Stitchers donate quilts

The Silver Stitchers quilting club has donated 24 handmade quilts to the Thermopolis Police Department and the Hot Springs County Sheriff’s Office. Organizer Kathy Peterson gained inspiration for the project by learning on the internet about some quilters from back east who donated items to law enforcement.

Peterson asked Sheriff Jerimie Krauhaar if they already have any quilts and found out they have none.

The purpose of these quilts is to use them for children, babies, and or preteen children when they’re involved in a traumatic situation that the police or sheriff’s office are involved in. They are used as a care comfort quilt and remain with the child when they go home when the matter is all resolved.

The Silver Stitchers meet every week at the Hot Springs County Senior Center to work their craft. Member Joan LaFave also helps with all the long-arm quilting. Peterson explained, “That’s where they put the unfinished top and the backing on a frame. And then they have a computerized sewing machine that does all the quilting design. And that’s her business. She donated all of her time for that.”

The next project that is nearing completion is led by Carol Bivens, where they are making 12 to 15 quilts for young boys from kindergarten through seventh grade at BOCES. These quilts will be used at bedtime to help calm the children down.

Overall, the Silver Stitchers have made 35 quilts in about 6.5 weeks. Peterson says that if anyone wants to donate cotton fabric material, they are open to it.

The 13 members of the Silver Stitchers are Joan LaFave, Trudi Brooks, Tamm Redland, Julie Enis, Tracy Hergert, Marilyn Vass, Marilyn Braaten, Cindy Toth, Carol Bivens, Colleen Anderson, Kathy Peterson, Linda Kowlok, Marla Kalal.

When it comes to how the group feels when they are creating these donations to help young people in need, Peterson said, “It is tremendous. It’s just like, pay it forward. It’s a craft. It’s an art. But to be able to know that one of our quilts is comforting a child someplace is a feeling that really as a mom, we would want our child In that same place. Most of us are retired. And so it gives us an opportunity to keep busy, to give back to the community. Probably the majority of the people on this list were either born here, grew up here, moved back here after leaving to work, and have retired here. So each of these ladies is part of this community. It’s that feeling of being able to do something for people in need. It’s a traumatic situation if you have just that feeling of somebody cares. It’s going to be okay.”