Showing kindness to those in need: Blankets of Love looks for support

A local woman is helping offer warmth this winter to mental health patients at a pair of Edmonton hospitals.

Sheila Ethier created the Blankets of Love program in 1996 to collect quilts or materials and donations to make blankets for patients spending the holiday season at the University of Alberta Hospital and Alberta Hospital.

"In the middle of Christmas I get to deliver them to Alberta Hospital and the U of A Hospital knowing that over the holidays, somebody who is feeling quite poorly is going to be surprised with their own blanket of love," Ethier said.

"It's letting them know that their community is supporting them."

• Blankets of Love surpasses donation goal of 300 quilts for mental health this winter
• 'Definitely a pickup with the hobby': More Albertans take up quilting during the pandemic

For the past few seasons, the campaign managed to prepare 300 quilts. This year, the group wants to gift 500.

"If we surpass that, there will be even more blessings for patients in hospital," Ethier said.

To donate or for more information, visit Blankets of Love's website.