Threads of Faith & Service: A Celebration of Hope, Healing, and Community

One of the most beautiful highlights of Catholic Education Week at St. Albert Learning Centre was the culminating celebration of our Threads of Faith & Service: Students Knitting Hope & Healing project.
What started as a small planning meeting between Angela Corsi-Raso from The Blanket Program and Lauren Raymond from Sweet Yarns became something far bigger than we ever imagined. From that first conversation, a beautiful community project began to unfold one that brought together students, staff, parish volunteers, families, and community partners in a shared act of faith, service, and love.
This project was made possible through a grant received from the Michael Monk Award, and was created in memory of Rick Pelland, a beloved teacher at St. Albert Learning Centre who passed away.
While Rick was receiving chemotherapy, he was gifted a handmade blanket to help keep him warm. That simple but meaningful act of kindness stayed with his family and with our school community. In Rick’s memory, our students and staff wanted to give back by creating handmade blankets for the Shirley and Jim Fielding Northeast Cancer Centre, so others could feel that same comfort, warmth, and care.
With the support, patience, and encouragement of so many, our students created 21 handmade blankets, each one a symbol of compassion, hope, healing, and remembrance.
We were so blessed to have Rick’s mother, Stella, and his sister, Lisa, join us for this meaningful celebration. Their presence made the day even more special and reminded us that every stitch carried love, memory, and purpose.
Throughout the project, our students were supported every step of the way by the incredible volunteers from Christ the King Church, who came faithfully to spend time with our students, teach them, encourage them, and knit alongside them.
We are especially grateful to Deacon Roland Muzzatti, Loretta Ronchin, and all of the volunteer parishioners who helped make this project possible.
At our culminating lunch, the blankets were blessed by Deacon Roland, and in a deeply touching moment, so were the hands that made them. It was a powerful reminder that the work of our hands can become an act of service, healing, and love.
We were also honoured to welcome provincial representation from OECTA, including Lisa Lacaria, 1st Vice-President of OECTA Provincial, and Chantal Rancourt, Provincial Staff Officer for OECTA, attending on behalf of Jaime Sauvé, Secondary Sudbury OECTA President. Their presence helped us celebrate the beautiful connection between Catholic education, service, and community.
This project would not have been possible without the dedication of our students, the guidance of our staff, the generosity of our parish, and the support of our community partners. Together, they helped transform yarn into blankets, and blankets into messages of comfort, hope, healing, and remembrance.
We extend heartfelt thanks to everyone who was part of this project and to all those who attended our celebration, including:
Angela Corsi-Raso — The Blanket Program, Shirley and Jim Fielding Northeast Cancer Centre
Lauren Raymond — Sweet Yarns
Christ the King Church
Deacon Roland Muzzatti, Loretta Ronchin, and all the volunteer parishioners
Joan Yawney — Religious Education and Faith Development Consultant
Lisa Lacaria — 1st Vice-President, OECTA Provincial
Chantal Rancourt — Provincial Staff Officer for OECTA
Jaime Sauvé — Secondary Sudbury OECTA President
Rick Pelland’s mother, Stella, and sister, Lisa
Our incredible staff and students at St. Albert Learning Centre
Catholic education calls us to serve, to walk with others, and to recognize the dignity and worth of every person. This project allowed our students to do exactly that. They learned new skills, built relationships, gave back through their time and talents, and discovered that even something as simple as yarn can become a powerful symbol of faith, hope, love, and remembrance.
We are so proud of our students and so grateful for the community that wrapped around them to make this project shine.
These blankets are more than blankets. They are threads of faith, service, hope, healing, and memory.