Springfield church send quilts for disaster relief for 76th year

Quilts made from donated local materials and sent for aid around the country.
Last week, 52 quilts were sent off by Trinity Lutheran Church for disaster relief victims around the country.
The church, located at 1612 South Belmont Avenue, has been contributing quilts to the disaster relief cause of the North America Lutheran Church for well over half a century. CONTRIBUTED.

Last week, 52 quilts were sent off by Trinity Lutheran Church for disaster relief victims around the country. The church, located at 1612 South Belmont Avenue, has been contributing quilts to the disaster relief cause of the North America Lutheran Church for well over half a century. CONTRIBUTED.

Last week, 52 quilts were sent off by Trinity Lutheran Church for disaster relief victims around the country.

The church, located at 1612 South Belmont Avenue, has been contributing quilts to the disaster relief cause of the North America Lutheran Church for well over half a century.

“We have been doing this as a church for many, many years, and there are a lot of ladies who have worked on this. We’ve been sending these for missions since 1945,” said Jeannie Jackson.

Jackson, and her sister Pam Thompson, are part of the group of ladies who prepared 52 quilts, 9 baby covers, and 13 baby quilts to be sent those who need them most.

“We make them, and give them to the NALC for distribution for disaster relief in the United States and territories,” said Thompson.

The quilts are made of materials donated by those in the local community, she said.

“For example, we’ve gotten five big bags of leftover Christmas fabric once. And people bring us used blankets and we clean them and make new quilts from what we get. Even if we get old, ratted blankets, we break those down and use it as filler for the quilts,” said Thompson.

Both sisters have been involvement in making quilts for disaster relief since 2011.

“They’re going to the NALC, and they send them out to wherever they’re needed, it could be anywhere that there are disasters and recovery. In the past, the quilts have been sent to places that had tornadoes, hurricanes, and such, and I know they sent some to Dayton after the tornadoes in 2019,” said Jackson.

The sisters are certain the tradition will continue, not only at their own church, but at other Lutheran churches in the area, as they too send quilts and supplies for disaster relief.

“We know Grace Lutheran, St. John’s, First Lutheran, Good Shepherd, and others send their quilts and blankets to NALC, and others send to Lutheran World Relief,” said Thompson.

Being able to help victims of disasters is “an incredible opportunity,” said Jackson.

“It’s just really wonderful to be a part of something like this,” she said.

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