MOUNT FOREST – The holiday season has come to an end, but for some, the season of giving runs the entire year.
The Mount Forest Legion Branch 134 donated 174 blankets to senior residents in Mount Forest in mid-January, purchased from Laurie Duguay of Laurie’s Bedding and More in Hanover.
The blanket total was split between Strathcona Long-Term Care and Birmingham Retirement Community.
Duguay has been organizing projects like this in her own community for seven years now.
“I reach out to the nursing homes every year as to how many [residents] are in that home, and then we set a goal of how many we’d like to help that year,” said Duguay.
Her first year, Duguay recalled there was “probably 100” blankets given out.
Giving back
“We have donated to many families in need in our community for fires, homeless, sponsor dance events, youth soccer and so much more. It’s all about giving back,” Duguay said in an email to the Community News.
After hearing that Duguay delivered 300 blankets this Christmas in her community, the Mount Forest Legion reached out to her in December to do something for the seniors in Mount Forest.
The Legion then bought the 174 blankets from Duguay, which she would later drop off to the senior center’s.
Blanket sponsors
Blankets are normally sold for $35 at Laurie’s Bedding and More, but blankets being donated to seniors were available for $25, according to Duguay.
Once the number of seniors needing a blanket is received and blankets are purchased, Duguay, her husband and grandkids work together to place paper gift tags on each of them.
“If someone in the community wants to sponsor [a senior], which is the $25, their name goes on a gift tag on every blanket,” she explained.
The paper tag will usually have a memo or greeting saying “Merry Christmas” or “Thinking of You” with the sponsor’s name below it.
COVID-19 impact
“My background is Salvation Army. So going into the nursing homes, some of the seniors never get a visit,” Duguay stated.
“It’s like they’re forgotten… and when COVID hit, that was even worse [because] they couldn’t have visitors.”
Duguay brought blankets to both Mount Forest facilities on behalf of the Legion on Jan. 13 and left the blankets at the door as, at the time, both places had a COVID-19 outbreak.
To learn more about Laurie’s Bedding and More, visit her Facebook page.
You can keep up with the Mount Forest Legion Branch by visiting its Facebook page.
*This article has been updated as it previously had no comments from the Mount Forest Legion.
