UNITY— “Wrap your soul with a blanket of kindness even in all odds.” Safna Sulaiman. For one local crocheter, these words have never been truer.
Christine Lang, formerly of Tramping Lake, is on track to donate 50 crocheted blankets of various sizes to the Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon this year. Lang, who has been crocheting for roughly 70 years, donated her first blankets to the RMH in 2014.
“The Tramping Lake Catholic Women’s League adopted a baby in Saskatoon. We gathered up two laundry baskets full of baby stuff and I made three baby afghans for that project.
“When we delivered the baskets, the lady that was in charge told me the RMH was looking for blankets, so I made five or six more blankets for them,” said Lang.
While she was making her first delivery of afghans to the RMH, Lang asked one of the employees if that was enough or if they needed more.
“She explained a blanket is given to every sick child that leaves the house for them to take home,” added Lang.
In 2015, Lang got working, donating 50 blankets to the RMH over the year. She would use the funds she received as a board member with the Unity Credit Union to pay for the yarn she used.
“I was always looking for some place where I could use the money to help in the community. I donated to different projects in Tramping Lake, but when I found this project, I decided that’s where the funds were going,” said Lang.
For the next few years, Lang would continue to donate anywhere between 50 and 60 blankets to the sick children who utilized the RMH.
It was in 2019 when Lang began a tight-knit partnership with the Unity Credit Union.
“I was speaking to Gerald Hauta, the manager at the Credit Union, and I was telling him what I was doing. He said, ‘Oh, maybe we can help you.” So, they gave me some money to buy yarn,” explained Lang.
Each year since, the Unity Credit Union has been funding the yarn for Lang.
When Lang turned 80 years of age, she challenged herself to make 80 blankets in the year, and she is looking to challenge herself again next year.
“In 2025, it will be 10 years I have been making blankets for the RMH, so I have already made my goal to be 100 blankets,” said Lang.
While the goal may be a bit much, Lang explained she should have more time for crocheting now that her and her husband, Bert, have moved to Parkview Place in Unity.
“The smaller blankets only take a day to make, and they only use two balls of yarn. I can usually get one made in about six hours,” explained Lang. For the bigger kids, Lang can spend up to a week on a blanket.
Lang enjoys trying new stitches all the time, but she did admit she does have a favourite stitch, which is four double crochets on the diagonal. As for yarn, she prefers thicker yarn from Bernette or Mary Maxim, as they take create a full blanket in less time.
So far this year, Lang has donated 45 out of her goal of 50 blankets this year, each one with a tag printed by the Unity Credit Union and a handwritten note and on the back from Lang herself with her mailing address.
“I have received only two letters back from families who received one of my blankets. One family was from way down south, near the United States border, and the other was from our Member of Parliament, Rosemarie Falk. One of her children used the services of Ronald McDonald House and received one of my blankets,” said Lang.
Since moving into senior living, Lang has yet to rally other crocheters to join her but is hoping a few friends might want to help with her quest for 100 blankets next year.
“I’ll supply them with yarn, they can make a blanket and bring it back and I can get them delivered,” said Lang.
When asked how long she plans to continue crocheting for the RMH, Lang simply said, “Gerald asked me that too, and I said as long as my fingers and eyesight work.”
To date, Lang estimates she has crocheted and donated around 600 blankets for the Saskatoon Ronald McDonald House over the past nine years.
