Goodrich- Mondays are the best day of the week for Kathy Adair.
On those days, from 9 a.m.-noon, the village resident can be found at the Goodrich United Methodist Church with a group of about 15 other volunteers, all working on what are known as ‘Ugly Quilts,? which will be given to Genesee County residents in need.
Last Monday, Adair was busily working a commercial-size sewing machine at the church.
‘There are only two of us who work on the sewing machine, because the others worry it will cut their fingers off,? she says, smiling. ‘I love to do it… There is no such thing as an ugly quilt? I think they’re pretty. They tease me because I match the neckties.?
‘Ugly Quilts? is a nationwide program to make sleeping bags to keep the homeless warm, explains Barb Maki, an Atlas Township resident who founded the local effort at GUMC about 12 years ago with fellow churchmembers Velma Rossman and Joan Weil.
‘Ugly Quilts are meant for the homeless, but the truth is, a lot of people are using them in their homes to keep warm, and the need keeps growing,? Maki said. ‘It’s just sad, really sad.?
Their first year, the Ugly Quilts group at GUMC made about 30-40 sleeping bags. Over the years, working faithfully every Monday morning from September through June (except when there is a church funeral, since the Goodrich United Methodist Women make dinners then), the group has made 968 sleeping bags. Last year, they delivered 168 sleeping bag quilts to Carriage Town, St. Vincent de Paul Society and the Salvation Army for distribution to the poor.
Their goal this year is to make 200 quilts, using recycled clean material, including blankets, sheets, and men’s ties (used for the sleeping bag ties). The volunteers accept all old bedding in useable condition, including wool. The Ugly Quilts are not made to be washable, in fact, Maki goes under the assumption the quilts they make will never see a washing machine.
Each ‘Ugly Quilt? is made with an 84×84 square top, sheet sewn on the inside, filled, tied, neckties sewn on for handles, and finally, the sides are sewn up to make the bag.
While they use recycled, donated materials, each sleeping bag still costs about $5 to make, because filler must be purchased. Maki buys it at a discount at Joann Fabrics, using 50-percent off coupons. Last year they raised about $1,075 for filler.
Maki said they used, and ruined, two regular sewing machines making the quilts before someone donated the commercial sewing machine, to be used by the group until they quit. Maki has no intention of stopping.
‘The need is greater now than when we started,? she said. ‘They (charities) are very appreciative. We were told two winters ago that we kept a homeless man alive who was sleeping in an abandoned, unheated home and using our quilt. They said he would have frozen to death.?
Details: 810-636-2444.