AUBURN, Ala. (WRBL) – Fabric, thread, and a zipper — simple materials transformed into powerful tools of comfort. In Auburn, quilts and "worry buddies" are helping children feel safe when the world feels overwhelming.
The effort is led by Linda Fenty, affectionately known as the "quilt lady." Her partnership with Auburn Police began in 2022, when her young grandson visited the city and told her he wanted to be a police officer when he grows up. Fenty reached out to arrange a meeting, and Auburn officers welcomed him with open arms. Their kindness left a lasting impression, inspiring her to give back.
With decades of quilting experience, Fenty began donating handmade quilts to Auburn Police so officers could share them with children in crisis — after car crashes, during domestic calls, or simply in moments when care is needed. Since her first delivery, she and her quilting friends have stitched and donated more than 100 quilts.
But quilts weren't the only creation to come from her sewing room. Fenty soon introduced "worry buddies" — small, colorful stuffed creatures stitched with love and fitted with a zipper mouth.
"The worry buddy is for little children," Fenty explained. "They can open it, whisper their worries into the mouth, then close it back up — and the worry buddy eats all the worries away."
Each worry buddy is unique, with its own pattern and fabric, designed to help children cope during frightening or stressful situations. Auburn Police officers now keep them on hand, alongside the quilts, to comfort children during emergencies or while they wait at the police station.
Fenty says she's seen just how meaningful that comfort can be.
"There are cases when you have children who are in unknown circumstances around big adults and they don't know what's going on, and so a quilt is the next best thing to a hug," she said. "The policemen have been delightful to work; they keep them in the trunk of their car. So that's been gratifying to me and my friends who've donated."
Fenty says the work is fueled by community support. Friends from her quilt guild and even international quilting groups donate fabric, batting, and their time to help the mission grow.
"I've told the policemen they've got me for life," she said. "Just call me the quilt lady."
From quilts that feel like a hug to worry buddies that swallow fears, Fenty's handmade gifts are bringing peace to children in moments when they need it most — proof that sometimes the simplest stitches can leave the strongest impact.
For more information on how to donate — whether it's money, fabric, or your time — call the Auburn Police Department's non-emergency line.
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