Lawrenceville’s Colin’s Kids Club Warms Hearts

Members of Lawrenceville’s Colin’s Kids Club spent a recent evening in the Bunn Library making fleece blankets to donate to pediatric heart patients.

Colin’s Kids is a nonprofit that provides funding to advance medical research related to congenital heart disease (CHD) as well as financial and other support services to families of children born with this birth defect. It was co-founded in 2010 by the families of Colin Molloy and Andrew King, boys born with CHD. Sadly, Colin passed away after only 47 days. Andrew, thankfully, is the happy, healthy little brother to Carolyn ’20, Connor ’22, and Chris ‘24, now dedicated to helping others with CHD. They have also donated thousands of blankets to patients at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia Medical Center in New York City – home to the NICU where Colin and Andrew were born.

Club Co-Presidents Connor King ’22 and Kate McCann ’22 led 30 Lawrentians (the number of participants was capped in adherence with Lawrenceville’s COVID-safe protocols concerning indoor gatherings) in the effort, completing 21 blankets. Fundraisers held last spring covered the cost of materials.

“This was our first in-person blanket making event in more than a year and a half,” said McCann. “Being together and having blanket making events is the heart and soul of this club, so we're really happy to be back to that.”

Students kept their efforts going even when the pandemic was at its height – the club distributed DIY kits to Lawrentians when the School was virtual - and now have over 100 blankets to hand off. “We just got the green light to deliver blankets [to New York-Presbyterian/Columbia Medical Center] again and hope to bring smiles to kids’ faces between Thanksgiving and Christmas,” said King.

The blankets, he explained, are the perfect gift for families dealing with the stress of illness and hospitalization. “If you have ever spent time in a hospital, you know that hospital rooms are dreary and a bit scary. Our soft and colorful blankets let the kids know that someone is thinking of them - plus they bring some welcome color and happiness to their room,” said King.

He is deeply grateful that his classmates have embraced Colin’s Kids with such enthusiasm. King remembers how much it meant to his family when Andrew was hospitalized, undergoing life-saving open heart surgery at just four days old.  “That small gesture meant everything and inspired this service project,” he said.

The Colin’s Kids Club will be selling Pura Vida bracelets during Lawrenceville’s Parents Weekend, happening tomorrow and Saturday. “The bracelets are red, white, and black – the School colors and the Colin's Kids colors - so parents and students can show their School spirit while supporting a good cause,” said King. Donations can also be made on the Colin’s Kids website.

Photo Credits: Connor King '22

For additional information, please contact Lisa M. Gillard Hanson, director of Public Relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.