#Middlebury #Quilts
Quilts that Care’s youngest volunteer and quilter, Trina, 12, gets a hug from Darlene Miakos of Seasons Hospice and Palliative Care of Connecticut in Middlebury after hand delivering a quilt. Trina designed and made the quilt she delivered. (Submitted photo)
Quilts that Care (QTC), a nonprofit that makes quilts to comfort patients undergoing cancer treatments, recently donated 15 quilts to Seasons Hospice and Palliative Care of Connecticut. These quilts will be given to children going to Connecticut Camp Kangaroo. The quilts were completed by volunteers throughout Waterbury at the headquarters location at 130 Scott Road, as well as at the Bristol, Leever, Litchfield and New Milford chapters.
Since its inception, QTC has made over 2,500 quilts. The more quilts they can make, the more comfort and warmth they can provide to people who really need it. More than 200 volunteers from many parts of Connecticut put their hearts and souls into ironing, cutting, sewing, sandwiching and stitching to make these unique quilts with the hope of bringing some joy to the recipients. Monthly, they donate over 40 quilts to 12 Connecticut cancer facilities, with additional quilts going out to known patients.
Quilts That Care volunteer Cathy Phinney pins and sandwiches a quilt that will comfort a cancer patient. More volunteers are needed. (Submitted photo)
What do they need? Right now they need you! Volunteers are the heart and soul of Quilts that Care, and they are looking for quilters of any experience level. Do you have a long arm at home – would you be interested in quilting some of their quilts?
Do you have a friend or a group of friends who would be interested in helping together? We’d love to have some nurses, teachers, or families who have been affected by cancer come down and help us out or who would like to give back to make a small difference in the lives of so many. There are many activities you can help with, not just sewing – stop by for a visit, take a tour, go see what they do. Contact them and they can set up a time that works for your group. Stay for 30 minutes or stay the whole day. They are a great group of people making an impact and would love for you to join them.
How can you get involved? Open Sew is every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the second and fourth Monday of each month from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Also they open some Thursday mornings; see the online calendar at www.quiltsthatcare.org for the times.
They occasionally offer free classes. Do you need some help with a troubling quilting project? Stop by and maybe they can help. They have experienced quilters available most days.
Remember, you do not have to sew to help! Sign up for their mailing list to get weekly updates of what’s going on.
Additional QTC Chapter schedules are: Harold Leever Cancer Center in Waterbury, first and third Mondays from 6:30 to 8 p.m.; Bristol Public Library in Bristol, first and third Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m.; and Litchfield Community Center in Litchfield, first and third Wednesdays from 12:30 to 2 p.m.
How can you see their quilts? The Village at East Farms (second building) and The Harold Leever Cancer Center, two of Quilts that Care’s sponsors, have many of their quilts on display in their lobbies. If you are in the area, stop by and take a look at them.
How can you find out more? Check out their website, quiltsthatcare.org. Like their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/QuiltsThatCare or email them at QTCContact@gmail.com to sign up for weekly updates or ask any questions.
You must be logged in to post a comment.