Foothills Quilters Guild gift 16 quilts to hospice

When Micki Clemens passed away while in the care of hospice last fall, her friends decided to do something to honor her kind and giving spirit.

In two short months, members of the Foothills Quilters Guild pieced together 16 quilts in her memory and donated the works of art to Hospice Cleveland County.

There is one quilt for each of the beds at the facility, and the women hope to bring comfort to the patients through the blankets.

Donna Hartley and Christi Scheffel spearheaded the project and on Tuesday, which was Micki Clemens' birthday, the quilts were officially handed over to Hospice Cleveland County’s assistant vice president, Rachel Hill, at Ascension Lutheran Church on Lafayette Street.

Clemens' husband, Wayne, was also in attendance.

Hill said it’s meaningful when the friends and family of former patients do something for hospice and pay it forward. She said they are honored to receive the quilts.

“These quilts were made in memory of Micki Clemens,” said Scheffel. “She was a member of our guild as well as a member of the church. Micki was an incredibly giving person. She would have been in the middle of this, helping. Her loss was a big loss for the guild.”

She said it was Hartley’s idea, but it took the whole guild to make it happen and in the span of just two months, they were able to complete the Herculean task of making 17 quilts - 16 for hospice and one extra.

“Everybody jumped in and made quilts,” Scheffel said.

She said it was one of the biggest projects they’ve undertaken, and it took all hands on board for their small group to make it happen.

Many of the colors and fabrics used were from Clemens' stash, which makes the pieces that much more meaningful.

Much of the backing and batting fabric was purchased through a grant from the Dover Foundation, which helped make the project possible.

Harltey said the name of the pattern, which she selected, is called Yes He Loves Me.

It features hearts and crosses, and the quilts come in all different colors.

“I saw the pattern on Pinterest, and it spoke to me,” she said.

Before being donated, the gift was blessed.

On Sunday, the visiting bishop, who was there for the church’s 100th anniversary, blessed the quilts but also received a surprise.

“He was here visiting and agreed to bless them,” said interim pastor and Atrium Health chaplain Kris Kramer. “The guild surprised him at the end of the service with a quilt just for him.”

The bishop is also battling cancer, and the women wanted to gift one just for him.

“He looked at me and said ‘this is wonderful’ and took the quilt and wrapped it around him in front of the church,” Kramer said.

He said it was a touching moment and then, following the service when the bishop recessed out of the church, he continued to wear the quilt around him down the aisle and out of the building.

He later told Kramer that he keeps the quilt on his bed.

Kramer said members of the Foothills Quilters Guild meet at the church to work, and he loves how they fill up the building with their presence.

“The church is abuzz when they’re here,” he said. “It’s such a gift to the community. To know these quilts are on those beds is pretty neat.”

Reporter Rebecca Sitzes can be reached at rsitzes@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Shelby Star: Foothills Quilters Guild gift 16 quilts to hospice