Kaw Valley Kindness Projects
WarmKids―our outreach to provide quilts for children in our community―began in the fall of 2011. That year we found ourselves with too many quilts for Headstart kids, our longtime recipient of children’s quilts. Child care workers at First Step, DCCCA’s program for women battling alcoholism, asked for quilts for children staying at their facility with their mothers. We also delivered quilts to Lawrence Homeless Shelter kids that Christmas.
Since then, we have donated quilts to First Step, Pieces for Pediatrics at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Family Promise, The Sexual Trauma and Abuse Center, The Willow Domestic Violence Center, CASA of Douglas County, and Lawrence public schools.
Through 2015, KVQG members have donated more than 700 quilts. All materials and time for this program are donated by our members.
Info for quilt makers: Warm kids quilts can be any size – they go to all ages, babies to teenagers. The quilts for Head Start are ~42’’ × 42’’ with a flannel back and no batting. These need to be strongly stitched as they will be deeply loved.
For more information about this program, contact: Maria Preston-Cargill mpreston.cargill@gmail.com
Salvation Army Doll Quilts
An additional project for 2016-17 is making doll quilts for the Salvation Army to give with every doll given for Christmas.
Kaw Valley Guild quilters have continued to make doll quilts since that first year. Typically, the guild donates about 200 doll quilts each year for the Salvation Army Christmas giveaway.
For more information about this program contact: Camille Olcese colcese1@gmail.com
Quilts of Valor
The Serial Quilters is a small group of quilters who meet twice a month for sewing fun and who also make Quilts of Valor for local military veterans. They’ve been getting together for a while but became involved in Quilts of Valor after a Guild meeting where they learned all about the QOV. They joined the Kansas City Metro Group of QOV in 2015 and will become a Group of their own next January with Stitch-On Needlework as their sponsor.
Since 2016, they’ve presented quilts to about 50 veterans in Lawrence and surrounding areas from WWII to the most recent conflicts. This Veterans Day they will be awarding 20 quilts to veterans in a nursing home. Presenting these quilts is such an honor! The veterans are so thankful for being recognized as having contributed to our freedom, and they love showing off photos of their time in service and awards they have won. Most of the money to make these quilts comes from the quilters, but they have received donations of fabric from a thrift store, monetary gifts from veteran’s family members, and fabric from our own Guild members. Everything donated to them is much appreciated!
Comfort Pillows
We make comfort pillows for the Visiting Nurses Association to give to their patients. The pillows are designed to be heated in the microwave. When draped around a patient’s neck or other part of the body, they provide relief for stiff or sore muscles.
Most recently, 165 pillows were delivered in late 2019, and more will follow that.
To help with this project, or to donate, contact Sammie Messick at smessick@live.com. (Instructions or ComfortPillows are provided in the July 2012 Guild newsletter.)
Silent Auction
At each KVQG Quilt Show a silent auction is held for donations made by guild members. Money raised goes to several local charities. In 2015 our charities are:
- Douglas County CASA utilizes community volunteers to act as advocates for children who have been abused or neglected and are under the protection of the juvenile court.
- The Sexual Trauma and Abuse Care Center provides 24-hour comprehensive advocacy and support services for child and adult victim-survivors of sexual violence.
- Kaw Valley Quilters’ Guild, an educational, non-profit organization with the purpose of stimulating an interest in quilts and promoting and advancing the knowledge of quilting in all its forms.
- Lawrence Habitat for Humanity builds homes for deserving families in Douglas and Jefferson Counties.
- Lawrence Humane Society provides shelter, care, and advocacy to stray, homeless, and abused animals and nurtures the human-animal bond.
- Social Service League serves low income residents of Lawrence. Auction proceeds go to the League’s program to provide eye exams and glasses for Lawrence school children and eye glasses for adults.
- Spencer Museum of Art, on the KU campus, has an outstanding collection of quilts and quilt blocks. Auction proceeds go to quilt preservation and exhibition activities.
The Children’s Shelter, Inc.
The goal of foster care is to provide children with a safe, nurturing environment while
their parents improve their ability to care for their children, remove any threats to the child’s
safety and well-being from the environment and, ultimately, reunite with their children.
The Kaw Valley Quilter’s Guild supports The Children’s Shelter by donating a quilt to be auctioned off at the annual Festival of Trees. This is The Shelter’s biggest fundraising event of the year. https://www.theshelterinc.org
This year we will also begin donating pillow cases, pillows, and masks for the children.
For more information on this service project, contact: Liz Campbell lcampbell@sunflower.com
The small group Scrapaholics made and donated Christmas Star for the Festival of Trees on behalf of the guild. Members of the group include Kathy Pribbenow, Betty Wright, Nancy Arnoldy, Linda Kenne, Cathy Zahn, and Sheri Perdue.
With its traditional rich red and classic white fabrics done in the Hunters Star pattern, this beautiful quilt will add cheer to any room any time of the year.
This quilt was donated to the Festival of Trees by the Jingle Belles small group. Karla Menaugh made the blocks, with block arrangement, assembly, and binding help from her friends, Georgann Eglinski, Linda Frost, Barbara Brackman, Kathy Suprenant, Deb Rowden, Cathy Dwigans, and Sue Ashline. Machine quilting was done by Lori Kukuk. The pattern is by Sandy Gervais, Pieces from My Heart. The quilt is 50″ by 70″.
Georgann Eglinski made and donated this small quilt to the Festival of Trees as well. The guild appreciates all of these members for their work.
