Stitching group donates quilts to Newark Neighbours

Fifteen women crammed themselves into an already over-flowing back room at Newark Neighbours Thrift Store and Food Bank Tuesday morning to donate 26 hand-made quilts to the holiday hamper project.

Surrounded by recently-donated toys and games for children of all ages, members of the In-Stitches quilt club presented Newark Neighbours Food Bank Manager Cindy Grant with quilts they only just started making this October.

Working regularly out of Cornerstone Community Church on Hunter Road, members of the group each have their own unique skill set — some are strong in the cutting room while others try their hand at tying loose threads.

“I’m good at talking,” quipped Grant who didn’t think there would be much room for that skill in a quilters group.

“There are days where that's all we do,” laughed In-Stitches group member Dorothy Soo-Wiens.

“We work together, and while we're doing this for our community, we ourselves are encouraging one another, praying for one another, laughing, and crying together,” said group member Kathy Dyck. “I think we become a community ourselves for each other while doing good for the greater community.”

“Anybody can join,” said Soo-Wiens. “If you want to quilt and you want to meet other women, you can come. It's a way of giving back to the community.”

This is at least the fifth year the group has made quilts for families signed up with Newark Neighbours’ food bank program.

All of their fabric is donated or purchased at thrift shops. Dyck herself heads straight for the linen shelves in every thrift shop she visits, in fact, the John Deere fabric used for a quilt she made and donated to Newark Neighbours came from fabric she purchased at their store.

In such a disposable society, members feel good about diverting waste to the landfill.

“These quilts will mean everything to some of our families,” said Grant. The quilts will be given out the same day Newark Neighbours distributes 140 food hampers, early next week. Because In-Stitches has donated quilts for the past several years, Grant said, “we try to give them to our newest families first, or families with young children. We try to give them to the families that didn't get one last year.”

“A lot of children that we know need comfort and some warmth,” Grant added.

“I'm sure all of you ladies have families of your own to get ready for this Christmas,” she said. “So that makes it even more special that you found time to do this along with everything else that you're involved in.”