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Hugginz hits Hollywood

HUGGINZ BY ANGEL: | Runner Curtis Hargrove brings special blanket to Ellen’s studio.
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Curtis Hargrove

HUGGINZ BY ANGEL: | Runner Curtis Hargrove brings special blanket to Ellen’s studio.

After 49 days and 2,440 kilometres, Curtis Hargrove has reached the end of the Hugginz Highway.

Now all that’s left is gaining an audience with American talk show host Ellen DeGeneres so he can deliver a special Hugginz blanket from Angel Magnussen of Port Alberni, who has invited DeGeneres to come back to her studio to sew blankets for sick kids.

Hargrove and driver Allen Felker arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday, Oct. 17. Hargrove ran a route on Sunday suggested by the Los Angeles Police Department to DeGeneres’ studio downtown.

When he got there, however, no one was there. He was going to try again Monday, after the News’ press deadline.

“It was very cool to run down Bob Hope Drive and know you’re so close to the studio,” Hargrove said from California.

“There was no team there but that was OK. The main mission is to get the blanket in Ellen’s hands. Allen and me are just messengers. We want to make Angel’s dreams come true.”

That dream is to give Ellen a special blanket made with cat patterned material, and filled with love that is so typical of one of Magnussen’s blankets.

The young Port Alberni woman makes an average of 10 “Hugginz Blankets” a week for sick children all over the world.

Thousands of people have followed Hargrove’s progress down the “Hugginz Highway” from Port Alberni to California, encouraging the runner from Cold Lake on his journey and imploring the television host to meet Hargrove and hear Magnussen’s story.

“The hospitality has been absolutely phenomenal,” said Tara Sloboda, a member of the Hugginz team who has done behind-the-scenes planning every step of the trip.

“Everyone’s so in love with Angel’s story and her mission,” Hargrove said.

editor@albernivalleynews.com