Handmade blankets bring comfort and joy to Halifax seniors

A Halifax woman is on a mission to make seniors living in long-term care feel warm and fuzzy this holiday season — and she's getting lots of help from crafty people.

Nicole Martelle is a client support worker at Northwood who also volunteers doing nails for seniors. 

These days, she's getting ready to deliver handmade blankets from people in the Halifax area, and as far away as Ontario, to residents at Northwood, the region's largest not-for-profit continuing care organization. 

"Sometimes the workers and volunteers there are the only people they see," said Martelle, 24, who considers the residents her "grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts and uncles."

She noticed residents often feel cold, so she came up with the idea of a practical, but personal, gift: a warm blanket.

Gifting blankets that are "knitted or crocheted was a way of making it more special for them," she said.

Problem is, those hobbies aren't among her skills.

So, Martelle put out a call on social media in October and she's been blown away by the response. People have knit, crocheted or purchased more than 110 blankets that are piled up in her room. There are promises of another two dozen on the way.

"People actually want to help, and it's OK to ask people to knit and crochet even if I can't myself."

2nd year for blanket campaign

Knitting groups are joining the effort. One prolific knitter is donating 27 of her own creations. 

Some are large and cover an entire bed, while smaller versions are needed by people who use wheelchairs. 

This is the second year of Martelle's blanket campaign.

Last Christmas, she put random posts on Facebook and hoped for 33 donations. She got twice as many — enough for residents on two floors.

Martelle will never forget a delivery to one woman who was overcome at the sight of the gift.

"She tried to come over to me without her walker to hug me while she was crying because it meant so much to her. All I could do was cry and hug her back."

More than 480 residents are at Northwood for long-term care.

Blankets accepted until Dec. 15

Martelle will be accepting blankets until Dec. 15 and plans to deliver them to residents up until Christmas Eve.

She hopes to continue the campaign for many Christmases to come and in the meantime, she's learning how to knit with the goal of one day giving away a blanket she's made herself.

"It's incredible," said Martelle. "It's such a small thing that makes a huge difference."