Quilting ministry reaches milestone

By Kyle Kaminski
Traverse City Record-Eagle

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Two dozen hands come together once each week inside the community room at Bethlehem Lutheran Church to spread warmth worldwide one stitch at a time.

Scissors meticulously trim swathes of patterned fabric. A sewing machine hums near the corner of the room. Fresh coffee is always brewing. And the chatter of mostly retired women is overpowered only by their sense of selflessness.

September through June is quilting season for churchgoers and this month marks an important milestone for the ministry. A group of about a dozen volunteers will donate their 12,000th quilt this month — a trophy of sorts for the countless hours of needlework the group has dedicated to the project for nearly 40 years, according to the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

Quilts crafted at the church are sent to ministry’s parent organization, Lutheran World Relief. From there the bedspreads are dispensed to countries that need them the most. Lebanon, Jordan, Nicaragua and other areas attracting Syrian refugees will receive the bulk of the donations this year.

And they’re not just used for bedcover. Quilts donated through the program can be used as insulation for thin walls. They’re room dividers. They keep sand from blowing into desert homes. They can be clothing and knapsacks.

“There was one lady who had three kids and she ended up taking the quilt apart into each of its three layers for each child,” said Sandra Osgood, a de facto leader for the group. “There was another story of a woman who had been waiting for her quilt to arrive. In America, we would never have to wait for something like that.”

Not all quilts are shipped overseas. A fire displaced dozens of residents on the east side of the state last year; BLC shipped them a box of quilts. The Father Fred Foundation needed some extra help; they’ll ship three or four boxes their way. Some have gone to Safe Harbor of Grand Traverse. Another shipment went to the city’s alternative high school.

“There’s no prequalification to get our help,” said Tom Rockne president of the church council. “It has nothing to do with administering them to other Lutherans or even Christians for that matter. If there is a need, we’re going to help to fill it.”

The group is always looking to expand its volunteer base. Those interested in getting involved do not have to be members of the church to show up Tuesday mornings from 9-11:30 a.m. to pitch in.