During the cruise, some people do charitable work along the way.  A very good example is Project Linus (“Security through Blankets”) where passengers knit and crochet blankets for seriously ill or traumatized children.  There are Project Linus chapters in many places (even Burbank and San Fernando Valley), but these blankets go to the Seattle chapter of Project Linus because the Holland America corporate offices are in Seattle.

The patterns and colors of these blankets are as varied as the passengers on the ship.  There is a certain time and place on the ship (affectionately called Hooker’s Corner) each Sea Day where passengers meet and work and can pick up the donated yarn, hooks or needles, but we often see people working on their blankets in many places and at all times around the ship.  Because some passengers are leaving the ship in Singapore, the end of a “segment”, an exhibition of the 125 blankets finished so far was held today.  The goal is to have 200 finished blankets by the end of the cruise.

It is good to know that the time between ports is used so generously by these passengers.  The yarn is donated by Holland America, but I think some passengers bring yarn from home for these projects as well.