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A Handmade Quilt Greets Each New Resident
Shortly after arrival, new residents at Celia’s House are invited to select a hand-made quilt that is theirs to keep, and if they wish, pass on to a family member or loved one. The quilts are made with love and donated by local quilters.
The idea for the program was conceived by the first Executive Director of Southern Oregon Friends of Hospice, Susan Hearn. Long-time volunteers and quilters Jacqueline Bressers and Chris Galligan developed and nurtured the program by networking with local community quilters to provide an ongoing supply of quilts prior to the opening of Celia’s House.
The quilts are an important component of the thoughtfulness that is woven into Celia’s House culture. Jacqueline explained, “After a resident passes, the quilt is often draped with flowers over the body during the departure ceremony and folded for the family to keep.”
Many residents tend to select a quilt design that speaks to their particular interest. For example, a resident who was a fly fisherman selected a quilt with a large salmon swimming in the river, another who loved cats selected her quilt because it featured kitties. Volunteer Kathryn Finwall bonded with a resident over a red hat quilt, a worldwide society that encourages women in their quest to get the most out of life and supports them in the pursuit of fun.
The volunteers’ passion for the importance of the quilts stems from their love of quilting and their understanding of its memory-making significance. From this commitment, they have recently developed a plan to sustain the resident quilt tradition at Celia’s House into the future.
If you have already completed Celia’s House culture training and are interested in joining the volunteer quilt program team, please contact Jacqueline Bressers: tygerlily815@gmail.com
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