Her454
01-20-2006, 03:24 PM
I think this is cool................
Yuma resident Cheryl Orgeron is making a quilt for someone who she has never met and mostly likely will never meet.
She is hoping it will be source of comfort for this person who has lost a loved one in the war in Iraq.
Cheryl Orgeron talks about the comfort quilts that she and other volunteers are making for the next of kin of fallen military personnel serving in Iraq. Since November, the group has made 17 quilts.
"I care about the people, said Orgeron.
This is a great country and these people are doing this for us, for me."
Orgeron is one of a handful of volunteers who are making quilts through Marine Comfort Quilts, a national organization.
This organization was started by two women in Illinois. One had a son in the Marine Corps whose unit went to Iraq.
While there, eight people in his unit died. She wanted to send a comfort quilt to the families of these fallen Marines.
"Our quilts are stitches of love from those who want so badly to bring comfort, but don't know how to help," according to the organization's Web site, www.marinecomfortquilts.us.
Since November 2005, the Yuma group has made 17 quilts.
A total of seven finished quilts will be sent out Monday.
"We don't like to hold on to them for very long," Orgeron said.
"We know people are waiting for them."
Each quilt is made of 30 squares, which includes two squares that personalize the quilt. One square has the symbol of the military branch and other center square has the name of the person it honors.
The remaining fabric squares are patriotic themes with messages from people throughout the country. Anyone can donate a block for the quilts.
"It says all these people care. It makes me sad to think that there is someone who needs one," said Jeannie Hofmann, winter visitor from Washington state.
The quilts are assembled throughout the country by groups, just like this one in Yuma. Once completed, the quilt is given to the next of kin of fallen military personnel.
"I want to do as many as they need. As long as there is a need, I will help in any way I can," Orgeron said.
Orgeron, a Navy reservist, is hoping more Yumans feel that same way.
"I'm hoping to get the word out," Orgeron said. "I just hope we can get more people involved."
The volunteer doesn't have to be a quilting expert.
"You don't have to know how to sew," Orgeron said. "All you have to be able to do is cut pieces of fabric. Whatever little bit you can do. There is always something for somebody to do."
It's a way to show these family members that the country cares about them, Hofmann said.
"There is nothing like curling up under a nice quilt when you are feeling bad," she said.
Yuma resident Cheryl Orgeron is making a quilt for someone who she has never met and mostly likely will never meet.
She is hoping it will be source of comfort for this person who has lost a loved one in the war in Iraq.
Cheryl Orgeron talks about the comfort quilts that she and other volunteers are making for the next of kin of fallen military personnel serving in Iraq. Since November, the group has made 17 quilts.
"I care about the people, said Orgeron.
This is a great country and these people are doing this for us, for me."
Orgeron is one of a handful of volunteers who are making quilts through Marine Comfort Quilts, a national organization.
This organization was started by two women in Illinois. One had a son in the Marine Corps whose unit went to Iraq.
While there, eight people in his unit died. She wanted to send a comfort quilt to the families of these fallen Marines.
"Our quilts are stitches of love from those who want so badly to bring comfort, but don't know how to help," according to the organization's Web site, www.marinecomfortquilts.us.
Since November 2005, the Yuma group has made 17 quilts.
A total of seven finished quilts will be sent out Monday.
"We don't like to hold on to them for very long," Orgeron said.
"We know people are waiting for them."
Each quilt is made of 30 squares, which includes two squares that personalize the quilt. One square has the symbol of the military branch and other center square has the name of the person it honors.
The remaining fabric squares are patriotic themes with messages from people throughout the country. Anyone can donate a block for the quilts.
"It says all these people care. It makes me sad to think that there is someone who needs one," said Jeannie Hofmann, winter visitor from Washington state.
The quilts are assembled throughout the country by groups, just like this one in Yuma. Once completed, the quilt is given to the next of kin of fallen military personnel.
"I want to do as many as they need. As long as there is a need, I will help in any way I can," Orgeron said.
Orgeron, a Navy reservist, is hoping more Yumans feel that same way.
"I'm hoping to get the word out," Orgeron said. "I just hope we can get more people involved."
The volunteer doesn't have to be a quilting expert.
"You don't have to know how to sew," Orgeron said. "All you have to be able to do is cut pieces of fabric. Whatever little bit you can do. There is always something for somebody to do."
It's a way to show these family members that the country cares about them, Hofmann said.
"There is nothing like curling up under a nice quilt when you are feeling bad," she said.