great comfort to children and families using Emergency Services,” said Jill Maynard, MSN, RN, director of nursing for the department. “We are so grateful to these organizations who give so freely for the benefit of others.”

The blankets were made through a cooperation among Brady’s Smile, a Connecticut-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization; Deborah Ploof of Blue Spruce Grange in Essex Junction, VT; and middle school students at Pine Cobble School in Williamstown, MA. Deborah and Danielle Ploof matched up two complimentary pieces of fleece and then cut the fleece to the blanket size from material received from Brady's Smile. Deborah then traveled to Bennington from Bridport and demonstrated to the students how the blankets would be finished by cutting slits in edge and double tying the two fleece pieces together. The final step was rolling up the blanket and applying a ribbon. Pine Cobble middle school students then took over doing the project a couple times a week for a few months as an elective class.

For more information about Brady’s Smile, visit www.bradyssmile.org.

About SVHC:
Southwestern Vermont Health Care (SVHC) is a comprehensive, preeminent, healthcare system providing exceptional, convenient, and affordable care to the communities of Bennington and Windham Counties of Vermont, eastern Rensselaer and Washington Counties of New York, and northern Berkshire County in Massachusetts. SVHC includes Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC), Southwestern Vermont Regional Cancer Center, the Centers for Living and Rehabilitation, and the SVHC Foundation. SVMC includes 25 primary and specialty care practices.

Southwestern Vermont Health Care is among the most lauded small rural health systems in the nation. It is the recipient of the American Hospital Association’s 2020 Rural Hospital Leadership Award. In addition, SVMC ranked fourth nationwide for the value of care it provides by the Lown Institute Hospital Index in 2020 and is a five-time recipient of the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. It has also received the highest marks possible from the Leapfrog Group. The health system is fortunate to have the support of platinum-level corporate sponsor Mack, a leading supplier of contract manufacturing services and injection molded plastic parts based in Arlington, VT.

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center provides exceptional care without discriminating on the basis of an individual’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression. Language assistance services, free of charge, are available at 1-800-367-9559.