Anyone who loves to quilt should head on over to Independence Village of Waterstone to join a group of senior citizens and community members who make quilts for wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington DC.
The group currently meets from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the second Saturday of the month in the Market Street room of Independence Village, 701 Market St. in Oxford.
Addison resident Carole Carroll came up with the idea for Miracle Quilts, a branch of Desert Angel, Inc., a group that does packing parties for men and women currently serving in the Armed Forces.
‘About a year and a half ago I came up with the idea that I would like to do a quilting group and that we would make quilts for the wounded troops,? Carroll said.
When the group first started, only three people came to quilt. Since then, the group has grown tremendously.
She noted that now, every single table is filled with people working and more keep coming in and out throughout the day to help make the quilts.
Most volunteers, many of which are seniors, usually stay for about an hour.
‘A lot of them come down and talk and the men will come down and tell us about their service. Some stay for half-an-hour and some stay for a couple hours,? Carroll said.
The oldest quilter from Independence Village is 93 years old. Some of the residents will press blocks for the quilts while others will help sew.
No matter what skill level one has, there is always something to be done.
‘We always have a job going,? she added.
Carroll would like to thank the community for all the help that she has received since she first started the program.
‘We advertised in the Oxford Leader and The Oakland Press and the response has been phenomenal,? she said.
So far, the group has made nearly 150 quilts for the injured soldiers, which Carroll plans on personally driving down to the hospital in Washington DC at the end of May.
‘It’s a good Michigan project and it’s a good way to honor our soldiers and tell them that we are behind them and that we appreciate what they did for our country and our freedom,? Carroll said.
She’s very grateful to Independence Village for the use of the space.
I cannot say enough about Independence (Village), how well received we are there because they let me use that facility for nothing,? Carroll said.