Past, Present and Future: Celebrate Jean Colman’s Legacy by Volunteering
By Camie Roper, GAAQG Member
“Be wise enough to learn from the past, shrewd enough to capitalize on the present, and clever enough to prepare for the future.”
One spring day, I phoned GAAQG member Jean Coleman. She was in the kitchen, watching pots of maple syrup boil on the stove. She collected sap from her trees every year. Still processing that mental picture today, I remember Jean’s patient, kind, helpful manner on that morning, her expertise and her willingness to share all her gifts with us, including a prolific amount of SafeHouse Center quilts.
Jean worked with her church, Timothy Lutheran Church in Livonia, during the pandemic to make dozens of SafeHouse quilts, really pushing the rest of us to “pony up.” Her free patterns are available to members. See the “Quilting For SafeHouse” section on the Members Page.
Jean’s profession was teaching home economics and sewing, and she taught at many Quilt University classes. She once was our Saturday lecturer, using slides of decades of quilts. I loved the class that I took with her.
Jean will be missed, but the guild can still honor her years of dedication. The total number of SafeHouse quilts donated so far this year is 119. We would really like to collect 160 more quilts in 2023. Let’s dive in and meet our goal for the remaining September and November meetings!
The SafeHouse Center’s 2022 annual report has photos of their recently renovated facility, including bedrooms showcasing quilts made by guild members.
Recently, I used a set of donated blocks from the SafeHouse table to exercise my design skills. The colors were unusual combinations, but I unified them with white sashing and bright pink cornerstones. The finishing touches were a backing fabric (actually a 100% cotton sheet)with white and pink hearts and a binding fabric with pink and white stripes.
Our annual SafeHouse Center Online Quilt Sale starts October 1, coinciding with Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Anne Rapundalo is the SafeHouse Center Liaison for the guild. Each year, she selects about 40 quilts donated by guild members for this fundraiser. Prices range from $200-$400 per quilt. All proceeds go directly to SafeHouse Center.
The public and guild members are welcome to purchase these quilts. They are great for gifts!
Our next biennial guild quilt show is July 2024. Yes, time really does fly! If you haven’t yet given some thought to this, start now. Colorful, unique, sparkling, impressive quilts show the public how creative our guild really is.
Please read the July 20 message from our President Marge Venema about guild volunteer opportunities. There are also volunteer opportunities listed on the website, and a reminder to take another look at your profile and update it. So many members are too modest about their skills!
