Roger’s Wish: Successful campaign distributes blankets to the homeless and needy

ELIZABETHTOWN — A successful day of passing out blankets through Roger’s Wish to the members of the community was held at the Bladen Countuy Public Library on Friday.

“I think we distributed between eight to 12,” said Maria Bryant, who distrubuted blankets all day Friday. “It was good overall. It did rain over here and that was kind of a detterrant.”

Bryant said that about seven people came to pick out a blanket from the piles. Nearly three dozen blankets were collected this year.

“I think we did good,” she said.

People trickled in and out over course of the day, she said. A couple came in and took a few blankets. A mom came and took some, and others came and took one for someone they knew was in need.”

This all started back in 2013, because of Bryant’s brother, Roger Grunder. Grunder was all over the town and known by many. He was homeless, by choice, for the last 19 years of his life.

In that summer, in 2013, she said that Roger came to her talk to about getting together blankets and sleeping bags for those in need in the community.

An accident claimed Grunder’s life, and out of all that happened, this collaboration with the newspaper was created.

There are still blankets that are available, and those remaining will be at the Bladen Journal if anyone wants to come pick one up. The newspaper’s temporary office is at 207 E. Broad St., next to the library.