Hello Guild Friends,
Some of you may have heard rumblings that I am collecting quilts to send to Ukraine. Well, it’s true! I was recently on a trip with my husband and for a time we were in Budapest, only 700 miles from the Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant the Russians were shelling. It was scary to be so close and also very cold. I had great empathy for the Ukrainians living under such harsh daily conditions. It made me think very hard about what I could do to help. Of course I thought about making quilts! It turned out a gentleman on our trip offered to pay for the shipping and said his daughter who is a military commander who oversees the shipment of American weapons from her base to Ukraine would take care of the of the distribution in Ukraine, if I would just provide the quilts!!
So, I’m asking my Guild members if you are interested in helping with this humanitarian cause to donate any quilts that you have, new or gently used to this project. I’m looking for twin, cot, lap, youth or baby size quilts. No large quilts please. If these people should have to flee at a moment’s notice, they cannot carry a large quilt. I recently cut a queen top down to two smaller tops quite easily. Or, if you want to quickly sew up some quilts and if there are some long armers who are feeling generous and who could help with quilting that would be amazing! We have to have them ready to ship by January 31st, so this will be a short term project.
VidaAnn has volunteered to design labels for the quilts with a heart and the outline of Montana inside, to portray the message that “this quilt was made with love for you by someone in Montana”. I will be contacting the other Guilds in western Montana to ask for their participation as well. In the next few weeks, I will be asking for help to sew on the labels and to help box up the quilts for shipping. I’m very hopeful that the quilters of western Montana can send a lot of love and warmth to the people of Ukraine this winter!
If you would like to contact me, you can call me at 406-546-2375, or email me at joni.stormo@gmail.com. For now, I’ll collect the quilts and keep them at my house please call for directions.
Thanks everyone for considering my request and Happy New Year to you All!
Warmly,
Joni Stormo
