Warmth and compassion

Elia Powers

Fleece blankets filled the floor, and Lindy Tolbert’s head was filled

with an endless list of tasks.

Find the scissors. Clean the floor. Greet the parents.

While most of Tolbert’s sophomore classmates at St. Margaret’s

Episcopal School in San Juan Capistrano celebrated the start to their

weekend, Tolbert was emersed in project-management mania.

Tolbert, 16, invited more than 100 students Friday to assemble

blankets for the homeless. Most of the attendees were kindergarten-

through middle-school-aged Girl Scouts from Newport Beach and Corona

del Mar.

The event, which Tolbert dubbed “Operation Winter Warmth,” took

place at the Port Westbourne Clubhouse in Newport Beach. And while

admittedly scatterbrained, Tolbert said she found time to appreciate

the afternoon’s activity.

“This is something I love to do,” she said. “I know one person can

make a difference. But a large group of people can make even more of

a difference.”

After completing this project, Tolbert, a Senior Girl Scout,

likely will earn the Girl Scout’s Gold Award, which is the

organization’s highest honor.

Tolbert’s mother, Margaret Buckingham, said this would be the

first time to her knowledge that a member of her daughter’s scout

program will have earned the award.

“It’s important to me, because it shows that I care about the

people I’m helping,” Tolbert said.

Buckingham bought 400 yards of fleece in preparation for her

daughter’s event. Tolbert created and sent out the fliers to schools

around the region.

On Friday, Girl Scout volunteers helped tie together fringes on

the blankets.

Because of the attention paid to last month’s tsunami, Buckingham

said many nonprofit organizations have been desperate for volunteers

and materials.

“This project is appreciated more than we could have ever

imagined,” Buckingham said.

Tolbert, a regular volunteer at animal shelters, spends numerous

weekend hours working at Serving People In Need, an Orange County

organization that distributes materials to Santa Ana’s homeless

population.

On weekends, Tolbert rides in vans that distribute heath kits and

blankets. She said she hopes to deliver up to 130 blankets from

Friday’s event.

She already has delivered 15 blankets that were assembled at St.

Margaret’s.

“I’m excited for her,” Buckingham said. “I’m pleased she chose

this project, because she has an emotional connection.”