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Oh baby what a project
Nativity youth collects homemade baby blankets for Eagle Scout project

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
(Email Renee)

BRONSON – Tucker Lutter was quite particular when it came to selecting his service project as required to earn the Eagle Scout Award.

Because he is big into nature his mother, Angie Lutter, always thought he would pick something related to the outdoors.

But this 15-year-old took a different direction.

“I was trying to think of what I wanted to do for a long time and I couldn’t really think of anything that I really wanted to do,” said Tucker, a parishioner at Nativity Parish in Sioux City. “And then God inspired me with a thought.”

After participating in the 40 Days for Life campaign last fall, Tucker wanted to do more for the pro-life effort.

“I was wondering what I could do to help stop abortion and support mothers who are unmarried – giving them some comfort and giving them another option than Planned Parenthood,” Tucker said. “I know praying is a big part – the most important thing - but I wanted to do more.”

Then came the idea
He acknowledged that he didn’t think he could do much. He was young and couldn’t vote, but then the idea clicked.

Tucker, a member of Scout Troop 100 of Blessed Sacrament Church in Sioux City, came up with the idea of having volunteers make baby blankets, which will be distributed to new mothers through Birthright. The homemade portion of the equation was very important because that way people could pray for the mothers and babies as they did their handiwork. And, with homemade blankets, he said the young mothers would know that someone cared very much about them.

Angie pointed out that she and Tucker made a blanket in 2007 for her uncle who was dying of cancer. They prayed as they worked and when they gave the blanket to him, the uncle, who is now deceased, found great comfort in it.

He pointed out that a service project is required to earn the Eagle Scout as a way to build leadership and organizational skills as well as build a connection with the community.

After he came up with the idea, Tucker was required to have the project approved by his scoutmaster. He turned in his project plan on Oct. 28 and once he got the go ahead, he spread the word about the project through e-mail and phone calls. His pastor, Father Jerry Feierfeil, also helped by allowing him to advertise the project in the parish bulletin.

Tucker, who is home-schooled using the Our Lady of the Rosary Home School curriculum, set a goal of 100 baby blankets.

“I at first was a little concerned that he had set his goal of 100 homemade blankets too high. I thought he should set it at a smaller goal but he said, ‘I know I can get 100’,” said Angie. “I thought 50 would be a lot.”

Great response
Tucker was right. In the end, over 200 blankets will be given to Birthright. The blankets are made up of various sizes, colors and styles from fleece to quilts and flannel to those that were crocheted and knit.
“I am very pleased,” he said. “I didn’t expect to get over twice as many as planned.”

A wide range of individuals helped with the project: Boys Scouts, Girl Scouts, a prayer group from Immaculate Conception in Sioux City, a sewing group from Cherokee, a youth group from Bethel Baptist Church, home school families, local parishioners and others.

“We had people participate from nine states – Florida, California, Oklahoma, Colorado, Arkansas, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota and North Dakota,” said Tucker, who estimated that volunteers put in about 680 hours in making the quilts and about $3,000 in material.

The actual value of the blankets, added Angie, was much greater than costs.

He pointed out that the project expanded from the original plan of blankets, when a Birthright representative told him that they give stuffed animals to the young women when they find out that they are pregnant. So Tucker also collected 125 stuffed animals.

The Scout didn’t stop there. He decided it would be a good idea to include a rosary with every blanket. With that in mind, he sought and received rosary donations from Fitzgibbons and Trinity Heights.

Huge participation
He estimated that about 100 people participated in the project in some way and that helped make the service project special in its own way because it gave people an avenue to volunteer.

“A lot of people want to find places to volunteer,” said Tucker. “At first, I thought I would be bothering them but people want to find ways to help.”

In addition to those supplying blankets or stuffed animals, some individuals including a couple of priests, gave money for the project. The Lutters then bought material and volunteers made blankets.

Attached to each blanket will be a rosary and a card that states, “This blanket was handmade and prayed over especially for you and your baby.”

He extended gratitude to all of the people who helped with the project.

“I would like to say to young people that they can make a difference,” Tucker said. “If they can figure out something good to do – it may be hard but it is possible to get it done. With God anything’s possible.”

Tucker and Scouts from his troop will deliver the blankets, rosaries and stuffed animals to the crisis pregnancy center on Feb. 7. Plans are to have Bishop R. Walker Nickless bless the rosaries that day.