Merrimack Valley

Andover girl trick-or-treats and lifts spirits far past Halloween

By Courtney Paquette
Staff Writer
Published: March 31, 2008

ANDOVER — Months after Halloween has passed, many kids are still reaping the benefits of Julia Perry's trick-or-treating.

Julia, who lives in Andover, came up with the idea to collect money while she was collecting candy on Halloween. She wanted to use that money to make fleece blankets for kids at Boston's Children's Hospital. She likes doing community service projects, she said.

She collected about $80. Along with some donations by her friends Alexandra Barr, 10, and Diana Hansen, 10, the group raised more than $100 to buy fabric to make fleece blankets. All the girls are fifth-graders at West Elementary School.

Since then, the three girls have been making the blankets. A few weeks ago, they donated 20 blankets to Children's Hospital.

"It was really exciting when we finally finished it," Julia said. "It's nice to know you're doing it for a good cause."

Julia said it was tough seeing the children so sick in the hospital, and she was happy she could lift their spirits a little with brightly-colored blankets.

"They're so weak," she said. "They said they never really get something that's actually made."

Now, Julia's thoughts are already on the next thing she can do to help out.

"Her next project is to make 100 pillow cases," her mother, Kathleen, said.