Tied together with a smile: Student salutes veterans with blankets

By Ashley M. Casey

Staff Writer

There are plenty of good causes to support families and children around the holidays, but Baylee Durantini wanted to celebrate those who deserve just as much TLC: veterans.

Baylee, an 11th-grader at Baker High School, took it upon herself to assemble 31 no-sew fleece blankets and deliver them to the Syracuse VA Medical Center just in time for Memorial Day.

“I just wanted to do something nice for people who don’t always get something,” Baylee said. “The blankets are the least I can do to thank the men and women that laid down their lives for me to have the freedoms that I have today.”

Baylee Durantini delivers no-sew fleece blankets she assembled to the Syracuse Veterans Administration Hospital Sunday, May 22. She included personalized notes that said, “Dear Veteran, Thank you for your service. Because of you our country is a safer place for all of us. This blanket is a small token of my appreciation for your service. Sincerely yours, Baylee.” (Submitted photo)

Inspired by the numerous Navy and Air Force veterans in her family, including her late great-grandfather, Baylee began saving money for the project from her birthday, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter. She loaded up on red, white and blue fleece blanket kits at Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts in Clay.

“The kits themselves are $29 each, but we also used coupons and we waited until they were on sale,” Baylee said. “The people at Jo-Ann Fabrics — when they found out what we were doing — they gave us discounts, and they hinted when they’d be on sale so we could get more.”

Baylee spent nearly two hours on each blanket with occasional assistance from family and friends.

“It took a lot to do these blankets. She cut them all, she tied them all, she did everything by herself,” said Tami Durantini, Baylee’s mother. “I rolled them and tied them up with a ribbon.”

Tami said she has several cousins in the Air Force Reserve Command and one cousin who died while serving the country. The family even has a close friend who serves on the same Navy ship that Tami’s grandfather (Baylee’s great-grandfather) did.

“I think she thought a lot about [her great-grandfather] when she was doing this — he’s passed away,” Tami said. “It’s close to home for her. She was very passionate about this.”

Baylee said veterans deserve more attention, and she urges people to volunteer their time to help those who have served.

“I just want to open other people’s eyes to see that they need just as much help as anyone else,” she said. “[I want people] to help the veterans and thank them for everything that they’ve done for us.”

The teenager delivered her blankets to the VA on May 22, and her goal was to lift the hearts of those who need it most.

“They might not necessarily have family anymore, so I hope this lightens up their spirit a little bit and thank them for their service to the country,” she said.”

Baylee is planning to repeat her blanket project next year for a different cause, but she’s not yet sure who the beneficiary will be.

“That’s a work in progress,” she said. “I had fun doing it and I want to help people as much as I can.”