Quilters, left to right, Arlene Hartings, Bethany Anderson and Martha Chrisman hard at work on a quilt.
Megan Lewis | Sidney Daily News
By Megan Lewis
For the Sidney Daily News
SIDNEY — Eighteen years ago Margaret Cook embraced her love of quilting by gathering her friends together to make a big quilt once a year to gift it to an Ohio Living community resident. When Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, she decided to switch her focus to making quilts for the displaced children of the affected area. This decision lead to the creation of Quilting For A Cause. That year, they made 10 handcrafted quilts for those kids.
In 2017, when Hurricane Harvey hit Beaumont, Texas, the group stepped up to make 25 quilts for those residents. At this time, they partnered with a Tier-2 volunteer organization based in Toledo called Quilts Of Compassion. This organization travels the country in vans stuffed with blankets to hand out to those in need.
Now that the COVID pandemic has ended, the group is back and ready to get to work. Currently, they are making quilts for those affected by the Indian Lake/Russells Point tornado disaster. After that, the quilts will go to other charities in need. This will include police departments, shelters and Rustic Hope in Russia, Ohio.
They are currently looking for volunteers of all ages and skills to help them as they are set up in stations to streamline the process to make as many quilts as they can. Anyone who has an interest in making quilts can show-up in person at the Amos Community Center at Ohio Living or contact the activity coordinator Bethany Anderson at 937-497-5116. Quilting For A Cause meets every third Thursday of the month at 2 to 3:30 p.m. and again on the same day at 6:30-8 p.m.
