Guild donates quilts for charity
Published 2:21 pm Friday, March 10, 2017
Pamlico River Quilters’ Guild passed along a little warmth and kindness Wednesday, as part of its annual charity quilt luncheon.
Several organizations — including Ridgewood Manor, River Trace, Carolina Pregnancy Center, Ronald McDonald House, Willow Manor, the Vidant Medical Center pediatric intensive care unit and the Marion L. Shepard Cancer Center — received donated quilts, handmade by guild members, at the event held at the Grace Martin Harwell Senior Center.
Kathy Belski, co-president of the Quilters’ Guild, said the luncheon is a longtime tradition for the group, which has been making the quilts for charity as long as she can remember. Belski joined the guild in the early 2000s. The guild has about 90 members.
“It’s a way to educate the public about what we do and also to give back to the community,” Belski said. “We encourage everybody to give at least one.”
Participants could sew larger quilts for cancer patients, sew small blankets for newborns, or create adult bibs and walker bags for the elderly. Wednesday’s collection of donated quilts featured an array of colors and patterns — from soft floral designs to bright aquatic scenes and Disney-inspired character work.
Around 100 quilts were bagged up and donated to charity on Wednesday.
Belski said the guild offers instructional courses on quilting, so each donation is a professional-level work of art. Professional instructors are also brought in two to three times a year to work with the guild members.
Jessica Harris, who works in the pediatric ICU, told the group that she is thankful for the donations.
Harris said giving the blankets to young patients means a lot to the families, and the PICU employees appreciate the guild’s ongoing support.
No matter the age of the person on the receiving end, the Quilters’ Guild hopes to simply bring a smile to the face of that patient.
“Just as a way to support the community,” Belski said. “We want to support these organizations.”