Blankets of Love – Amarillo would not be here today, wrapping those in need with warmth, prayer, and the love of Jesus without our wonderful team making all of this possible.
Thelma Martinez – Founder & Donations Coordinator
Thelma Martinez, the founder of Blankets of Love – Amarillo, moved to Amarillo from Floydada in 2003 with Joe, her husband of 47 years. Joe and Thelma are the parents of two daughters, Lisa, who passed away in 2012, and their youngest daughter Laci. They also have two granddaughters Abri and Lisa Grace.
After suffering a serious motor vehicle accident in 2005, Martinez was wheelchair-bound for a while. in 2015, after a long 10 years, her appointment with the orthopedic would change her life.
Her orthopedic showed Martinez a video of an African orphanage where children dug holes in the ground to keep themselves warm while they slept. This was the spark that inspired Martinez to make a difference in this world for those who are in need of warmth.
Martinez just so happened to have a stash of fleece that she used for making baby blankets to give away. She approached ladies in her church telling them about the video and how it had tugged on her heart to make a difference for those in need of warmth.
Martinez and a group of ladies got together to make fleece blankets to send to Africa. While originally only having enough to make 120 blankets, Martinez received a donation of fleece to make 30 more blankets which brought the total number up to 150 blankets that Martinez and the ladies were able to send overseas to help bring warmth to those who were without.
Martinez credits the start and spark of this ministry to God when he planted the seed in Martinez’s heart to wrap those in need with warmth, prayer, and the love of Jesus.
Tricia Price – Secretary
Tricia moved to Amarillo, TX 15 years ago from Colorado. Tricia is a retired elementary school teacher & occasionally substituted from time to time. Tricia loves kids and has a passion and love for helpings those in need for the name of Jesus.
Kathy Hyatt – Chairman, Capes of Hope & Special Needs
The idea for hooded capes came to Kathy’s mind when she saw that it was difficult for children who were in wheelchairs to put a coat on and have it stay comfortably on them after being placed in their wheelchair. That is when the idea of Hooded Blankets (also called Capes of Hope) came to Kathy’s mind.
With a hooded poncho design, the Capes of Hope have a shortened back to help accommodate the safety straps of a wheelchair, a hood attached to the blanket to keep the child’s head & neck warm, while the rest of the blanket extends down to their arms and legs to keep the rest of the child’s body warm while they are in their wheelchair.
Cherrie Bland – Treasurer
Cherrie Bland moved to Amarillo in 2004. She has been married for 55 years, has 3 children, 8 grandchildren, and 1 great-granddaughter on the way.
Cherrie worked in the insurance industry for 21 years prior to working for Amarillo Area Baptist Association where she currently serves as the Financial Secretary and Clerk. Cherrie loves working for all the Baptist churches in the association.
Cherrie loves working with Blankets of Love – Amarillo in helping their mission of wrapping those in need with warmth, prayer, and the love of Jesus Christ.