Supervisors hosting blanket drive for Syrian refugees

Children in a Syrian refugee camp in Turkey. [Photo from Bob Lazaro’s blog]

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is hosting a blanket drive for Syrian
refugees in Turkey. The goal is to fill a shipping container with
blankets that will be delivered to Turkey. A local relief agency will
distribute them to refugee families in time for winter weather. 

New
or clean, gently used blankets can be dropped off no later than Dec. 7
at the offices of all of the BoS members, including Mason Supervisor
Penny Gross’ office in the Mason District Government Center, 6507
Columbia Pike, Annandale. 


This project came about as a result of
Fairfax County’s Sisterhood relationship with the City of Keçiören in
Ankara, Turkey. A delegation from Northern Virginia visited Turkey
recently as part of a cultural exchange organized by the American Turkish Friendship Association. Their itinerary included the Adana
refugee camp, which houses 12,000 refugees. including 7,000 children. 

Among
the participants were Purcellville Mayor Bob Lazaro and Northern
Virginia Regional Commission Director Mark Gibb, who organized the
blanket drive when they got home.