Jackson quilting guild donates hundreds of items in one year

Inside Donna Kiel's home in Jackson, there are many quilts and crafts made by The Jackson Scrapper Quilt Guild ready to be donated to local causes.

The guild has been active since January, with hundreds of quilts and crafts donated to the local community to show for it.

The group of 30 quilters and crafters meets every month to plan future ideas, create items and learn from one another.

Kiel, the president of the guild, said the group was started because the five founding members wanted to be more involved in the community. Most of their projects are made for and donated to a cause chosen by the members.

"Every time you give back to your community, you make your community better," Kiel said.

They have recently been focusing on making quilts to honor everyday heroes, such as local first-responders and veterans. They donated patriotic quilts to two local World War II veterans last month and continue to make more for veterans they find through word of mouth. They have also honored multiple police officers and firefighters.

The guild has donated or plans to donate handmade items to other organizations such as Habitat For Humanity, Safe House of Southeast Missouri, St. Andrew Lutheran Church, the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri, Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri, Hope for One More, LifeHouse Crisis Home, Southeast Missouri Food Bank and more. They also donate store-bought clothing and make other crafts.

Kiel said it is hard to put a value on a quilt since it can take hundreds of hours. Those who have received their quilts always show gratitude, one of which was so grateful, "You would have thought we gave them a million dollars, they were so grateful," Kiel said.

Guild member Beth Vegiard said in her retirement, she entered the age and stage in her life that she wants to make and give things more than she wants to receive.

Guild member Linda Tansil said she began quilting out of curiosity and desire to make something for her newborn child. Vivian Shea and Vegiard said they learned from their grandmothers and mothers. The group accepts all quilting skill levels, even if someone just wants to watch and learn.

Kiel considers their meetings rather informal and very productive. Together, they vote on what causes to focus on. They also make time to get to know one another through presentations when members can talk about their experience with quilting.

The guild welcomes anyone to join or visit during meetings, which are every third Wednesday of the month (except this month), at 11 a.m. at Delmonico's in Jackson. The next meeting will be Jan. 19.

Looking to the future, the members said they hope to continue to create quilts and crafts for the community. Kiel said they want to get to know the community better and for the community to get to know them.