Cold weather inspires students to create blankets for homeless

Extremely cold weather has inspired Davidson Creek Elementary students to transform shopping bags into blankets.

With Environment Canada issuing extreme cold warnings, many students were kept inside during recess. Grade 6 students at David Creek Elementary used that time to start creating blankets out of plastic for the homeless.

Students are transforming shopping bags into spools of plastic yarn and then parent and volunteer supervisor, Leanne Hughes crochets the blankets out of the yarn. She then takes the blankets to the Hope Mission, which helps Edmonton’s homeless population by providing food, shelter and other support.

“I like doing it because we’re helping people by giving them comfort and warmth,” said Grade 6 student, Joe Bremner. “The blankets are fun to make, and it feels good to reuse plastic bags to make something useful for those in need.”

Despite being made out of plastic, the blankets are warm, soft, durable and easy to clean. They can also be used as sleeping mats if need be. While it is a lengthly process to break down the bags into yarn, the team of volunteers actually were able to streamline the process and increase production during the last cold period.

“Leanne has the amazing talent of being able to spread hope to those who need it most,” said Davidson Creek Elementary School principal, Kaye Schindeler. “She’s been able to spread that attitude of hope and responsibility to our students and inspire them to follow her example.”

To date, students and Hughes have created two full sized blankets out of the plastic yarn and have produced enough yarn to make blankets for the remainder of the winter.