The comfort of a quilt
Members of the Russell County Quilt Guild joined the administration and staff last of the Russell County Hospital last week for the presentation of a “Be My Neighbor” quilt which now greets visitors in the lobby of the healthcare facility.
By Wade Daffron
TJ Editor
There’s just something comfortable about a quilt…
The warmth and comfort they provide, or perhaps the memory of a cherished quilt in a place of prominence in the home of a family member from days gone by.
Those feelings of comfort or precious memories will now be present at the Russell County Hospital (RCH).
Last Tuesday, the Russell County Quilt Guild gifted RCH with “Be My Neighbor.”
“Be My Neighbor” is a quilt constructed over the past few months, and represents “the entire community,” Russell County Quilt Guild President Cynthia Mills said.
The piece is one of three done by the guild.
“We’ve been working on these quilts the last three years” Guild Secretary Melonie Eubank said.
The idea of making quilts for the hospital came about when a guild member was visiting the hospital and thought a colorful work would possibly be a source of comfort.
Mills said Russell County Hospital CEO Scott Thompson was very receptive of the idea.
“We talked to Scott…and he said he’d love that,” Mills said. “So, we made one for the chapel (a serenity quilt), and we made one for the surgical waiting room, and this is our final one, the lobby quilt.”
Guild Member Sue Hendrickson said the latest quilt was started in May, and by “working in teams,” it was completed two weeks ago.
“It was a full team effort,” she said.
Eubank stressed the piece strives to be “as local as possible.”
“We went to the local fabric shop (The Cotton Mill Shop, on Main St., in Russell Springs) and picked out some fabrics,” Eubank said.
“We tried to include everybody in Russell County…the farms, Lake Cumberland…the community,” Mills said. “And it coincides with our bicentennial.”
The quilters pointed out an interesting aspect of “Be My Neighbor.”
“We wanted a certain fabric in every row,” Mills said. “That way it kind of brought everything together.”
(Those viewing the quilt can see if they can spot the consistent use of the certain fact throughout the quilt.)
The guild found their original idea translated to the finished project
“I think we’re pretty close to what we had in mind,” Mills said. “We wanted cheerful colors; we wanted it to be inclusive of Russell County.”
Thompson said the quilts are a welcome addition to the healthcare facility, and he appreciates the local angle.
“People love that about our decoration and artwork,” he said.
The impressive quilt was made by guild members: Susan Bouvin, Kathy Defever, P.J. Dwyer, Melonie Eubank, Debbie Flanagan, Sue Hendrickson, Cindy Mills, Linda Petras, and Mickie Jo Tarter.
