Participants in Ranch Ehrlo’s Family Treatment Program (FTP) are a whole lot warmer.

The Viscount-Plunkett chapter of Blankets for Canada donated 25 youth and adult blankets for the first time to Ranch Ehrlo after the organization was informed about the great need in the FTP.

Evelina Talevi, leader of the chapter said, “We were all in agreement that we should add you to our list of locations and hope that we can (donate) again.”

Patti Petrucka, director of family treatment said about the donation, “I am in awe of the endless kindness of our community. The donation of handmade blankets is such an incredible way to show families facing hardships that the community cares. Coming to this program often means leaving your home and community – to come to a new home and be greeted with a cozy gift of a homemade blanket speaks volumes to the warmth of the place they are coming to.”

Patti added, “I am so thankful for the community ‘Blankets for Canada’ that continue to offer their time and energy to others.”

The members of the chapter meet once a week at the town library. They join squares measuring eight inches by eight inches that have been knitted or crocheted mostly by anonymous volunteers. The adult blankets have six by eight squares, the youth have five by seven, and the baby blankets are made in a square of five by five.

Evelina explained “Once we have the squares sewn together, we crochet an edge, and add one of our labels to it. We have been able to make up to 200 blankets per year. These are given to homeless shelters, women’s shelters, youth shelters, and similar help centres.”

Blankets for Canada is a non-profit organization with chapters across the country. It was founded in Lethbridge in 1998 by Nancy Panting.

The Family Treatment Program preserves families by improving family safety, family functioning, and child well-being. The program provides a myriad of treatments that are created for each individual family member, and the family as a whole.