Quilt Donation Drive will end on April 30 - Update of what's been happening.

The End of April is drawing close. It’s going to be bittersweet in many respects.

 

When we first started the quilt drive for the Ukrainian Refugees who have fled to Poland as well as those still in Ukraine on March 17, people asked how long we’d go. I had no idea how popular this would be, and even was beginning to question if we’d be able to get these over there.

However, I’m thrilled to say that we must stop this on April 30, due to an overwhelming response. I’m afraid of a snowball effect, as quilt guilds around the nation are starting to hear about it.

We think we’ve collected over 4000 quilts and blankets, or at least we will have, by the time the rest of the quilts come in that have been brought to us.

I’m worried we might end up with 20,000 quilts instead of 4000. I need to rest. I need to move on. I need to be sure that Becky and gang can handle what we’re sending.

We WILL be accepting one more shipment that my brother, David, is collecting in Greenville, SC (I’ll put the information at the end if you want to contact him to have him bring yours down to us for free.)

We’ve had another hugely successful week of collecting quilts, baby blankets and fleece blankets, as well, as even a few crocheted afghans, if you can believe that! I was in shock, as I know how long an afghan takes to make! Of course, pillowcases continue to pour in.

 

So, here’s another look at the last few days of gathering quilts. Of course, I’m not beginning to get everyone’s pictures.

 

We’re taking quilts in via: USPS, UPS, FedEx, people bringing them in the vanloads, carloads, one at a time, 10 at a time and more. We’re having people volunteer 1 at a time, 2 or 3 at a time, or a whole church group at a time (7 or 8, generally), to come and fold, box and prepare for shipping.

We definitely must draw this whole collection to a close.

Becky and Mike have now started getting in the quilts. The pipeline is open and we’ll start shoving things through from this end as fast as we can.

The quilt guild meeting we went to in Tavares last Tuesday was absolutely amazing. They gave us 71 quilts and tons and tons of pillowcases plus a heap of money to put towards the shipping! at a meeting in West Pasco last Thursday we received over 40 quilts and tons more pilowcases plus over $2000 to use towards shipping and supplies! What a blessing you all have been!

Those who show up to help in whatever capacity, from bringing in quilts, to walking them down to the sewing’ shop, to taping up boxes, to folding quilts, to packing bags, suctioning bags, weighing boxes, and/or paying for the boxes – it’s all been pretty unbelievable, how much work has been done, and how many people have stepped up to the plate.

Of course, I’m not getting all the pictures. If I did, you’d never get through this and I’d have to shut down the business to go into a full time writing career, but here’s some who gave of their time to come and help.

I took this one on Monday with all the boxes that came in on Monday using the grandkids as props!

If you want to get quilts in for Ukraine, please get them shipped off by Saturday, April 30 to:

Quilted Twins

13829 US Hwy 98 ByPass

Dade City, FL 33525

Or contact my brother, David Tillman, who lives in Greenville, SC. Whenever he heads south again, that will be the last trip that we can accept these beauties. His phone number is: (813) 767-7393. If you can get them to him, then he can bring them down here postage free.

We will continue to accept the quilts that trickle in after the 30th, but we would ask for you to work towards getting those to us - at least on their way — by the end of the week.

Thank you greatly!

Rachael Woodard4 Comments