Seniors without kin
Yestereday, having completed and delivered my charity quilts to meet the needs of children in out of home placement, and not wanting to tackle my main tricky UFO, I looked in a couple of fabric drawers and remembered that I had planned to do a couple of vet quilts. I called the local office for low income seniors to ask if they had vets and others needing lap quilts. When they got back to me, the response was strong and enthusiastic.
In our small community, it is fairly clear where the needs are. I urge those of you looking for a project to consider lap quilts for the kinless.
A couple of years ago I went in to deliver a quilt with the Statue of Liberty and flags. The person in charge of the office at the foundation-run low cost senior housing insisted on taking me to a WW II vet living in one of their apts. We had a good chat. He was thrilled with the gift and I was very pleased to see his smiles.
About 5 years ago DH and I decided we wanted to donate quilts for those in our community, which is generally underserved. We went to the soup kitchen an hour before they opened. DH explained that we had quilts to give but didn't want them to go where they would be trashed or sold for drugs. The lady in charge said she knew just who they should go to, and put them up on the wall. She later told me about one of them. A Nam vet wheeled himself in. He saw a horse's head medallion quilt and asked if that were spoken for. It reminded him of the great pleasure he had gotten as a rider. She told him the quilt was spoken for, it was his. He was grateful and also said it was the perfect size to keep his stumps warms.
I know quilters are generally very generous. I ask you to consider those in your own communities who need to be remembered and kept warm.