Bitterroot Comforters Group

This small group of quilters meets once a month and works on quilts that are donated to people who are receiving care from the Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital Hospice Center and Chemotherapy Unit. The goal is to make something for someone in need of comforting while receiving treatment for cancer or some other life threatening illness. The group was started by the late Dee Santarone.

To date over 140 lap quilts have been stitched with love by more than 20 guild members as well as others in the community. The quilt guild buys the batting and other supplies needed to finish the projects. Many of the quilts have been machined quilted by one of the six long arm machine quilters in the valley. Sally Bell, owner of The Fabric Shop & Quilts donated fabric 1 1/2 years ago and at least 20 quilts have been made from this donation.

We welcome anyone that would like to give of their time to come and join us on the third Friday of each month. You can call Judy LaSalle, 375-0871 or Barbara Bayer, 363-7949 if you have any questions

Montana Cares

Montana Care was born in September of 2005 out of an effort to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. The group completed over 260 quilts for this cause. The focus of the group has now broadened to help crisis and disaster victims of crisis in the local Community as well as on the national level. The group is intended to supplement the Quilts for Kids and Comforters groups by providing bed-size quilts to adults needing to reestablish households. In the Bitterroot, Montana Cares has provided quilts to SAFE and to a victim of the Florence forest fires.

The groups will meet every second Friday at Bell Tower Quiltworks. Bettie Hammond is the coordinator for this group.

California Fire Victims 2007 Montana Cares sent 20 quilts to the fire victims in the small town of Jamul, Ca. Bettie Hammond contacted her sister, Mary Moreau, to see if Montana Cares could help. Mary in turn contacted her friend, Verna Poorbaugh, who lives in Jamul. Mary and Verna arranged a gathering at the Twisted Sissors Beauty Shop in Jamul, to come and recieve a quilt. The fire victims whose homes were destroyed were personally invited to the gathering by the shop owner. It was a very joyous and appreciated occasion as indicated by thank you cards and phone calls. Montana Cares is, as always, happy to do what they can to help people in need.

Quilts for Kids

Quilts 4 Kids in the Bitterroot is patterned after a similar organization in Missoula. The Missoula ladies got this group started by sharing their knowledge and by generously providing two quilts! The group's mission is to provide a "hug" via a quilt to each child in any kind of trauma in Ravalli County. They are accomplishing this goal by combining time, talent and donated fabric. They will accept any size fabric, leftover blocks, strips, thread and batting and invite any one to join them to sew a quilt top, bind or make up kits. They will also accept donations to buy batting.

The group meets every 4th Wednesday, noon to 5PM and every second Friday 10AM to 4PM at the Westview Center 103 S. 9th Street , Hamilton.

The Farmers State Bank offices in Darby, Hamilton, Victor and Florence will accept donations of money, fabric, quilts or thread. There is a quilter in each branch and they will see to it that donated supplies reach the group.

© 2008, Bitterroot Quilters Guild

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