When Mid Coast (NSW) Community Quilters sent out their regular “begging letters” this year asking for donations, the Nabiac Memorial Neighbourhood Centre returned a generous response.
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The centre donated $10,000 to help the quilters buy a new quilting machine, but not just any old quilting machine, a free motion ‘Simply Sixteen’ quilting machine. A machine that allows the user to move the sewing needling easily across the material in any direction.
So, to say thank you, the quilters invited members of the centre over to the clubhouse, located at Quilters president, Anne Noell’s house in Belbora, for morning tea and an official unveiling of the machine on Wednesday, September 6.
Quilters secretary, Jenny Fletcher explained how the Mid Coast (NSW) Community Quilters Inc are a group of 12 to 15 women who get together once or twice a week to make quilts that are donated to a variety of causes.
Members come from Gloucester, Belbora, Firefly, Nabiac, Harrington, Tea Gardens and Tuncurry to work with mainly donated materials to create warmth for local places like hospitals, nursing homes, police domestic violence unit and the Dundaloo Foundation.
In 2016, the group donated 509 quilts and have also donated 41 quilts to the Fijian village of Mualawa after it was hit by cyclone Winston.
It was because of the groups generous nature that the Nabiac Memorial Neighbourhood Centre Inc offered the generous donation.
The funds were raised through Nabiac’s Second Chance Op Shop, an offshoot of the centre, which is run by volunteers. The op shop volunteers were also invited to the morning tea, as the volunteer hours were instrumental in the funds be raised.
Centre president, Kit Carson said the organisation focuses on raising money that can be donated to ideas that benefit the community, having been the main contributor to the construction of the Nabiac pool.
So when the organisation received the quilters “begging letter” requesting donations, this was right their alley.
“It’s a local area group making quilts to help people in need,” he said.
“We couldn’t have done this without the volunteers,” Centre secretary, Louise Collins explained.
“And without the community supporting the op shop, we wouldn’t be able to give back to the community.”
“They’re always looking for quilters and we are always looking for volunteers,” Louise smiled.