CARIBOU, Maine — “The blanket ministry is a very relaxing and comforting activity. It makes you feel good that you are doing something for someone else,” said blanket maker Birdina Wedberg. “The company of the girls and making friends is very special.”
Special is the perfect word to describe a group of women and the series of events that led to the thriving Holy Rosary blanket ministry at the Parish of the Precious Blood.
Each Monday, from February through May and September to just before Thanksgiving, the ladies gather in the hall at Holy Rosary Church in Caribou to make fleece blankets for a variety of people in need, sharing warmth by providing it.
“The camaraderie among the blanket ministry participants is wonderful,” said Ruth Gahagan.“The blanket ministry has provided me a place to relax, to laugh, to share, and to provide for others in need,” said participant Judy Bougie. “I have reconnected with old friends and met new ones.”
The idea for the ministry came to Gahagan as the result of her participation in ACTS (Adoration, Community, Theology, Service) retreats in Frenchville. The retreats, coupled with an emotional experience in the past, inspired her to serve.
“After my brother died, a family friend had made me a special quilt with embroidered butterflies. I loved that quilt, and it gave me a lot of comfort,” she said. “I realized what God had planned for me in serving others. It would be my hands in making fleece blankets for others who needed warmth, love, and comfort and to involve others to join in.”
In June 2014, Gahagan talked to a friend, Patricia Caspersen, about the idea.
“I knew it was going to be good because of how strongly she felt about it, her passion for it,” said Caspersen, who has helped with the blanket making since the ministry began.
Through donations of money and the time of volunteers, the Caribou Homemakers Extension was integral in helping Gahagan get the ministry off the ground with an initial project of 15 blankets. As word about the ministry spread throughout the parish and beyond, help arrived in different forms, including new volunteers and acts of kindness.
“Shortly after our first announcement in the church bulletin, Mary Tapley of St. Joseph Church in Mars Hill responded to our message for donations of fleece,” said Gahagan. “We felt truly blessed. We had enough fleece to make approximately 20-plus blankets. Shortly after starting up again in 2015, another call was received from Mary offering to donate more fleece. A trip to her house yielded enough fleece to make 30 blankets.”
Whether donated or purchased on sale, once the fleece has arrived, making the blankets requires patience and accuracy. Each blanket consists of two layers. The fleece is laid out on cutting mats and squared off. A three-inch square is cut out of each corner and then ½” x 3” strips are cut around the blanket, creating fringe. The top and bottom pieces of fringe are tied together using square knots. The blankets, which are made for children and adults, can be as large as 60” x 63”.
As much as the blankets are helping community members in need, the ministry can serve as a source of comfort for the participants as well.
“I remember Patty Coulters from the Lincoln area came home to be with her dad as he had just had an accident. She was quite worried and anxious about his recovery,” said Gahagan. “This project helped her to keep her mind busy while her father was recovering. She completed over 20 blankets with her stepmom and a friend. As she was making blankets to comfort others in need, she was also being comforted.”
Last year, the ministry made 100 blankets, which were included in Christmas boxes and given to people who frequent the Bread of Life Soup Kitchen in Caribou.
In 2016, the group, with 21 ladies now participating, has already made 20 blankets for the Hope and Justice Project in Presque Isle, which helps those affected by domestic abuse or domestic violence. Additional projects, including blankets for Maine Veterans’ Homes in Caribou, are already slated for later this year.
As the ministry and its outreach grow, so does the closeness of its members.
“We always have an end-of-year meal at our Parish Center to celebrate our accomplishments and to give praise and thanksgiving to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who has provided for us,” said Gahagan. “We are like family.”
For information on starting a similar ministry, contact Gahagan for guidance at gahaganruth@yahoo.com.
