As many students keep busy with food drives, toy drives and donation drives, some are donating their time with the hopes of helping those in need keep warm this winter.

Niles High School advanced health and members of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) have been volunteering their time to make fleece-tied blankets.

The blankets were an idea teacher and coach Jamie Foster had gotten from her sister, a teacher in the Flint, Mich. area.

The blankets are warm and easy to make, Foster said.

Showing students the value of time, Foster said an estimated 20 students from the two groups have worked together to make 47 fleece blankets. The blankets will be donated to the Salvation Army to go to those in need.

“Our kids do a lot for the community,” Foster said.

And they have donated a lot of time, she added. With three students each working on one blanket, it takes about 40 minutes to complete measuring, trimming and tying the fleece together.

“So far we’ve had about 20 kids making the blankets,” Foster said.

When Foster proposed the idea to students, it took just a couple of days for them to solicit donations from local businesses and organizations including the NHS boys and girls track team, Niles District Education Association, Colorful Stitches, Alpha Omega chapter, Swartz Septic Services and donating students and teachers.

“The kids really were excited about it,” Foster said.

Through making the blankets, the first time she’s done it at NHS, Foster said she’s noticed students taking more pride in what they’re doing to help out those who need it.

The idea is to make sure the blankets get to the homeless, Foster said. She and SADD adviser Karissa Young are working to accomplish that through the Niles Salvation Army.

And Foster hopes to continue making blankets each winter.

“It is good for any kid to participate in anything to help others,” she said. “Especially those who are in need.”