What if you could make a difference in the life of a needy child just by making a simple gift?

Pine Hill United Methodist Church is asking for help from the community to donate over 100 blankets to children in Kazakhstan.

The church's Council of United Methodist Women is making fleece blankets as Christmas gifts to the children. But because the council is only made up of 12 women, it is hard to produce the number of blankets it would like to donate, members said.

The children who would receive the blankets are part of project Appletree in Karaganda, Kazakhstan. The Appletree House is a small house in Mikaduke, one of the poorest neighborhoods of Karaganda. Appletree began in 2001 when workers saw a need to begin a feeding program at the Mikaduke Children's Hospital.

The project was moved to its current location in 2002 when the teachings of Jesus were no longer permitted at the government-run hospital. It was renamed Appletree because its current location exhibits a large, colorful applique on the wall that mirrors the living apple tree in the courtyard.

This isn't the first time Pine Hill has contributed to Appletree, as it has also sent winter clothing to the program. Kazakhstan is known to have icy winter weather with temperatures reaching as low as 16 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 5 degrees Fahrenheit at night.

After hearing how much one child appreciated the warmth of a winter coat she received, Lewis Davis, a sophomore at Orangeburg Preparatory School and a member of Pine Hill UMC, said he decided to introduce the idea of making the fleece blankets to the church. Davis said he was taught how to make the simple fleece blankets by a family member.

"My family and I made one blanket in about 30 minutes. I was shocked by how simple it was to make them using just 2 pieces of fleece," Davis said. "I brought the idea before the church, handed out directions for making the blankets, and they thought it would be great."

Aside from a mission trip two years ago, Davis said he hasn't really been in the forefront of the charity work at Pine Hill.

"It's very uplifting because I've never done anything this big before," Davis said. "It's definitely a character builder, and I'm looking forward to hearing back from the kids."

About 100 children are enrolled in the program -- a place where the needy can come for a hot meal, shoes, clothes or just someone to talk to. The children often come from poor families and haven't received proper care and upbringing. Appletree relies on donations, as it does not receive government aid.

"This could be the only Christmas some of those children see," said Pam Coleman, a member of Pine Hill's Council of United Methodist Women.

The church plans to collect all the blankets by the end of October to be shipped so they can arrive at the Appletree House by Christmas. Prior to shipment, Pine Hill will hold a dedication ceremony for the blankets.

With instruction, the blankets are simple to make and involve no sewing. Individuals interested in making blankets should call Davis at 803-534-3818 or Coleman at 803-536-5190.

T&D Features Writer Candace Newson can be reached by e-mail at cnewson@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5540. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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