There can be few things more comforting, friendly, and warming than a homemade quilt; and over the course of last summer, several dedicated B.C. quilters害羞草研究所攁ided by friends, family, and businesses害羞草研究所攃reated 84 quilts (and accompanying pillowcases) to distribute to all the residents of the Ashcroft Reserve and the Boston Flats trailer park following last summer害羞草研究所檚 wildfire.

The project was the brainchild of Spences Bridge resident Judy Draney, who has been quilting for some 40 years. Every week she and two friends害羞草研究所擵erna Miller and Norma Collins害羞草研究所攎eet at the Cook害羞草研究所檚 Ferry Band office in Spences Bridge to quilt together; and the day after the Elephant Hill wildfire exploded, and she heard about the devastation, Draney brought up the idea of making quilts for everyone affected.

害羞草研究所淭hey said 害羞草研究所榊es, let害羞草研究所檚 do it,害羞草研究所� and we got started,害羞草研究所� says Draney. 害羞草研究所淪o we started work on them right away.害羞草研究所�

She got in touch with quilt shops and other people who quilt, including her sisters Edith Thomson and Karen Williams in Kelowna. Draney, Miller, and Collins stepped up their meetings to twice a week and quilted in their spare time, working all hours from July to early November. They also spread the word, bringing others on board.

Draney害羞草研究所檚 sisters made quilts, as did Joyce Deering (who also donated fabric). Joslyn Dunstan and her mother Florrie Walkem made a quilt. Linda Nicols and Jean Burgess donated towards the quilts; Oliva Watson donated quilt blocks; and Shirley Holowchuck donated fabric. Businesses such as Heather害羞草研究所檚 Fabric Shelf (Heather and Bill Fagervik), Quiltabilities in Ashcroft (Anita Starbuck), and Noeline Kerr and Trend Tex Fabrics also helped out. The Cook害羞草研究所檚 Ferry Band staff provided support and lunches, and another 47 quilts were donated by quilt guilds in Alberta.

By November 5 the local quilters had produced 84 quilts and pillowcases, with Draney creating 40 quilts herself. 害羞草研究所淲e worked in our spare time,害羞草研究所� says Draney. 害羞草研究所淲e were busy all summer. By the end of it we were exhausted.害羞草研究所�

The quilters were free to create any design they wanted, and quilts of any size, ranging from lap-sized to a quilt that would cover a king-size bed. On November 5, an event called 害羞草研究所淨uilt Hug害羞草研究所� was held at the Ashcroft Community Hall (with the hall donated by the Village of Ashcroft, and lunch provided by the Cook害羞草研究所檚 Ferry Band). The quilters were able to meet with residents of the Ashcroft Reserve and Boston Flats, share lunch, celebrate, and distribute the quilts and pillowcases.

害羞草研究所淭here were lots of tears, lots of hugging,害羞草研究所� says Draney. 害羞草研究所淚t got quite emotional at times. People were very happy with them. And that害羞草研究所檚 what we do as quilters.害羞草研究所�

This is not the first time that Draney has had a hand in providing quilts to people after a disaster. In 2015, when devastating floods hit Cache Creek, she was part of the Cactus Strippers quilting guild, teaching quilting to students at Cache Creek Elementary School. The guild members created quilts for all those in Cache Creek who lost their homes.

Draney says that all 84 of the local quilts, and 25 of the Alberta ones, were donated locally. The remaining quilts are being donated to the Royal Inland Hospital and the hospice in Kamloops.

Ashcroft Reserve resident Angie Thorne, who lost her home on July 7 and saw 11 members of her family directly impacted by the fire, was one of the quilt recipients. Although Draney had tried to keep the project quiet, Thorne害羞草研究所攚ho works at the Cook害羞草研究所檚 Ferry Band office in Spences Bridge害羞草研究所攌new about it, although she did not learn until September what the quilts were for.

害羞草研究所淭hey meet at the Band office every Thursday,害羞草研究所� she says of the quilters. 害羞草研究所淚 knew they were making a bunch of quilts; but it wasn害羞草研究所檛 until September that they asked me for a list of all the elders, male and female, all the children, boys and girls; all 82 people living on the reserve.

害羞草研究所淭here were quite a few tears [at Quilt Hug]. My father shared a story from a long time ago, about how when we had hardship people would give blankets and pillows, and how this was a reminder of that time.害羞草研究所�

On the program for the Quilt Hug lunch, Thorne wrote 害羞草研究所淚 just want to say how heartwarming it is to be a part of this wonderful and thoughtful idea. All of our community members have been impacted by this tragedy in ways only they can explain. Each one has lost a home, their belongings, pets, treasured keepsakes, for many their neighbours.

害羞草研究所淲e all experienced this together, and together we will stand and continue to support one another. And this Quilt Hug will surely help us along our way. Kukstemc [thank you] from Angie and members of 害羞草研究所楽talsh害羞草研究所� Ashcroft.害羞草研究所�

A quilt with a fire design that Draney made several years ago, and which she had been keeping for the right moment, was donated to the Ashcroft Volunteer Fire Department. AVFD captain Jonah Anstett accepted the quilt on behalf of the department, and says it was an awesome feeling.

害羞草研究所淚t was comforting, in a sense, after everything that happened. It was a crappy year. For people to do that was very moving. It害羞草研究所檚 awesome how people can come together after all that happened. People went out of their way to do what they did. They put so much of their own time and money into it.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e blessed to be part of that, and it was nice to see that people who were hurting weren害羞草研究所檛 forgotten. It害羞草研究所檚 always hard to see other people hurt.害羞草研究所� Anstett adds that the quilt will be hung in the Ashcroft fire hall.

Draney says that she, Collins, and Miller are still meeting once a week to quilt. 害羞草研究所淭he only time we don害羞草研究所檛 meet is if we害羞草研究所檙e snowed in.害羞草研究所�

editorial@accjournal.ca
Like us on and follow us on