I feel I MUST take the time here to let all who have seen the pictures of our soldiers with their new quilts and are new to our project know that:

The hugest majority of the total quilts sent to these soldiers are from members of this amazing board who have sewn and mailed tops and finished quilts; some of them have done so several times over.

Many members have sent fabric for backings and bindings. Some have sent checks to help with postage and supplies. Most have sent prayers and encouragement and emotional support, uplifting me just when I needed it most.
A few even came to Bedford VA one weekend in early November to sew with me!

When we started this call for help on September 4, I really thought I'd be sending about 18-20 quilts to Bert and his men. But within 72 hours of that first posting, I had received nearly 70 PMs from those here offering to help. Then when we learned that there were 128 men in this battery, we couldn't not cover them all!

I quickly realized this project was infinitely bigger than I was, that there was a divine hand in the whole process, that I was just the legs on the ground, and that the major part I was to play was to listen, pray, yield, and, most of all, to have unshakeable faith that He who starts a good work in you is faithful to complete it.

Monies and support rolled in almost effortlessly. Why, we even received "miles" of backing fabrics just recently from one of the major fabric companies!
And, just today, we heard that we will receive a gift of the batting joining tape recently discussed on the board, just when we needed it most.
Ideas and plans popped into my head in ways that let me know I had not dreamed them up, they'd been given.
The local newspaper, the local Welcome Center, local Ruritan clubs and quilt guilds, local churches, the Greek organizations at Lynchburg College, our American Legion, and Bedford's National Guard unit all joined the effort. Overwhelming!

I can not express to you how much fun it has been to see all these participants get blessed by their giving. The members of this board, some of whom are now close friends, have been the dearest, most caring, most generous, most amazing people I've met in so long a time.

Most of all I have learned that one just can not outgive a giver! I have gotten SO much more from this event than I have put into it! It embarrasses me to read your praises and blessings for my having taken on/spearheaded this Military Barracks Quilt Project when I KNOW that those of you here are the main movers and shakers of the effort, and without you, it truly NEVER would have gotten off the ground, much less become the awesome, love-filled, expansive gift to our military that it has.

Thank you all from the depths of my heart for all your love, I am awed and humbled.

Warmest love,
Jan in VA

What a wonderful letter and God Bless you and everyone that helped. God is Good.

This is awesome and you are a blessing to all of us for your example and generosity.

Oh Joy!! You never know what asking will bring you!! Thank you for doing this and I know those servicemen and women thank you also for brightening their days.

Amen!

Isn't it indeed amazing what a little snowball can grow into once you set it rolling?

Thank you for the lovely letter to all of us. The time and talent that has gone into this project by you and all of us was a gift from God that we are passing on.
God Bless you and all the military who are so selflessly giving of themselves for us.

This project has truly been blessed!!! God is Good, He is Good all the time!!!

amen, and amen

God Bless You and Our Troups!

Why, we even received "miles" of backing fabrics just recently from one of the major fabric companies!
--------------------------------
Give out the name of this company so it can be better known as
standing behind our troops.
We can also send a letter thanking them for doing this. Won't they be shocked to get masses of letters about this? And might even add more to your work stash.

Jan, the world would be a far better place it there were more people like you. You're a true inspiration...God blessed you with the gift of giving and a big heart. I wish I lived near you so that I may call you "friend".

God Bless...Kathy

Reading about what all of you did is amazing. Renews my faith in humanity, which as been shaky.

Jan:
Thank you for your updates. And especially thank you for getting the ball rolling and keeping it rolling! I am glad that I was able to play a small part in this project. It would have been an extra blessing to have been able to help in person, but . . .
God bless you!
Marlys

New to this board. how do I help?

I am sorry I was not involved in helping in some small way in this but I have enjoyed keeping up with what you have done or are doing. I seen the pics of the men with their quilts the other day. They all looked so pleased and happy with their wonderful quilts. I am so happy for you that you have received so much help and materials donated for such a great cause.

My prayer,too. This was an amazing undertaking.

I would love to see the pictures. Where do we find them. Thanks

This was a wonderful project. The quilts are beautiful. I know they will be well used. My son says it is COLD over there.

