Jul. 19—WILKES-BARRE — Many of us enjoy a nap, especially if we are wrapped in a quilt.
Quilts are awesome — they provide warm comfort and a feeling of security.
That’s why two local groups — NEPA Quilts of Valor and Project Donating Joy — are to be commended for their volunteer work in making quilts for veterans and children in need.
These are two outstanding groups that have been on their missions for decades, hand-making quilts to show our veterans and children served by local agencies that we care.
Quilting members of Project Donating Joy recently held a summer luncheon meeting to celebrate what they do — they distribute between 700 and 1,000 quilts each year to more than 20 child-serving agencies and hospitals in Luzerne and nearby counties.
Recipients include, among others, Children’s Service Center, Geisinger Wyoming Valley Children’s Unit, Loftus-Vergari Foster and Adoption Agency, Beekman Street Head Start, Catholic Youth Center Overnight Daycare, and Pathways Pregnancy Center.
And this week, five more members of the United States military were honored by the Northeast PA Quilts of Valor at an outdoor ceremony held at the Plains Township Municipal Park’s Pavilion.
Family and friends joined with the members of the NEPA Quilts of Valor in recognizing the five veterans for their courage, dedication and service to their country.
Becky Orloski, NEPA Quilts of Valor leader, noted that the quilts, made by chapter members, are an expression of gratitude to thank, heal and comfort veterans.
The quilts are beautiful, but what is really impressive is that they are given to veterans who served in the military to fight for us and by presenting them with a quilt, the veterans know that all they did for us is very much appreciated.
On every quilt made by the members of Project Donating Joy, you will find a red heart somewhere in the fabric pattern. That’s because the quilts of Project DJ are made with love in the hearts of all the quilters for the children who receive the labor of that love.
“Donating Joy” is what these quilters have been doing for 20 years now.
In the summer of 2003, a group of quilters discussed a friend’s grandson, who had suffered from a serious illness. This young man — named DJ — received a quilt from a quilting group in Montgomery County. DJ received great comfort from the quilt.
As a result of this act of kindness, Project DJ was started to bring comfort to local children in Luzerne County suffering from illness or trauma.
Project Donating Joy has given out thousands of quilts. Project DJ has made and presented more than 16,000 quilts to children.
Heartfelt notes
Project DJ receives many heartfelt thank-you notes describing how the quilts have touched the lives of many children and adults.
—”Project DJ is a long-time donor dedicated to the pediatric patients at the Janet Weis Children’s Hospital at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center. Their donations of handmade quilts to every child help make the hospital a cozier environment. Our young patients and their families love the fun colors & characters on the quilts and they get excited to take the quilts with them when it’s time to go home.”
—”The Horsham Clinic would like to express its sincere appreciation to all of the wonderful souls who work with Project DJ on creating the beautiful quilts that we distribute to children when they are first admitted to our inpatient Children’s Unit. As you can imagine, this can be a very scary, anxiety-producing time for our kids and being able to select one of your beautiful quilts not only brightens their mood at this time but gives them a great sense of comfort during their admission.”
—”The children here at The Salvation Army Kirby Health Center Family House love receiving their hand-stitched quilts. Many of them use them on their mats for nap time while in childcare, many are used for newborns coming home to us from the hospital, and many use these quilts for extra comfort on their beds here at the Kirby Family House.”
Quilts are quite powerful, as you can see. They really do provide comfort and warmth to the recipients.
And as all the quilt members say, each quilt is made with love.
For information on Project Donating Joy, call 570-430-0861.
For more information on NEPA Quilts of Valor, e-mail nepaqov@gmail.com.
Reach Bill O’Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.