Women are needed who would like to spend a few hours working on a project to bring comfort to children in a faraway country.

Volunteers from the community are asked to join a group of Thousand Oaks women from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to assemble baby receiving blankets and dolls to send to Sierra Leone, Africa.

“All you need to bring are a pair of helping hands and a willing heart,” church member Rosemary Hansen said.

A couple from the Thousand Oaks Fourth Ward, a church congregation, has been serving humanitarian missions around the world. Jim and Karen Greding have left the comfort of their home and family to serve missions in Kenya, Liberia and Sierra Leone, Peru, and Indonesia. The Gredings will be on hand to receive the dolls, which they will distribute in Africa.

Since 1985 the church has provided humanitarian aid to 178 countries, spending $328 million in cash and $885 million in materials. More than 8,000 members are currently serving humanitarian missions.

The day will begin at 10 a.m. on Thurs., March 20 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 3645 Moorpark Road. The dolls and blankets will be assembled until 8 p.m. Volunteers are asked to come during any part of the day to help put together the dolls and blankets. Even dropping by for a short while would be helpful.

The dolls are 12 inches high and will be constructed from all natural fabrics. Some volunteers will be doing machine sewing and hand stitching, and those who don’t sew are needed for stuffing and other tasks. The goal is to make 100 dolls.  

 There will be light refreshment throughout the day. Friendships will be made as an act of charity is performed.

—Nancy Needham