Press Release

First Lady Donates Blankets to Katrina Evacuees

November 21, 2005

First Lady Patsy Riley recently donated blankets to Hurricane Katrina evacuees who are temporarily calling Alabama State Parks their home. The donations were made during the annual pardoning ceremony for Clyde, the state’s official Thanksgiving turkey.

The “Blankets with a Blessing” project is a program the First Lady started last year. Blankets are collected from businesses and people across the state and distributed to those in need of them during the upcoming winter months.

This year, Mrs. Riley collected 1,100 blankets. Seventy of the blankets were given to state parks for distribution among Katrina victims. State Parks Director Mark Easterwood participated in the event and received blankets on behalf of the evacuees. Fifty of the blankets will go to Lake Lurleen State Park and 20 will go to Frank Jackson State Park.

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