Memorial Quilt Raffle

A very special quilt completed by the Pine Needles Quilters of Chestertown in memory of Estelle Griebe will be raffled off in November 2005 with the proceeds of the raffle donated to the Helpers Fund.

The quilt was made from quilting fabrics and tools belonging to Estelle Griebe, one of the original “Pine Needles,” who passed away last year, but not before bequeathing the materials to the Chestertown group. The group decided to sew a quilt in Estelle's memory using only the materials Estelle left to the quilting group. And, since one of Estelle's favorite charities was The Helpers Fund, the group decided to donate the proceeds of the completed quilt to the Fund. The Helpers Fund will place the funds in its Medical and Hardship Program, to help those facing extreme circumstances.

Estelle was one of the original members of the “Pine Needles” which started in the 1980s. At first the group met at each other's homes to talk about quilts, types of cloth, various magazine articles, quilt shows being held, and various tools of the trade. And every other Thursday the socializing would pause for tea and cookies. The Quilters group grew rapidly until it was necessary to split the group, forming separate sections: the “Day Quilters” and the “Night Quilters” The two groups meet during the year numerous times to socialize at luncheons and at various member's homes. Estelle was a part of the “Day Quilters” and it was this group that did this particular quilt.

“When I heard about this project and its intent,” Carl Lamm, director of the Helpers Fund said, “I was really moved. Estelle was Estelle and we knew her quite well, through the golf course, and her crossword puzzles and breakfast at the Bagel Girls Deli.” He went on to say, “those are fond memories, memories filled with a great deal of laughing and a great deal of exclamation points. And I remember her kind words, always, about the Fund.”

All the material of the 88” x 102” quilt comes from Estelle's materials. The “Pine Needles” group also found four “4 inch” squares Estelle had completed. These four squares have been placed on the corners of the quilt back. The 16 “Day Quilters” worked on the project. Making the “star blocks,” and joining them together as well as adding the borders were: Mary Jane Bouchard, Sandy Carpenter, Alice Jensen, Kathy Maiorana, Joanne McGhie, Betty Walp, Joyce Greenridge, Marky Carroll, Joan Mohrmann, Janet McDonald, Janet Nieradka, Alice Vollaro, Emmy Santasiero and Anne Hoff. Ellen Miragliotta assembled the star blocks for the quilt top, Evangeline Mills did the backing and the binding, and Terry Meyer did the machine quilting.

The quilt will be on display at the Main Street Ice Cream Parlor, Chestertown, New York, and raffle tickets will go on sale the beginning of July. The raffle drawing will be held on November 20 at the Fund's Annual Meeting. Tickets, priced at $1.00 each or a book of six for $5.00, will be available at the Main Street Ice Cream Parlor and other shops in the area, or may be ordered by calling the Fund's Office at 494-5565. You do not have to be present at the drawing to win the quilt.

Click here or on any photo for larger photos of the quilt.

The Helpers Fund is a 501(c)3 charity which has been serving the geographical area of the Tri-Lakes region since 1997.

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