Church has quilt effort covered

Sometimes a good idea just takes on a life of its own.
That's what happened at Canfield Presbyterian Church when the church secretary, Sharen Cope, wrote a notice in the church newsletter asking for volunteers to make lap quilts or throws for wounded soldiers returning from Iraq.
"The office has been made aware of a project," Sharen told the congregation in the newsletter.
Colors for the quilts/throws should be red, white and blue and should display somewhere on them one or more purple hearts as these service men and women will be given a Purple Heart from the United States Government for being wounded in action in defense of our country," Sharen explained in the newsletter.
Then she extended an invitation to the church members.
"We would like to be a part of this effort," she explained. "If you would like to contribute something of this nature [it doesn't have to be fancy or hand quilted -- it can be a simply constructed lap throw or small afghan/throw ...] to offer them our support and thanks for all they have done to defend our country."
"I thought we'd get a handful," Sharen said.
Many church volunteersoffered their support
She ended up with both hands full, arms overflowing.
More than 35 members of the church volunteered for the project.
Church member Carol DeBonis quilted three blankets. Two are adorned with stars and stripes in various patterns. One has red, white and blue teddy bear patches. The bears are waving flags.
"I thought it might be too feminine," Carol remembers thinking. "Then I realized there are going to be some women returning wounded."
Barb Allison quilted three blankets as well. One has a large pocket for a soldier's feet.
Timmy DeFrance created a different kind of blanket for the soldiers. She made a wonderfully warm no-sew fleece throw. Two large snowmen decorate the front, each holding a purple heart.
To complete her blanket, she enlisted the help of another member of the church congregation -- her husband, Bill.
"We sat around the dining room table," Timmy said in explaining how she and her husband worked.
"It's really a two-person operation," Bill said of the need for more than two hands.
"I cut and tied ... and followed instructions," he said.
As everyone in the room chuckled, Carol admitted that her husband helped her quite a bit as well.
Husbands weren't the only ones lending helping hands for the "Purple Heart Project."
Other members helpedin their own way
Bev Sick did not think making a blanket was her forte. Instead she cross-stitched more than 45 labels with "God Bless You" and the church's name on them to be sewn on every blanket.
85-year-old Cleo Williams thought her fingers were just not nimble enough to sew, so she donated material for blankets.
Two retired Canfield schoolteachers donated funds for material as well.
That material was cut and prepared by Bill and Sue Eynon and then taken to Sue's French classes at Canfield High School. Students created more than seven no-sew fleece blankets for the wounded soldiers.
One of the classes in the church's community preschool program will be making cards to send with the quilts and blankets.
"It started with one little announcement," Carol said in marveling at how everyone found a way to help in their own special way.
The blankets will be shipped to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C., in time for Veterans Day.
The church is expecting to send more than 65 blankets.
Of course, the money for the shipping costs has been donated by caring church members, lending a helping hand.
gwhite@vindy.com
XThe "Purple Heart Project" quilts and blankets will be on display in the fellowship hall at Canfield Presbyterian Church, 140 W. Main St., from Oct. 22 through Nov. 2, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.