Lawrenceburg Kiwanis Club, Keith's Comfort Blankets Donate Items to St. Elizabeth Dearborn

Newborns, hospitalized children and their families will receive free blankets and other necessities.

Members of the Kiwanis Club of Lawrenceburg and Hidden Valley Garden Club delivered newborn items for Keith’s Comfort Blankets to the St. Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital Birthing Center on December 14, 2021. Pictured (from left to right) are Jacquie Ritzmann, Erin RN, Chris Carle, Ted Richardt, Larry Campbell, Janet Faller, Claudia Richardt, Chuck Folop, Don Siemers, and Mary RN. Photo provided.

(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) - Newborn babies, hospitalized children and their families at St. Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital will receive free blankets and other necessities thanks to a partnership of Kiwanis Club of Lawrenceburg and Keith’s Comfort Blankets.

“My baby, Michael, was really fussy one day and the only thing that made him happy was his sloth lovey blanket from Keith's Comfort Blankets,” said the parent of a recent newborn at the hospital.

Keith’s Comfort Blankets is a 501(c)(3) organization established in 2018 to honor the life of Keith Robert Lewis. Keith was born August 6, 2015 and passed away February 2, 2016 from a rare genetic mitochondrial disorder. While in the hospital, Keith received numerous donated blankets and clothing that comforted the Lewis family and made the hospital experience feel more like home. Today, the non-profit’s mission is to provide similar comfort items to other children and families.

In 2021, Keith’s father, Aaron Lewis, visited with the local Kiwanis club and shared his family’s story.

“At that point it was clear that partnering with Keith’s Comfort Blankets would be a great opportunity to invest in the Lawrenceburg area’s children. After all, Kiwanis International’s mission is to serve the children of the world,” said Lawrenceburg Kiwanis member Ted Richardt.

Kiwanis Club of Lawrenceburg raised money for Keith’s Comfort Blankets through the 2021 Lawrenceburg Kiwanis Golf Outing held at Hidden Valley Golf Club. The monies were used to purchase more than 300 items such as blankets, newborn clothes, and books. On December 14, the comfort items were delivered to St. Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital’s Birthing Center.

“We feel blessed to have Keith’s Comfort Blankets on our team bringing comfort and hope to our families and community,” said Jacquie Ritzmann, manager of the birthing center.

Kiwanis Club of Lawrenceburg thanks the Hidden Valley Garden Club for their assistance in tagging the donated items with Keith’s Comfort Blankets and Kiwanis tags.

“Opportunities like this are why I choose to be involved in Kiwanis,” said Chris Carle, COO of St. Elizabeth Dearborn and a Lawrenceburg Kiwanis Club member. “The Keith’s Comfort Blanket project is an example of how our club can meet a need in our community.”

The Kiwanis Club of Lawrenceburg holds a lunch meeting each Tuesday, 12:00-1:00 p.m. at Zion Church, 340 Walnut Street, Lawrenceburg. The club is always welcoming new members, including businesses which can participate as corporate members giving their employees an avenue to give back to the community. Contact club president Larry Campbell for more information, 812-655-4207. Learn more about Keith’s Comfort Blankets at www.keithscomfortblankets.org.