Indiana University Athletics
IU Volleyball Alumni, Beth Jenkins, Creates a Hugging Movement
4/30/2020 10:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
IU alum Beth Jenkins played at IU from 2000-03. She wrote the following about what she is doing to spread love and support healthcare workers. For more information or to support the cause visit shoplivedreams.com
By mid-March, it's fair to say that the international health crisis at hand wasn't bringing out the best in me, although my husband, an anesthesiologist for IU Health here in downtown Indianapolis, kept reassuring me that it wasn't bringing out the best in anyone. I just needed to change my focus from reading every scary news article to finding some good news. Turns out there wasn't a ton of it out there. So I made a decision, I wasn't going to let COVID-19 get the best of me. If I couldn't find the rainbows I was looking for, I was going to be one.
I can't sew, so helping create PPE for people wasn't an option. But I can screen print. In fact, my screen printing studio is located safely here in our home in Fishers. For my family, hugs are essential. And I missed them. Touch starvation is a real thing. It can not only have negative effects on your mental and emotional health, but physical health, too. So I decided to create a tangible way for loved ones to connect and share love and support even from a distance. I created a hug in the form of the softest blanket with the words "Hugging You" and an icon of our universal knotted hearts imprinted on each. Proceeds from blankets sold on my website shoplivedreams.com are then used to create and donate hugs to healthcare workers (and their families) at the front lines of the COVID-19 fight. I just needed to believe a little extra boost from a random act of love and appreciation could do some good. And it has.
For a friend. For a sister. For a brother. For a teacher. For a mom and dad. For a grandma and grandpa. For a fellow nurse. For a daughter and new grand baby. For a birthday girl. For a friend who lost their loved one. For an aunt and uncle. For a coach. The hugs have been flying out of my studio. For every 5 blankets sold, I'm donating 2. And as of today, sales from my website have made nearly $2000 worth of blanket donations to our healthcare heroes possible.
One of the most recent donations ended up in the hands of a good friend of mine, IU Men's Club Volleyball Alum, JT Gripe, who is an anesthesiologist in Indianapolis, as well. When I approached JT asking if he'd help me pay forward some hugs to his fellow coworkers in the COVID Unit, he was game. It also gave me a good excuse to see him and his wife, Megan, smiling, healthy and hanging in there. Healthcare heroes like JT and my husband are not only showing up and being strong for their patients, but they're also proving to be just as strong for one another — the majority of the sales on my website can be traced back to healthcare workers supporting one another or sending love to their family members they're trying to keep healthy by maintaining a safe distance. But these heroes still need hugs. And I'm honored to be helping them send and receive them.
I started this movement because the craziness of this world was literally making my heart feel like it was in a knot. These blankets and seeing the love flying around now has my heart overwhelmed by hope and grace. I can't thank people enough for being the good. Love wins, even from a distance, and we are most definitely stronger together.
For more information about Live Dreams, please visit shoplivedreams.com and follow the hugs movement on social media @shoplivedreams on Instagram and Facebook.
By mid-March, it's fair to say that the international health crisis at hand wasn't bringing out the best in me, although my husband, an anesthesiologist for IU Health here in downtown Indianapolis, kept reassuring me that it wasn't bringing out the best in anyone. I just needed to change my focus from reading every scary news article to finding some good news. Turns out there wasn't a ton of it out there. So I made a decision, I wasn't going to let COVID-19 get the best of me. If I couldn't find the rainbows I was looking for, I was going to be one.
I can't sew, so helping create PPE for people wasn't an option. But I can screen print. In fact, my screen printing studio is located safely here in our home in Fishers. For my family, hugs are essential. And I missed them. Touch starvation is a real thing. It can not only have negative effects on your mental and emotional health, but physical health, too. So I decided to create a tangible way for loved ones to connect and share love and support even from a distance. I created a hug in the form of the softest blanket with the words "Hugging You" and an icon of our universal knotted hearts imprinted on each. Proceeds from blankets sold on my website shoplivedreams.com are then used to create and donate hugs to healthcare workers (and their families) at the front lines of the COVID-19 fight. I just needed to believe a little extra boost from a random act of love and appreciation could do some good. And it has.
For a friend. For a sister. For a brother. For a teacher. For a mom and dad. For a grandma and grandpa. For a fellow nurse. For a daughter and new grand baby. For a birthday girl. For a friend who lost their loved one. For an aunt and uncle. For a coach. The hugs have been flying out of my studio. For every 5 blankets sold, I'm donating 2. And as of today, sales from my website have made nearly $2000 worth of blanket donations to our healthcare heroes possible.
One of the most recent donations ended up in the hands of a good friend of mine, IU Men's Club Volleyball Alum, JT Gripe, who is an anesthesiologist in Indianapolis, as well. When I approached JT asking if he'd help me pay forward some hugs to his fellow coworkers in the COVID Unit, he was game. It also gave me a good excuse to see him and his wife, Megan, smiling, healthy and hanging in there. Healthcare heroes like JT and my husband are not only showing up and being strong for their patients, but they're also proving to be just as strong for one another — the majority of the sales on my website can be traced back to healthcare workers supporting one another or sending love to their family members they're trying to keep healthy by maintaining a safe distance. But these heroes still need hugs. And I'm honored to be helping them send and receive them.
I started this movement because the craziness of this world was literally making my heart feel like it was in a knot. These blankets and seeing the love flying around now has my heart overwhelmed by hope and grace. I can't thank people enough for being the good. Love wins, even from a distance, and we are most definitely stronger together.
For more information about Live Dreams, please visit shoplivedreams.com and follow the hugs movement on social media @shoplivedreams on Instagram and Facebook.
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