What a beautiful letter that you wrote, I am sure that God has blessed you in many ways, thank you for letting us know how things have gone. I am sure that you will continue to receive fabric from all over to help with this project. Are you still going to be making quilts for the troops? If so let me know so that I can help to. Wish that I lived closer to you so I could help in person. God bless you and your family and bless all our troops.

God bless our Troops, our Country, and each one of us. Another testomonial of how quilters have such big hearts.

Ramona,
I've hesitated to give out the name of this company as they were approached by another member of this board rather than me, and I felt that they might also be inundated with similar requests from every corner....I didn't want to be responsible for opening that flood gate for them, as I've been a shop owner and know already how hard they actually do work for community and giving.

But it would be so wonderful to bless them with letters of appreciation as I'm sure my own heartfelt one to the management could never be enough to express how appreciated their gift was! I'm torn between respecting privacy and wanting to shout it from the rooftops, you know?

Jan in VA

What a wonderful job you have done. Wish I could give you a big pat on the shoulder and a hug. You are truly blessed.

Thank you for blessing our dear soldiers with such a lovingly warm gift from the heart. Yes! God is good-all the time!
Your letter is so encouraging and uplifting. We all need that! And the good news ( and the Good News) is always more than the bad news out there.

Blessings!

[quote

I quickly realized this project was infinitely bigger than I was, that there was a divine hand in the whole process, that I was just the legs on the ground, and that the major part I was to play was to listen, pray, yield, and, most of all, to have unshakeable faith that He who starts a good work in you is faithful to complete it.

Monies and support rolled in almost effortlessly.

Ideas and plans popped into my head in ways that let me know I had not dreamed them up, they'd been given.
The local newspaper, the local Welcome Center, local Ruritan clubs and quilt guilds, local churches, the Greek organizations at Lynchburg College, our American Legion, and Bedford's National Guard unit all joined the effort. Overwhelming!

Jan in VA[/quote]

Jan, I understand your feeling, this summer I was involved in 2 different projects for the soldiers-Walter Reed bags for the wounded & later Christmas stockings to be sent to those overseas. What started out as a simple day in my sewing room quickly snowballed into a communty effort, I didn't ask for a thing but a local church donated the use of their community room, a veterans group became involved, there was newspaper coverage, meals for the sewers were provided, a major sewing machine companyeven donated new sewing machines for door prizes. There had to be a divine hand, every step of the way there was an angel happening, I am still in awe.
Maire

Isn't it amazing how we can never outgive God!!!

You will be blessed tenfold for being the hands and feet of God.

Marie that was like a snowball from Heaven! Started small and ended major and beautiful!

Donna, honey you got that Right!!

What a wonderful thing you are doing! Are you still accepting donations? I may have a couple of quilts I could send.

God bless you and our troops.
God is good all the time.

To Jan - would you be willing to receive letters of thanks to the companies that donated the fabric and batting and then forward them? That way we could all join in the thanks while their name remains confidential. Each of us could inclose either a postage stamped envelope or monitary funds to keep you from having to foot the cost.

Absolutely! What a lovely idea! And do not worry about postage, it can be covered with the funds in the Militarty Barracks Quilt Project fund.....just one padded envelope can't be all that much.

PM me for my address if you don't have it.

Jan in VA

Jan, This was such an inspirstion to heaar. It brought tears to my eyes. I will continue to pray for this eggeort and others around the world. I agrre that if we know of the companys donating items we would possibly but more from them. God Bless in this project. Gensquilts

I would love to send a letter of thanks for the fabric company. I tried to send a PM to get your address, but I'm having trouble figuring out how to send you a PM.Should I just post my email address here?

Don't post your personal email here. Click on Jan's user and than click on PM. Should come up with a box to send your message. :-D

My pastor always says: You cannot outgive God :) So true !

Hm, not sure if you said, but how close are you to meeting your goal?

Aren't there some of the most wonderful people out there? And so many of them are quilters.
We found a lot of the same coming to us for the Veterans quilts me make here. Churches, Service clubs Local fabric shops.....so many wanter to help. God does move in wondrous ways.

I believe the goal is hoped to be reached by January 2011.

amen.