Public Invited To Decorate Quilt Squares for Breast Cancer Awareness

Jim Robinson Ford, Neighborhood Ford Store sponsor 'Quilts of Encouragement' program

Shelley Hanson

TRIADELPHIA -- When one feels like giving up, like all hope is lost, sometimes a small word of encouragement and understanding can do wonders for the spirit.

This is the idea behind the annual Quilts of Encouragement program hosted by Jim Robinson Ford and the Neighborhood Ford Store's Warriors in Pink, just in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The public can decorate quilt squares with words and messages of encouragement for patients enduring treatment between 3-8 p.m. today at The Highlands Sports Complex, located behind the Kohl's department store at The Highlands.

The activity is free and the supplies, including the squares and markers, are provided.

The squares are then used to create colorful quilts made by local quilters. The quilts are distributed across the region to hang in hospitals and other locations.

There is one displayed at Jim Robinson Ford as well.

Three quilts made by the Fort Henry Piecemakers Guild are on display at the Sports Complex, made from squares made during last year's program. The quilts will be hung at WVU Medicine Wheeling, Barnesville and Reynolds Memorial hospitals.

Lynne Keller of Wheeling, a member of the Fort Henry Piecemakers Guild, said her guild enjoys making a variety of charity quilts to giveaway each year. She and her sister, retired Dr. Jane Sobray, make the pink quilts on a 14-foot, long-arm quilting machine.

"She does all the quilting for the charity quilts we do. It keeps her pretty busy. ... They turned out pretty nice, I think," Keller said.

"Within our quilt guild we have a group of women who do charity quilting. It was right up our alley to do the breast cancer quilts," she said. "We've given lots of quilts away."

Keller said the guild has also made and donated quilts to the St. John Home for Children for Christmas, to the YWCA's domestic violence prevention program, and 40 quilts were sent to Kentucky after the state was hit with a devastating tornado. Quilts are also made for nursing home and hospice care.

"I think it's a good idea and anything that can make someone feel better and is encouraging is what we like to do," Keller said.

"It makes you feel good to help somebody and that's what I think our group is mainly about -- to give something nice to someone who otherwise wouldn't get anything."

The guild has about 24 members and about 10 do charity quilting. Many people donate fabric that they use to make them.

Nancy Lewis, Neighborhood Ford Store public relations manager, said it is important to have a variety of people make squares so there are a variety of messages to sew into the quilts.

"I may feel like a warrior one day, but I may need something a little more comforting the next day," she said. "When these are hung in hospitals people can identify with the message that they need."

Lewis said people don't have to be a talented artist to do a message of hope or encouragement on a square.

"You just have to have the heart to tell people how you feel. ... The more people who come out, the more different types of messages we will have and the more people we will reach," she said.

Some of the messages included on previous squares include "Stay strong," "You are awesome," "Hope" and "Better Days."