Giving Back to the Community
Our guild members believe in giving back to the community in which we live. We support several local organizations with donations of quilts.
Project Warmth - Warming our Community with Quilts
Project Warmth, an entity within the guild that arranges donations of quilts, is one of our most active and worthwhile endeavors. Originally created to give quilts to families or individuals whose homes had been lost or severely damaged by fire, Project Warmth has been expanded to include other needs and requests. In 2021, 378 quilts were donated to the community. Quilts are donated regularly to Monument Health pediatrics, Fort Meade, Youth & Family Services, Black Hills Children's Home, Love Inc, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Mommy's Closet, Passages, Working Against Violence Inc, Hospice House, and Habitat for Humanity. Special requests are considered.
Each year members of the guild make and donate quilts. Project Warmth is the perfect place to meet new quilters, express your creativity and learn new techniques without fear of judgment and without cost to you. Work days are open to all area quilters. Everyone is encouraged to join in and help out. If you cannot attend the work day, fabric is available to make quilt tops or blocks at home. Project Warmth also sells a small portion of the quilts made to provide funds for batting, fabric, and quilting. Quilts are availablefor sale at Cox's Farm Stand at Uptown Rapid (formerly the Rushmore Mall), the Black Hills Quilters Guild Quilt Show, and the Hill City Quilt Show.
Project Warmth receives donations of fabric and other quilting materials used for the quilt tops. Donations are always welcome. Members gather to work together on these quilts and the Project Warmth Committee then works to get the tops quilted or tied. Regular work days are scheduled for the last Monday of July, August, September, October, January, February, March and April; other dates may be scheduled at the discretion of the chair. These meetings are held at Faith Lutheran Church.
The quilt sizes most needed are:
- Hospital Pediatrics: 40-50 inches wide by 40-55 inches high
- Black Hills Pregnancy Center: 40-50 inches wide by 40-55 inches high
- Mommy's Closet: 40-50 inches wide by 40-55 inches high
- Youth and Family Services: 45-50 inches wide by 65-74 inches high
- Fort Meade VA Hospital: Wheelchair, lap, some twin size
- Sleep in Heavenly Peace: Twin for bunk beds, 62-65 inches wide by 85-87 inches high
- Black Hills Childrens' Home: Twin XL, 62 inches wide by 88 inches high
- Working Against Violence, Inc: Twin and a few full size
- Hospice House: Large twin, 70 inches wide by 90 inches high
- Love Inc: Lap/nap size
- Passages: Twin size
- Other Donations: Twin (62x78), full (87x87), and queen size (90x108)
A raffle is held every year at the Christmas party with proceeds going to Project Warmth. In 2021, the raffle raised $960.
Since July 1, 2022, 170 quilts have been donated (updated: 12/30/22).
Partnership with Monument Health
Monument Health Hospice of the Hills
One of the charitable activities of the guild is the silent auction benefiting the Hospice of the Hills. The auction items are displayed at the quilt show and the auction closes on Saturday afternoon an hour before the end of the show. In 2021, $2,535 was raised for Hospice of the Hills, making a total of over $38,000 donated in the last 17 years. Quilted objects, from true miniatures to table runners, are made and donated throughout the year by quilt members.
The guild also donates quilts to Hospice for used on the beds of the patients. These quilts are given to the families after their loved one passes away.
Monument Health Pediatrics
Pediatrics quilts should be 40-50 inches wide by 40-55 inches high
Infant Loss Bereavement Program (Angel Babies)
The guild donates baby quilts to Monument Health Pediatrics. Swaddling blankets may be 10x10 inches, 12x12 inches, 15x15 inches, 20x20 inches, or 25x25 inches. A larger quilt, 40x40 inches, is used as a backdrop for a photo session of the baby and as a momento for the parents to take home. Softer, more pliable fabrics are best for swaddling. Please use muted colors in either gender specific or gender neutral colors. The backdrop quilts can be stiffer and more traditional.
Boots for Troops
Guild members have participated in Boots for Troops since 2007, sending a total of 2520 stockings. Christmas stockings sent to deployed military personnel are made and filled with basic toiletries, snacks, and games, as well as holiday greetings and a message of appreciation for their service to our country. The stockings are sent to relatives and friends of guild members and everyone in their unit. If you know of someone who is deployed, you can send their name, address, and the number of people in their unit to the committee chair via Contact Us.
Caring Hearts and Thinking of You
The guild supports their fellow quilt sisters who are in need of a hug from their friends. Caring Heart Blocks are made by members and sewn into quilts. These quilts are given to members who are experiencing serious health or personal concerns. Smaller Thinking of You (TOY) Blocks are given to members who may be carrying extra burdens to let them know they are in our thoughts.
Pet Beds for the Humane Society
Quilters generate a lot of scrap which is primarily soft materials like fabric and batting. Rather than throw this into landfill, we fill bags to take to the Humane Society. The bags vary from 14x22 inches for small dogs and cats but can be much larger. Make sure they do not contain any pins or paper. These bags are collected at the Gatherings on the first and third Tuesdays and taken to the Humane Society.
