Sai 100 Blessed Blanket Project: North Central Region
"As we approach the 100th birthday of our beloved Sri Sathya Sai Baba, how can we best honor His teachings of love and selfless service?" This guiding question sparked an online brainstorming session by Sai Spiritual Education (SSE) students of the Sri Sathya Sai International Organization (SSSIO)-USA, North Central Region.
The Group 4 SSE students, aged 15 years and older, felt expressing their love and gratitude to their spiritual teacher through service would be the most meaningful birthday offering. And what more eloquent way to offer their love to Sri Sathya Sai than to make and donate 100 blankets to children in pediatric healthcare facilities? The warm fleece blankets, symbolizing Sri Sathya Sai's love and compassion, would provide both physical and emotional warmth to these children in need. And thus, the idea of Sai 100 Blessed Blankets Project was born.
Each Sai Center raised funds to purchase fleece material, both raw fabric and Joann’s No-Sew Blanket Kits. The process involved layering two fleece sheets, cutting the edges into strips, and tying the strips together, symbolic of infusing love into each knot. SSSIO Centers across the North Central organized sessions that brought together members of all ages, from pre-SSE children counting completed blankets to senior members teaching proper cutting techniques. The sessions fostered unity and community spirit, and provided positive vibrant experiences filled with devotional singing and singalongs, laughter and camaraderie, where participants not only tied knots to create blankets but lovingly fostered ties of love within their community.
Through the collaborative effort, the region quickly surpassed the initial goal of 100 blankets, with donations made to local hospitals, pediatric units and youth shelters. Staff at the NICU at St. Anthony’s Community Hospital in Chicago received the blankets with heartfelt smiles and reassured the Sai volunteers that the blankets will bring joy to children for years to come.
This initiative demonstrates the true power of service - bestowing happiness on everyone involved, both the servers and recipients. It exemplifies Sri Sathya Sai’s teachings that "service slowly and steadily broadens one's heart, bringing with it an unexpected feeling of happiness.” The project will continue on till November 2025. SSE students, who lead the project, and SSSIO members who participate in the Sai 100 Blessed Blankets project, feel immense gratitude for the opportunity to serve as instruments of His divine love.