Spreading a blanket of love

CALGARY — A crafty collective of southern Alberta quilters have succeeded in their mission to spread a blanket of love across the city's hospitalized patients.

250 quilts have been lovingly hand-made and delivered to the Peter Lougheed Centre (PLC) to be gifted to patients in need.

Connie Barteaux, a member of the Wheatland Quilters Guild, was among the handful of quilters that made the Tuesday delivery, "It's very exciting to be participating in something like this, to be able to donate and hopefully bring a warm hug to somebody," she said.

Barteaux added that she "hopes that those who receive these quilts get as much enjoyment out of them as she and her guild did in making them."

Each quilt takes many hours to craft but Barteaux says it's well worth the effort.

"It's comforting to make them," she said. "It's comforting to give them and it's just fun. Giving a quilt is like giving a warm hug."

Vida Azariah, a program manager at the PLC said the donations represented more to the patients than just the gift of the blanket itself. "It's a real show of affection and love from them." Azariah said. "These  blankets will go a long way to bring comfort to our patients in these trying times, (this) act of kindness and love is overwhelming and we greatly appreciate all the gifts that we have received today."

Blankets of Love Foundation for Mental Health was founded in 1996 and since its inception has donated over 4,500 quilts to patients struggling with mental illness across the country.