Acadian memorial blankets a hit for P.E.I. historic sites

Blankets made to commemorate 300 years of Acadians on Prince Edward Island have proven to be popular, and more are on order.

The blankets were commissioned by the Farmers' Bank of Rustico and Doucet House Museums from MacAusland's Woollen Mills as a fundraiser. They feature stripes in blue, red and gold, the colours of the Acadian flag.

Arnold Smith, president of the Friends of the Farmers' Bank and Doucet House, said the popularity of the blankets came at an opportune time.

"COVID hit us and we've lost the 72 motor coaches that normally come every year," said Smith.

"We were strapped for funds and we thought this would be a good way to recognize the 300th anniversary, as well as raise some additional funds for the bank."

Monica MacAusland of MacAusland's Woollen Mills, based in western P.E.I., said the company is happy to do special orders, though it does not do a lot of them. Their manufacturing process means the Acadian star could not be part of the design, so the group opted for a narrow gold stripe to represent that.

"It is a beautiful design," said MacAusland.

"I think they did very well and incorporating into the limitations we gave them. So they're very well adapted."

Arnold said Farmers' Bank of Rustico and Doucet House Museums are looking forward to greeting a lot more visitors this summer.

The museum society was able to access funding for improvements last year, and plans to offer experiential meals cooked in P.E.I.'s oldest kitchen in Doucet House.

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