When we have a particular skill that we enjoy spending time doing, we must recognize the gift that God has given us to be able to share that talent with others. For the dedicated ladies of the Quilting Ministry, a lifetime of work spent honing the stitching and sewing skills that they use is a special opportunity to help others in several different ways.
First of all, these hardworking members put a lot of time and energy into crafting a beautiful quilt that is raffled off for the Fall Fest. This special quilt has brought in anywhere from $500 to $2,400 for the parish. The ladies take great pride in their work and this year, the quilt was also entered into the state fair, where it won third place! It takes a lot of time to craft such intricate designs and it is a special thing to share that with our church community. The raffle quilt takes about three months for them to make.
Aside from the quilt that they make each year for the raffle, the group takes on projects from the community. Other people piece together their quilts and bring it to them to do the hand-quilting.
JoAnn Sok has been a part of this group since 2003. She recalls a particularly special project that the group enjoyed having the opportunity to complete.
“We had one lady from the community who brought in the pieces of a quilt that her mother-in-law had started many years ago,” JoAnn says. “She came in and we worked with her to put the quilt together and finish it. Her mother-in-law was nearly 100 years old, so we pushed pretty hard to get it done before she passed away. It was a special project to get to work on and part of why we do what we do.”
The group does about three to four quilts a year and charges for the hand-quilting projects that they take on from others. The money that they make from these quilts is saved and used to purchase needed items for the church. So, if you have a quilt you would like hand-quilted, contact JoAnn Sok. This group loves to quilt.
“Over the years we have bought things like a refrigerator and a deep freezer for the church kitchen,” JoAnn says. “We sent a donation to the new elementary school and have purchased Bibles for the preschool.”
Aside from raising money for the parish through the raffle quilt and through the funds they bring in from other projects, this group is a special community within the parish.
“We are all good friends,” JoAnn says. “We are working towards the same goal and it is so enjoyable to share our time and talent with the church while we visit and spend time with one another. Everyone in the group also volunteers with other parish ministries, so it is a nice way to keep up with the different things going on at the parish. It is a wonderful community of women and the proceeds of our work goes to support the church.”
The group is always welcoming to anyone who wants to join them. For anyone interested in joining the group, they meet in the old convent on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-4 p.m.
The group is looking for more quilts to make, so if you have a quilt you would like hand-quilted, or to inquire about having a quilt finished, contact JoAnn Sok at 308-379-5618.