67 Blankets donates 301 handmade blankets in Brakpan
A wave of warmth swept through Brakpan as the Johannesburg team from 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day delivered 301 handmade blankets—each stitched with love and a story—to local beneficiaries, spreading hope one thread at a time.
The Johannesburg team from the 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day movement was in Brakpan on Friday to donate 301 blankets to three local beneficiaries.
The first was Psalm 91 Soul Recovery, which handed out 150 blankets at Rata Social Services in Park Street during their soup kitchen.
Then, the team went to the Frank Mynhardt Care Centre, which shares premises with Tweedy Park Old Age Home. They received 121 of the blankets, with each elderly patient receiving one.
Lastly, the final 30 blankets were dropped off at the East Rand Children’s Haven, with the children picking out their favourite blankets and the extra blankets being put into storage.
Each blanket has a label sewn on with information about where the blanket came from, and who made it, giving the recipients a bit of connection with the makers of the blankets.
On March 20, Nelson Mandela University’s Second Avenue Campus was transformed into a breathtaking display of warmth and unity as the 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day movement unveiled the world’s Hugest Happiness Blanket.
Hundreds gathered to celebrate this historic moment on the United Nations International Day of Happiness, as a sea of vibrant, handcrafted blankets – meticulously stitched together by South African KnitWits – created an unforgettable display of kindness in action.
The blanket was then disassembled to be spread across the country to those in need. The Johannesburg team was approached by local Helena Potgieter, who provided them with a list of beneficiaries and how many blankets each beneficiary needed.
From this list, the three recipient organisations were chosen and the Johannesburg team set out to deliver the blankets to each individual in person.
Helena was a teacher at Felicitas School for 23 years and has a heart for the community. Ambassador Jaco Lötter, aka ‘Mr Blanket’, said it was all thanks to Helena that they chose Brakpan to bless with blankets. Jaco was ready with a smile and a kind word while handing blankets over to beneficiaries, making each recipient feel special and at home.
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