Communities Gather to Make Quilts for Soldiers

The Thorp Courier (Thorp, WI)
February 27, 2010
Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

On Saturday, February 13, community members from Thorp, Stanley, and Boyd gathered at the Stanley Fire Hall to make “camo quilts” for the soldiers for the soldiers of the HHC 724th Engineer Battalion out of Chippewa Falls, a division that is scheduled to be deployed shortly.
 
Eau Claire Auxiliary Unit 53 requested 40 camo quilts for the HHC 724th Engineer Battalion to take with them when they are deployed.
 
Forty-seven volunteers showed up at the Fire Hall to help with this good cause on Saturday, some of which even brought their own sewing equipment. Virginia Kodl, immediate past Central Division National Vice President, and Joan Chwala, Department of Wisconsin Frist Vice President, observed and participated in the workshop.  Thorp Auxiliary Unit 118 provided cinnamon rolls and bars for the volunteer that helped with this great cause.
 
Linda Wieck, the designer of the camo quilt, made the first prototype for her son-in-law in April of 2006.  Wieck created the camo quilt as a way to help servicemen and women in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Military issued sleeping bags are bulky and hot and must be carried inside the soldiers’ backpacks.  The camo quilt is made from the same camouflage material as the soldiers’ uniforms and can be used in the open.  They can also be tied to the outside of backpacks, giving the soldier’s more room inside for personal items.
 
As of this week, Wieck and her husband, along with many volunteers, have completed 3,000 quilts for active duty soldiers.  Since September of 2009, 2,000 troops have received one of Wieck’s camo quilts.
 
If you are interested in helping make camo quilts, kits are still available to be picked up, and final products dropped off at Donna Haas’ Sew and Sew Quilts.
 
In the photo are some of the 47 volunteers that stopped by at some point of the nine-hour workshop.