Ashton and Matt Reich: Pete’s Blankets of Hope
Volunteering as a Family
with Louis Kidder
Louis: Welcome! I’m so glad that you two could take the time to chat today. How long has your family been members of Bet Shalom?
Matt: We joined around 2008-9, so about 16 years ago or so. Our daughter Ally had her naming at Bet Shalom; she is 16 now.
Louis: Ashton, what grade are you in?
Ashton: I’m starting eighth grade in the fall.
Louis: What school?
Ashton: Middle School West in the STMA District (St Michael – Albertville Schools).
Louis: Matt, what do you do for a living?
Matt: I work for Cruise Specialists, part of the Travel Leaders Group, which is based in Seattle. I mostly work in marketing.
Louis: Do you get to do much traveling?
Matt: We try to travel more than we used to. We get some deals, but don’t go around the world.
Louis: What does your wife do?
Matt: Meghan works in sales for State Farm.
Louis: Ashton, you’re involved in a charity called Pete's Blankets of Hope. Can you tell me about that? What is their mission? What do they hope to do?
Ashton: It’s a non-profit organization that has volunteers crocheting blankets which are donated to cancer centers for patients undergoing treatment.
Matt: Their mission is to provide warmth and comfort by knitting and crocheting blankets. I’m on the board which is based in Monticello, Minnesota. We live nearby, so it is easy to drop off material, pick up blankets, participate in their garage sale and other fundraisers. You can find them online at petesblankets.com.
Louis: Ashton, what do you do with them?
Ashton: I help deliver the blankets with my father and help with the garage sales. I also co-host fundraisers. We have recently delivered blankets to Maple Grove Cancer Center.
Matt: We delivered thirteen blankets to them a couple of days ago. We usually deliver to Maple Grove, St. Cloud, the Masonic Cancer Center – Fairview Health Downtown, and the Monticello Cancer Center. We also ship blankets around the country. The petesblankets.com site has a map showing where we have sent blankets.
Louis: How much do blankets usually cost to make?
Matt: About $50, but we have had a number of yarn donations.
Louis: People can donate money as well?
Matt: Sure! We really appreciate monetary donations as well. I have partnered with Knit and Crochet Stores at Ridgedale and Mall of America, who have contributed yarn. I have put up fliers describing our mission at the Panera Bread in Maple Grove as well as around the Cities. We recently received a huge donation of yarn from someone who saw our flier at the Maple Grove Panera. This really drives our expenditures down.
Louis: How many people are crocheting for you?
Matt: We have around 40 active volunteers at the moment. We’ve been growing a lot for a while. We try to get 20-25 blankets a month.
Louis: Ashton, is this your bar mitzvah project?
Ashton: Yes.
Louis: When are you planning your bar mitzvah?
Ashton: My bar mitzvah will be on August 9.
Louis: Wow … really soon! Are you ready for it?
Ashton: Yes, I’ve got everything down.
Louis: Who are you working with?
Ashton: I’ve been working with Suzy Lurie, the Youth Program Manager.
Matt: Ashton chose this project since he has been working with them for quite a while. He didn’t start with them thinking that it would be a bar mitzvah project; he just wanted to volunteer. He loves delivering blankets.
Louis: Ashton, will you be continuing with Pete’s Blankets after your bar mitzvah?
Ashton: Yes, definitely!
Matt: Sandy and John Stachowicz, the founders of Pete’s Blankets of Hope, will be at his bar mitzvah. They started this effort two years after their son Peter passed away from a brain cancer called glioblastoma. That was three years ago. Their son had been shocked when someone brought him a blanket while he was undergoing treatment; he thought that it was wonderful. After he died, Sandy wanted to do something to help others going through what they had experienced and started Pete’s Blankets.
I got involved when my sister was diagnosed with glioblastoma. Someone reached out during her illness, asking whether she would like a blanket. Pete’s Blankets gave her a beautiful one! I have been volunteering with them for the past three years since then. Ashton has been helping for over a year now. He thought that it would be a great bar mitzvah project; he’s raised $865 and gotten some yarn donations so far.
Louis: Where do the blanket designs come from?
Matt: From the people who make them. They are very good at it. If we get a specific color request, we will find the necessary materials. One of the people who makes blankets for us is a Bet Shalom member who found us through a flier posted at a Panera in Minnetonka.
Ashton has set up a table at Bet Shalom with 42 kits he put together with crochet instructions, some yarn, and a crochet needle. It is meant to provide a comforting, relaxing activity, which is another aspect of his project. A lot of people have expressed their appreciation for the blankets.
Louis: Is there a way to donate on their website?
Matt: Yes, and there is a link to donate for Ashton’s bar mitzvah as well.
According to the website, “The Peter Stachowicz Foundation is a Minnesota-based 501c3 nonprofit (92-1846374). Our mission is to offer local cancer patients support, comfort and hope by donating homemade, crocheted blankets. Our vision is to positively impact the lives of those battling cancer. We want to inspire and encourage those through the telling of Peter’s journey of Hope.”
Louis: Where do the blanket designs come from?
Matt: From the people who make them. They are very good at it. If we get a specific color request, we will find the necessary materials. One of the people who makes blankets for us is a Bet Shalom member who found us through a flier posted at a Panera in Minnetonka.Louis: Thanks very much for your time and all that you are doing!