Sowing the seeds of love: Altamont quilters help wrap terminally ill children in comfort

Red letter day: On May Day, the Train Station Quilters handed over the quilts they had stitched to Ann Patnode, administrative coordinator for the Center for Donation and Transplant of New York and Vermont.

Standing behind their work are some of the women who made quilts for terminally ill children. Those participating in the project are: Yvonne Bershwinger, Melinda Beliveau, Susan Cable, Ann Cartmell, Linda Chaffee, Ruth Dickinson,  Cinde Edwards, Elfi Erickson, Linda Forand, Pat Galvin, Sheila Galvin, Mary Ann Giambo, Lois Ginsburg, Rebecca Hout, Margie Jordan, Irene Peck, Jackie Perry, Michelle Poulsen, Ruth Reilly, Pat Spohr, Charlene Stevens, Elinor Sutty, Virginia Ucci, Marie Viscio, and Barbara Quackenbush.

To the Editor:

On May 1, the Altamont Train Station Quilters gave a cache of hand-sewn quilts — ranging in size from infant to teen — to the Center for Donation and Transplant New York Chapter for its Comfort Blanket project.

Woven through with love and comfort, these quilts will be shared with terminally ill children slated to give the gift of life through organ, tissue, and eye donation.

Since 2007, the Altamont Train Station Quilters have offered their skills as fiber artists in support of charitable organizations and individuals in Altamont, Guilderland, and the rest of New York’s Capital Region. Previously, quilted items have been given to help raise funds for and provide support for organizations such as women’s shelters, a variety of civic groups, as well as the Altamont Free Library.

“Last fall, we started quilting on behalf of our next charitable donation,” explained Ruth Dickinson, one of the 21-member Train Station Quilters collective. “While we weren’t sure then what the project would be, when Anne Patnode suggested the Comfort Blanket project our group knew we’d found our next mission. This particular project really touched our hearts.”

Patnode is an Altamont resident and the Center for Donation’s administrative coordinator.

On Tuesday, Dickinson and the rest of the quilters group met with CDTNY representatives at the Altamont Village Hall to donate 21 quilts — one from each member of the group. This project will be ongoing and additional quilts, as they are sewn, will be donated to the Comfort Blanket project.

Christine Carpenter, president

Board of Trustees

Altamont Free Library

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