Albion woman makes 107 blankets for residents at The Villages

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Diane Argento holds one of the lap robes she made for residents of The Villages.

ALBION – Residents of The Villages Health and Rehabilitation Center will have an extra gift under the tree this Christmas, thanks to the generosity and compassion of an Albion resident.

Diane Argento loves to sew and this fall she got to thinking she’d like to do something nice for someone. She contacted Kristin Bloom, activities director at The Villages, and told her she’d like to make small blankets for each of the residents all 104 of them. In all, Diane made 107, as several of the residents are absent from the facility.

Diane, her husband Joe and daughter Jamie this morning delivered totes full of the lap robes, all in Christmas gift boxes.

“It’s nice to have such support from the community,” Bloom said. “It’s a little Christmas cheer after what the residents have been through, with Covid and not being able to see their families.”

From left, Kristin Bloom, activities director at the Villages Health and Rehabilitation Center, helps Diane and Joe Argento of Albion unload totes full of lap robes Diane made for each resident.

Diane said she went to Joann Fabrics to get the material. It took several clerks to cut the 214 yards of material she needed.

Each lap robe is tied and knotted around the edge, something which was very time consuming.

“This is very much appreciated,” Bloom said.

The Argentos said they were happy to do something for The Villages, as his mom was there several years ago.

The Villages’ activities director Kristin Bloom, Joe and Diane Argento and their daughter Jamie unload 107 boxes of Christmas blankets Wednesday morning which Diane made for the residents.