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How About a Bit of Peace, Love, Tolerance?

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67 Blankets for Mandela Day, a beloved national and global movement, is hitting the road on its Peace, Love, Tolerance Road Trip to bring warmth and compassion to those in need across South Africa. Founded eleven years ago in support of Nelson Mandela Day, the organisation has evolved into a beacon of hope, rallying volunteers worldwide to knit blankets for the less fortunate.

The 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day will be in Gqeberha on 15 June 2024 from 11h00 to 12hoo at the Coega Door of Hope situated at 33 Milner Avenue, Sydenham, Gqeberha.

In previous years, 67 Blankets for Mandela Day held large-scale events to collect and distribute blankets. However, this year, the organisation is returning to its roots by embarking on a road trip to personally deliver blankets to various regional locations throughout the country. The road trip kicked off George in the Western Cape in April and there are numerous stops planned until the end of June.

Carolyn Steyn, the founder of 67 Blankets for Mandela Day, expresses the importance of making personal connections with those in need. She says: “We are visiting all regions of our beautiful country to distribute blankets to people less fortunate than ourselves. This year, we wanted to make those personal connections that are so important to us and spend time with the organisations and people we support. What better way to do that than a good, old-fashioned road trip where we personally deliver the blankets our knitwits across the country have so lovingly crafted to keep those in need warm throughout the winter months.”

Dubbed the Peace, Love, and Tolerance Road Trip, this initiative goes beyond providing warmth; it embodies the spirit of compassion and unity that Nelson Mandela championed. Steyn emphasises that “It’s about more than handing over blankets for warmth – it’s about showing that we care and fulfilling what our country needs now more than ever: peace, love, and tolerance. One small act of kindness goes a long way, and when we connect with each other, we knit the fabric of our society, built on peace, love, and tolerance, just as Madiba inspired us all to do.”

Background:

In December 2013, Zelda la Grange, late former President Nelson Mandela’s trusted assistant, challenged Carolyn Steyn to knit, sew, or crochet 67 blankets for Mandela Day. This led to the establishment of 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day, a global movement to provide blankets for those in need on Mandela Day.

Mandela Day, celebrated annually on July 18th, honours the legacy of Nelson Mandela and was officially declared by the United Nations in 2009.

Since its inception, 67 Blankets for Mandela Day has grown exponentially, with volunteers from around the world pledging to knit blankets for the less fortunate.

For more information about 67 Blankets for Mandela Day and how to get involved, please visit www.67blankets.co.za or email info@67blankets.co.za.

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