Roughly 15 women sitting near sewing machines at the Fabric Warehouse in Lakeland loudly exclaim, “Yes we can.”
The Crossroads Stitchers sewing group had agreed at its monthly meeting on Friday that they could make 90 quilts, for the second time.
The club had spent their previous year, combined with the Crystal River chapter of the Florida Sewing Sewciety, making 90 quilts for Flight to Honor Polk County Mission 9. The flight departs on April 30 with 87 veterans and their guardians to spend the day in Washington, D.C. to view the monuments that honor them.
“Oh my God it was so heartwarming,” said Crossroads Stitchers member Lori Marker of hearing the commitment from the group.
Marker is an Airman First Class (ret.) law enforcement veteran who served two years in Colorado Springs. Her husband, Gary, retired from the U.S. Air Force after 20 years of service.
The Crossroads Stitchers has spread the word throughout the sewing community about their Flight of Honor Polk County quilt making.
It was Crossroads Stitcher member Celeste Ragno who had originally suggested making quilts for the Flight to Honor Polk County.
Marker and Ragno traveled to Crystal River to meet with their sister club after the Crystal River group at Beyond the Stitches heard about the cause and was hosting a “Honor Our Vets” sew-in with fabric cutting, ironing fabric, sewing and assembling quilt kits.
“We were so squeezed into their little shop,” said Marker. “They ended up with 24 women.”
“It was a sight to behold,” continued Marker. “We had a fabric benefactor who also donated five boxes of fabric and three bolts of batting to the Crossroads Stitchers.
Beyond the Stitches shop owner Dondi Squires provided the group with pizza, desserts and homemade cookies.
“We all sew a little bit faster and more precisely when we have a full tummy,” said Marker. “We came away with our hearts lightened and in awe of the ladies who showed up with their sewing machines and patriotic spirit and the desire to give back to a community.”
The sew-in resulted in 31 quilt tops.
A second group of 13 women led by Crossroads Stitchers member Laurie Ludwig gave the group six completed quilts and 11 quilt tops.
“We had quilts coming out all over the place,” said Marker. “Now we have extras for next year to start off with. This is fantastic. There’s so much patriotic feeling in your soul.”
Last year Marker attended Mission 8 and will be distributing quilts at Mission 9.
“Throughout the evening there will be stories. There will be laughter and tears,” she said. “There will be a lump in many throats as the national anthem is played. My heart will be full knowing that we brought a smile and some comfort to a few of America’s veterans.”
The Crossroads Stitchers and sewers from Beyond the Stitches also crafted one special commemorative quilt which is autographed by the individual quilt makers.
United States Air Force Colonel Gary Clark, chairman of Flight to Honor Polk, expressed his gratitude.
“There’s something magic about quilts,” said Clark. “It’s a very touching gesture. I’ve got two or three quilts my mother made. They are a precious heirloom in my family. It’s something that is representative of care and appreciation just by virtue of the fact that everybody knows that it takes a lot of work to make a quilt. There’s a lot of detail that goes into it. Every veteran that I know whose received one is appreciative of it. I’ve even seen a tear here and there.”