St. John’s Mission Quilters disband after almost 50 years of service

VERNON, B.C. – A March 8, 1995 article in the Vernon Morning Star notes that, at the time, the St. John’s Mission Quilters had already been making quilts for 20 years—so they must have had their beginnings in the 1970s. By 1995, they were already making more than 100 quilts a year, reusing material donated by members and from local thrift shops. 

Used clothing was taken apart, cut into small pieces, and tops were sewn together. The Ladies’ Aid purchased the batting, and reusable sheets were used for backs. These were stretched out on frames made from saw benches and cloth-wrapped boards. The three layers were pinned together, then tied securely with yarn. This provided many volunteer tasks for the ladies. Photos show as many as fifteen quilters but there were likely more.

The ladies met from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. once a week from Thanksgiving to Easter. They had a coffee break and their own bag lunch at each session. This was a friendly social day for them, while providing a sense of accomplishment through helping people in need.

Quilts were donated as needed in Canada for flood and fire victims, those in need in the north, and to Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR), where they were used as curtains as well as blankets in hospitals and distributed as needed. For a time 100 small quilts per year were donated to the Vancouver Children’s Hospital. Heavier materials were used to make trauma quilts for the local jail. 

In later years, quilts went mainly to CLWR. They suggested using larger pieces of material so making tops was not so time-consuming and more could be made at each session. Many tops were sewn together at home and quilted at the work bees. The group has recently been quilting small tops made by ladies in the past, as well as larger ones made by Brenda Meister.

As all good things come to an end, the remaining quilters have decided it’s time to disband. Many things contributed to this decision, including the loss of funding when the Ladies’ Aid disbanded several years ago, and the loss of a dedicated quilting room with machines and supplies. Due to the pandemic, the group stopped quilting entirely for two years, and during that time CLWR decided to no longer ship quilts, so they were donated to the Gleaners, a local charity, instead. Last but not least, the remaining quilters are not getting any younger; with the exception of Brenda Meister, the youngest is 85 and the eldest 93. The group is thankful to them for cheerfully persevering up to the present. 

The group met for two sessions recently to finish the last batting, making three large and six small quilts. Remaining material and equipment will go to the Gleaners, hopefully to assist others to continue mission work in the future.

Shirley Meister, on behalf of the quilters: Bev Ashbaugh, Ruth Buchanan, Irene Closson, Trudy Kulak, Brenda Meister, Shirley Meister, Esther Pantzer, and Suzanne Riedler

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