REDMOND, Wash. — Some dedicated volunteers are bringing warmth to the city of Redmond.
For the past 20 years, a group of quilters has gathered for a weekly quilting get-together. In September of 2019, the Redmond Senior Center was abruptly closed due to structural water damage.
Marty Boggs runs senior programs for the City of Redmond and says the last several years have been a quilt-like patchwork job of sewing from home and available spaces like the historic log cabin in Redmond’s Anderson Park.
“We were able to keep our senior programs going by using much of city hall as classrooms and even converted the staff lounge into a space for seniors to eat and have social gatherings,” Boggs said.
In January of 2022, the city reopened city hall to the seniors and the Quilters started meeting in person again to boost their efforts. The Quilters donate their time, talents and quilts to local causes like Children’s Hospital and the YWCA.
“They even make little mats for the animals at local pet shelters,” said Boggs.
Joan Glass leads the volunteers who say they are very excited to be back together again and can hardly contain the joy behind their masks.
“Every week, it’s good to see the same people. And hopefully, eventually see the smiles again!” said Glass.
The group is hard at work making quilts for Ronald McDonald House, Sibling House and local animal shelters. They welcome donations of fabric.
“Most of the fabric we use was donated. That makes it easier for us to make more quilts and help more people,” Glass said.
Glass has been quilting for three decades and has helped steer the group through the many challenges it's faced in the past few years.
"Quilters feel like it's not as long as you live that makes your life, it's how many quilts you give away because you're giving a part of yourself to somebody that needs something and can use it and wrap themselves in a hug, and a lot of us like to hug, and that's what we consider quilts, they're a big hug," Glass said.
The group is open to anyone ages 50 and over (they won’t check ID) and you can donate fabric when the group meets — every Wednesday from 1-3 p.m. at Redmond City Hall.