Thursday’s unseasonally high temperatures and sunshine were perfect for a back yard presentation of quilts. Each and every one of the recipients and their guests asked me to pass along their sincere appreciation for the wonderful work that you do.
In fact, I immediately received the following email:
Thank you so much for today, it was an incredible experience, i wish i could have said more but it’s hard to express my gratitude for such a wonderful quilt. I will cherish it forever. Here is a picture of me from Maywand, Afghanistan 2008 (wow, haven’t seen it in so long, i look so young compared to today, i’m the guy with the crazy beard now lol). We need more people in the world like the volunteers of Quilts of Valour. You really are making a change in peoples lives in the hardest of times. Wishing you all the best Logan.
How are you? With spring on the way, and the vaccines arriving, is the future looking brighter? Do you need shades yet? (I am hoping that you recognize the allusion to the song??)
Although Quilts of Valour Canada Society have not been doing presentations since December, we have still been busy. We held a very successful nation-wide sew-day in February, with 300 participants on ZOOM and even more on Facebook Live. Did you get a chance to take part?
If you did tune in to the sew-day, you will be aware of the two contests that are being run this year. First off, is the Bundle and Blocks contest. Full contest details are available at the Quilts of Valour Canada Society main website, but essentially, when you purchase a Valour Fat Quarter bundle, make hug blocks, and send them to the Edmonton address, your name is entered into a draw for a brand new Janome 3160 sewing machine. The draw will be held on July 1, 2021. The second contest is the Completed Quilt contest. For every fully completed quilt that you donate to Quilts of Valour, your name will be entered into a draw for a brand new Janome 3160 sewing machine.
The winter lockdown gave me a chance to snuggle into my quilting room, making tops and quilting them. Nothing like being told that my civic duty is to stay at my sewing machine to get my sewing mojo running! Have you been busy at your machines? If you have tops that are ready to turn in, please drop me a line. When the weather (and case-load) improves, the Ottawa team will be ready to present quilts again. We need finished quilts and tops ready for finishing to be able to meet the growing number of requests. Actually, in Ottawa, we are becoming ‘victims’ of our own success. In 2019, you made it possible for us to present 193 quilts (either directly or through the Transition Centre). In 2020, despite the lockdowns, you made it possible for us to present 246 quilts! I believe our numbers will grow even more in 2021.
Thank you for all that you do to thank our injured and ill military members. The quilts you make are making a difference in so many lives.
Ottawa Region: Quilts of Valour - Canada 