News : Belle Plaine Volunteers bring VGH Home Health the gift of Quilts

The Belle Plaine Project Group of Benton County Volunteer Center in collaboration with Connie's Quilters of Brandon finished 67 lap quilts. The quilts will be distributed by Virginia Gay Hospital Home Health to clients for the holidays. Afghans were donated by those that do not quilt. The Benton County Volunteer Center of United Way of East Central Iowa (UWECI) is new by name but not by their history of work. UWECI recently merged with Benton County Volunteer Program to create the Benton County Volunteer Center, UWECI.

As you can see in the photo, the quilts are very vibrant and can't help but lift the spirits of the recipients. Most all the material used in the making of the quilts was donated by volunteers, leftover from a garage sale, and the closing of a local store. It truly was a community project. It took approximately three months to complete all 67 quilts. The BP Project Group room was full of volunteers making the quilts.

Robin Martin, VGH Foundation Director said, "These quilts are lovely and will make a difference for the individuals and families that Home Health serves."

Martin added, "We are grateful for the dedication and love that was put into the making of these blankets that will warm the spirits of others."

The Project Group in Belle Plaine is a group that gets together at the Belle Plaine Community Center every Wednesday afternoon and work on projects. These 25 members complete many projects. A project could be lap quilts, May Day baskets for nursing facility residents, and/or preparing thousands of large envelopes for students to take information home to their families, heart pillows for patients at St. Lukes, and underarm pillows for breast cancer patients at Mercy. Just to name a few.

Connie's Quilters is a small group that, through the years, they have contributed 470 lap, twin, and full size quilts to local non-profit services. Some of which are Marshalltown Soldier Home, VA Hospital, University Hospital and Clinics, local police, Sheriff, and fire departments, as well as area care facilities.

The Project Group and Connie's Quilters would welcome new members. Or if you are interested in volunteering and making a difference in your community in other ways, call Roxanne at the Benton County Volunteer Center, 319-434-6078.