“A blanket is a reminder that even the smallest things can make a big difference.”
-- Unknown
Blankets are given to children as a source of comfort along with a stuffed animal when they must visit the Carolyn's Kaleidoscope Child Advocacy Center in Whiteville for a forensic interview following an incident of physical or sexual abuse. Recently, a particularly beautiful set of blankets from northeastern NC were donated to provide comfort to children during some of the most difficult times of their life.
The 40 members of the Corolla Extension and Community Association (ECA) donated dozens of hand-quilted blankets along with T-shirts, snacks, waters, detergent and stuffed animals for Carolyn's Kaleidoscope Child Advocacy Center in Whiteville, which is the justice arm of Boys and Girls Homes of NC. They also donated a load of diapers, homemade baby blankets and burping cloths to the Lake House program for teen mothers at BGHNC.
The quilts weren't just regular 5x5-inch squares. The women of Corolla's ECA created mini-masterpieces to donate -- quilts with butterfly borders and matching butterfly sewing patterns, crazy quilts with silky eggplant purple fabric sewn in to the piece or hexagonal patterns in blues and greens.
Member Jess Lombardi was the director of the project. Group member Joann Ritter is the main quilter.
"She's been quilting for a few decades. She really enjoyed this project," Lombardi said. "Joann works on it with her best friend in New York. Her friend assembles the tops, and Joann does the quilting."
This project inspired the entire Corolla group to continue giving to Boys and Girls Homes, Lombardi said.
"Our group is going to always do stuff for BGHNC," she said. "It's where my heart is."
See more photos of the blankets and all the donated materials as well as a photo of the Corolla ECA on the CAC's Facebook page here.
