Quilting for Children

Putting the pieces together is the ultimate goal of Martha McDaniel, Lucille Pease, Betty Robinson, and Margaret Russell at Parker Road Baptist Church.  These four ladies meet every Tuesday for quilting major projects to benefit Missouri Baptist Children’s Home.

This group is the remnant of the twenty-five quilters who began in 1987a ministry of the seniors of the church.  “When we started,” Lucille Pease says, “I was asked to teach people how to quilt.  Many of the quilters were good at sewing, so that gave us a beginning.”

Betty Robinson is an early seamstress who had not quilted before.  “It was a new and wonderful experience,” she says.  “I plan my work around Tuesday so I can be free to work on the quilt.”

The quilters use their talent as a mission.  From the very first quilt, the group decided to work on projects for the Children’s Home.  “We decided to donate our first quilt to the Strawberry Festival,” Lucille says.  “We were encouraged by winning first prize.”

Since the success of the first quilt donation, the group has made a total of 18 quilts for the Children’s Home, earning a grand total of $18, 745 at the annual auction for the Home.  The quality of the quilts also is recognized through the judging each year.

“We’ve won two grand prizes and two second prizes,” Lucille reports.  “All the rest were first place awards.”

“I look forward to working each week with these ladies,” Betty says.  “Everyone has different talents and this is a way I can serve God.  I know this is a big help for the children.”

Lucille agrees that the children are the motivating force for these quilts.  “It is the love for the children that goes into each quilt.  It is the thing I can do to help them, I love those kids and I wish I could mother them all.”

The “Orient Express” is the 2005 donation to the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home.