(Montana) Laurel quilters don't want recognition
(Montana) Laurel quilters don't want recognition
There is no real leader of the Laurel quilting group that works anonymously to provide comfort to the families of downed firefighters and to those undergoing treatment for cancer. One woman, who doesn’t wish to be identified, has been a part of the 17-member group since its inception. She says they are all devoted quilters and meet frequently. For the past seven or eight years, the group has been making quilts for the Wildland Firefighter Foundation in Boise, ID. The foundation supports the work of wildland firefighters and steps in to help families whenever there is a tragedy that takes the life or health of a firefighter.
“I learned about them from my son-in-law, who is a fire officer in the Black Hills,” she said. “We make quilts and send them to him. If he has to make a bereavement call, he takes a quilt with him.” The quilts that aren’t needed are sent to the foundation at the end of the fire season for them to distribute to downed firefighters’ families throughout the west.
“When the hotshot crew in Arizona had their tragedy, that spurred us to get on the ball,” said the anonymous quilter. “We just sent off 48 baby, children and adult-sized quilts.” She said that the 19 firefighters who died in June fighting a central Arizona wildfire left behind 14 children and three unborn babies, not to mention the many other family members.
Besides providing solace to grieving families, quilts are a wonderful expression of caring. “We spend a lot of time making the quilts and the designs we use,” said the defacto spokesperson for the group. “We make heart quilts in pink and red for women with breast cancer; purple hearts for melanoma; and blue stars for men with prostrate cancer. We try to always have some ready.”
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