Happy 99th Birthday, Leola! Still making Children's Quilts

Top left: US Army CPT Terry Partin, Martha Ginn, 1SG John Stiles, Leola Kriegbaum. Right: Leola with her great-niece Katy Smith.

We are proud of our oldest member, Leola Kriegbaum. Leola turned 99 on Saturday, November 11, 2007. She lives with her nephew and his family in a large home in Hattiesburg's Historic District. Her bedroom is upstairs, and when encouraged to move to a downstairs room, Leola declines, saying, "the exercise is good for me." She is an avid gardener and stays busy outside in pleasant weather weeding and tending the flowerbeds.

She said she made her first quilt at age nine "and the doll didn't mind how it looked." She has been a quilter for many years and is meticulous in her choice of fabrics and construction of her quilts. Leola is one of our most active participants in making quilts for children, even though she can't always attend our workdays. Her goal is to make one quilt a month and she is an inspiration to other members. She is constantly trying to use up her scraps but does not hesitate to go shopping for "just the right fabric" for a border or to combine with some fabric she has. She brings in the tops and another member layers and quilts them. She was a member of the Jackson Quilters in Jackson before moving to Hattiesburg in about 1997. We are lucky to have her in Pine Belt Quilters. Happy Birthday, Leola!

PBQ Donates 46 Children's Quilts to Camp Shelby

PBQ makes quilts for children all year long. Camp Shelby, just 15 miles south of Hattiesburg, trains thousands of US Army men and women before they are deployed. Every time our TV station (WDAM-TV 7; http://www.wdam.com/) covers a unit being deployed, with soldiers saying goodbye to spouses and children, we are moved to want to give those children something to comfort them in the absence of their parent who is sacrificing for our country.

We contacted Chaplain Col. Tom Fuller, who arranged for Chaplains Cpt. Terry Partin (left, top photo) and 1st Sgt. John Stiles (right, top photo) to attend our Children's Quilts Group on 11/06/07 and receive our current supply of 46 quilts to be placed with children. Martha Ginn is shown presenting the quilts.

Children's Quilts Donated

At PBQ's July meeting, guild members brought 38 new children's quilts to the meeting to be given to children this fall. Each guild member has been challenged to make at least one quilt during 2007. Members selected quilts by Sharon Harris and Sally Henderson as their Viewers' Choice. Pictured: Michael Garrett (Homes of Hope for Children) with Sally Henderson.

Quilts were made by: Linda Ladner (7), Barbara Parker, Clara Oakes (3), Faye Barlow, Judy Spiers, Doris Dunn, Geraldine Simmons, Mary Ann Hyatt, Gretchen Hurt, Elaine Magee, Mary Nell Magee, Jean Martin, Mildred Jenkins, Nancy Knight, Vivian Plummer (2), Ellen Cox, Betty Allen, Sharon Harris, Jo-Ann Evans, Sally Henderson, Mary Henderson, Ella Lucas, Sarah Farris, Ann Carlile, Betty Tudor, Sherrie Tate, Jean Graham, Wanda Wallace, Liska Lodrigues.

Also at the July meeting, 32 quilts previously made by the Children's Quilt Group were placed with South Mississippi Children's Center, Domestic Abuse Family Shelter, Wesley Medical Center and Homes of Hope for Children.