Knittin' kids stitch together blankets for Sudbury cancer patients

When you think of knitting what comes to mind first? Senior Citizen homes, retirees ... how about a grade school?

The 'Knitting Club' at Chelmsford Valley District Composite School has become one of the more popular clubs in school these days.

Teacher Francine Portelance has personally taught about 30 kids to knit and she still has more requesting to join.

On Wednesday, they were knitting squares to turn them into blankets for Sudbury patients living with cancer.

"Each child makes squares and they're excited because they're part of a bigger blanket for them it's like giving a huge to someone whose going through a more difficult time so for support and warmth," said Portelance.

"I'm overwhelmed to be honest," said Health Sciences North's Tannys Laughren. "I know they had a knitting club and that they were making a blanket but i didn't expect four beautiful blankets and you can see the love, you can see the pride - not only will they keep our patients warm but they will also give them hope."

Students were excited to see the look on Laughren's face. They don't appear to show any signs of slowing down.

"When I get stressed out, it calms me down and it helps me focus more on what I have to do," said grade 4 student Connor Lacaille. "People go through chemo, my dad's a firefighter so i thought I was helping people, making these blankets, it's technically helping people."

"It goes to a good cause, it goes to people with cancer because we were making blankets and the blankets go to the people that are cold and don't have blankets," said grade 6 student Aylvia Norrad.

The club has 30 knitters, all personally trained by Portelance. They've gotten so much that they've now been able to have two groups, junior and senior knitters.