Quilts for Kids Stories & Letters, September 2005 -- Hurricane Relief & More
 |
Hurricane Katrina splintered the US Gulf Coast with brutal wind, rains, and flooding, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless and scattered in shelters throughout the South and beyond. Before the waters even receded from New Orleans, Quilts for Kids chapters had pulled together to make sure at least the littlest victims had some of the comforts of a lost home. While they did the work expecting no thanks, their own selflessness should not go unrewarded. So we present here a few touching stories and letters of thanks.
|
The quilts were the best gift we have received yet. |
My name is Whitney Snider. I left Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina and came to Pennsylvania to stay with my aunt. I have my 9 month old son, my grandmother, mom, and aunt. We took a trip to the shelter in Philadelphia on Saturday to get some help with FEMA and other agencies. The workers also took us in a room with clothes, baby items and other items. While we were there they gave us some of your beautiful quilts. I got your www.quiltsforkids.org website address from the tag on the back of the quilt. I just wanted to thank you for all of your hard work and efforts. The quilts were the best gift we have received yet. When I return home I am going to treasure the quilt for my son and keep it safe. When he gets older I will be able to tell him the story about the hurricane and how he got the blanket. Everyone has been so wonderful to us and I just wanted to share my appreciation. Thanks again and God bless you all. |
The home office prepares quilts for shipment. I have NOT abandoned you. |
Just weeks after Hurricane Katrina, with cities and towns still devastated and hundreds of thousands still displaced, another Category 5 hurricane set its sights on the South. Hurricane Rita was headed for Houston, TX, where many Katrina evacuees were still being sheltered. This fourth largest city in the US needed to evacuate. Among the evacuees was Q4K chapter head, Tracy Cannon, who immediately volunteered to help gather and distribute quilts after Katrina. Here is her frightening but inspiring story, in her own words: "I apologize for not writing you sooner. I intended to write you before I left town. There was just not any time. We left Houston to go to our other home in East Texas, thinking we were safe from the storm. On Wed, it was headed there. We had no idea that we were driving into it and by that time, could not come back. We survived it. I never want to go through that again. The eye passed right over our home there. We made it back here to League City this afternoon. My shop and home here are ok. We are all ok. Thank God. Please let everyone know on the website that we are back up and running. Shipments can resume. The folks in Beaumont and Winnie will need help also. Some of the evacuees have been through this twice now. All help is needed. We can get to those people too. Our liitle town outside of our home there, Kirbyville, was all but destroyed as well as Jasper. Since I have a home there (electricity will resume in the next week or two), it will be easy for me to get quilts to these people. Thanks for your patience. I have NOT abandoned you. I just had to take cover for awhile." Of course, we're happy Tracy and her family are safe and applaud her determination to keep helping others even when difficult times affected her and her family as well. |
Click for larger image |
Another letter from the cyber mailbox. We couldn't resist this adorable picture and wish lovely Kaitlin Gartrell all the best in her struggle with leukemia. Her mom writes: "I wanted to send a very big thank you for the beautiful quilt that was sent to my 3 year old daughter, Kaitlin. She was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2005. I have attached a photo of her with her beloved quilt behind her. She uses the quilt frequently when we are in the car to cover her lap while in the car seat. The quilt has really brightened up her days. |
   |
|
