Community & Business
15 February, 2023
Operation Blankie recognised
A WOMAN’S passion for helping and comforting veterans has received an RSL Far Northern District Australia Day Medallion.
Malanda RSL’s Margret Plant created her charity Operation Blankie in 2019, which aims to comfort fellow veterans and their families in times of need, hardship and dark moments by providing them with an “Op Blankie pack”.
In the past three and a half years, the Operation Blankie team have made 2,500 items consisting of rugs, beanies, scarves, mittens, shawls and twiddle mitts to give to veterans in need.
Margret named her group after an old friend, Fossie, who was a veteran who suffered from congestive heart failure and severe oedema.
Fossie would call for his Kanga, which Margaret later found out was his blankie, because he was freezing in September in Home Hill.
After he passed away, the warm blankie was cuddled by his wife for comfort. One of Fossie’s children is a current serving soldier with two tours of Afghanistan.
Margret is currently coordinating 43 volunteers from across the Tablelands, Innisfail, Gordonvale, Mission Beach and Townsville and is always there to lend a helping hand in any circumstance.
Malanda RSL congratulated Margret on her success.
