Sandra Aldebert was intrigued when she learned about the COVID-19 Memorial Blanket Project.
Having distanced for months from the typical social activity in her Barrie condo complex during the pandemic, reopening allowed the condo dwellers to reconnect, at a safe distance.
And as the 10 women, all retired, once against gathered, they decided they could contribute to what is expected to be a 9,000-square-foot blanket weighing around 1,500 pounds.
“We’re not only chatting, but we’re also knitting,” said Aldebert. “We’re knitting squares of patterns…. And we’re contributing to this blanket.”
The blanket project, launched by a group in Lindsay, centres around the creation of square-foot knitted or crocheted pieces that will all be pieced together. The group hopes to gather 9,000 squares from crafters across the country — each square representing someone who died as a result of COVID-19.
Aldebert’s group in Barrie hoped they could add nine squares, representing the nine people in Barrie who have died. And they chose to use the colours of the Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre: green and blue.
But the group grew, so now they aim to create 37 squares, representing all those in Simcoe County who have died of the illness.
And once that’s done, they might consider making individual blankets — another aspect of the project — to be distributed to hospitals, nursing homes and places of care.
“Anyone could get involved,” said Aldebert, adding her meeting room can’t accommodate any more members at a physically safe distance.
But she encourages individuals and other groups to consider contributing.
The goal of the original knitters is to create a memorial to those lost to COVID-19 to go on display across the country in January. The names of those who have died will be attached to each square, with the family’s consent. A memorial book will accompany the blanket.
More information on how to be part of the project is available on the COVID-19 Memorial Blanket Project website.
