Update Feb. 7: This post was edited to include details about Manitoulin Transport shipping the quilts for free.
Quilts have always been known to provide warmth and comfort, but for a group of local quilters, they have also become a symbol of hope.
Mary Spring and Terri Howell organized “The Western Flood Relief”, a project to make and send quilts to Merritt Central Elementary School in Merritt, B.C. And this project was no small feat.
Spring and Howell came up with the idea after hearing about the floods in late November and the devastating damage they had caused to communities in B.C. Using funds received from the Ontario 55-plus Winter Games Legacy Fund, they set the plan in motion mid-December with a goal to have the quilts finished by late January 2022.
The project met its goal with the hard work of 35 volunteer quilters who produced 50 quilts in total. The quilters are mainly members of the Huntsville community; Spring’s sister, Andrea Stuart, organized a small group in Winnipeg who have provided five quilts for the project.
In addition, a group of knitters from Trinity United Church produced eight knitted blankets to be sent along with the quilts. The quilts and blankets were packed into boxes yesterday and will be shipped next week. Manitoulin Transport is making the delivery free of charge.
“Our original thought was ‘this would be really nice if these went to some children,’” Spring says.
Merritt Central Elementary School houses 240 students and was completely destroyed in the flooding. They are now schooling at a church in Merritt. This school was chosen because it was one that was hit particularly hard by the flooding.
“We were hearing about all the different communities but Merritt stuck in our minds because it was really hit hard,” Spring says. “These kids aren’t able to go to their school right now and I’m not sure if even next year the school will be ready.”
The school was grateful to hear of the upcoming delivery.
“They were touched,” Spring says. “They said it’s been a really difficult couple of months and they got through thanks to wonderful groups of people like us. They were thrilled.”
Each quilt will come with a note stating the name of the person who made the quilt and their email address so the student has the opportunity to connect with their quilter.
The project could not have been possible without all of the caring quilters who volunteered their time to help. Spring wants to give credit to these volunteers and all of their selfless hard work and dedication to the project.
In particular, Spring would like to recognize Laura Coleman of Huntsville, Eva Black of Huntsville, and Libby Duncan of Dwight, who have done the long-arm machine work for all 50 quilts. The volunteers that sewed the binding onto all of the quilts include Louise Wilson, Terri Howell, Carol Corry, Joan Behm, Val McCormick, Janet Smith, Mary Edmonstone, Lynda Griffin, and Barbara Ataman.
Spring points out that the volunteers were happy to lend their time for such a fulfilling and worthwhile cause.
“I think that people are just happy to be part of such an endeavour and to try to do something, because what can you do when people across the country are in such despair?” she says. “So hopefully this will bring some brighter days.”
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Good Day – I’m hoping you can help me. I have a small group called Quilt Hugs 4 U that takes donated quilts and gifts them to local Front Line Staff who need to know they are supported. I have one from Mary Edmonstone – Huntsville – and would like to connect with her before gifting it. If you know her could you please give my email [email protected] to her and ask her to email me? Much appreciated.
Beautiful work! Truly a labour of love and compassion.
If I as a quilter and quilt teacher can help in the future, I would be so happy to help. I do have extra material from the time I had a shop and would be happy to give some material if needed.
Beautiful works of art !!! Congratulations.
Three cheers for these women who didn’t just feel bad for Merritt, B.C. but did something about it. This is heartening, that they worked so hard, especially after I read about the public washroom being so terribly vandalized. There is always hope. Thank you ladies.