26 more quilts sent out

I'm happy to say we sent out 26 more quilts to families. Working on trying to send some more for families. This project is truly a labor of love. Every single quilt is made with love to comfort the families that mourn the loss of their love ones. We are also getting ready to send out our fundraiser letter hope we can get help so we can continue. Your contribution kept us going last year we hope this year we will be able to do the same.

61 quilts sent out to Fallen Soldiers Families

Well we have had some year with harvest being late winter storm and all. Today we decided before we end up with another winter storm to haul off to Fedex 61 quilts for fallen soldiers families. The quilts had been ready to go for some time but we couldn't because of the weather. God is good he gave us an opening so we can get these quilts out. The car was full and so was the truck of the car but it felt so good to have them sent off. Dennis did the stacking I could never get that many stack in the truck or back seat of the car. Alot of thanks go to the ladies of Oskaloosa who came to my aid when I ask if they could help with the children quilts. We had families where we had to come up with either 2 or as high as eight quilts to a box because of the children. With out the Oskaloosa ladies I wouldn't have been able to get the job done. Now I have to get busy again so I can send another bunch of quilts out to families of our fallen. We are proud to say we are close to 6,700 quilts given out. We will soon be working on our fundraiser yes I got the quilt top all done and Dennis will be machine quilting it. He does an awesome job quilting so he has that job. We still tie quilts but the ones with pictures we machine quilt and if Dennis has time he will quilt those without pictures also but mainly pictures quilts are the ones loves to quilt. Happy New Year everyone. Thanks everyone that have continue to help us out your wonderful.

Cautionary update

Merry Christmas to all and my apologies for not keeping up with the blog. I want to wish everyone a very special, happy holiday season.

I also want to send everyone a cautionary update...
It has recently come to my attention that another quilting group based out of Wisconsin is calling itself "Freedom Quilts". Please know that this Wisconsin-based group is not affiliated with our group Freedom Quilts, Inc. The organizer of this Wisconsin-based group lost her son in Iraq. True to our mission, we reached out to her and made her a personalized quilt in honor of her son. Now, her group appears to be claiming credit for this quilt and is also requesting monetary donations to their "Freedom Quilts" organization.

First of all, please know that "credit" is not important to me or to all the other volunteer quilters with our Freedom Quilts organization. What is most important is that we are able to help the people who need us most... those who need love, comfort, and the knowledge that people care.

Our organization - Freedom Quilts, Inc. - is a federally recognized nonprofit with 501(3)(c) status, and all donations go directly to making quilts for families across the country who have lost a loved one. If you or someone you know would like to support our efforts, please know that we are not the Wisconsin-based organization.

Contact information for our nonprofit, Freedom Quilts, Inc. is listed below.
Freedom Quilts, Inc.
c/o Betty Nielsen
13637 550th St.Fonda, IA 50540
(p) 712-288-5326
website www.freedomquilts.net

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at debeniel@ncn.net.

Freedom Quilts 2009 Ride

Just a couple of pictures of Freedom Quilts Ride the rest of them will be in Facebook

Freedom Quilts 2009 Ride

After the 9-11, 8th anniversary the Legion Riders had a Freedom Quilts Fundraiser Ride. Everyone was invite to come and help out. It started at Marcus Iowa and ended at the Freedom Quilts Shop in Fonda IA where there was door prize and food and a tour of the building and all the thing that Freedom Quilts have done through the years and items received through the years. Freedom Quilts is up to 6,600 quilts these quilts start with the 9-11 families then the flood victims from Katrine and Cedar Rapids to our fallen soldiers. Freedom Quilts try to make sure that each parents of our fallen heroes and spouse receive a quilt to honor their beloved love ones. Our shop is open by appointment since we are not always in the shop. Right now we have to get our crops all in before we can get more quilts made and sent out to fallen soldiers families. Freedom Quilts got a chance to have more great friends. One of those really good friends is Jana who came to help in the ride and became a Freedom Quilter. Gary Emery President of the Souixland Chapter of the Legion Riders and his Vice President Chris Persson along with their wives set the event up in less then month. With the help from Sherry Wells our fundraiser coordinator who went out to get business to help and support us also and in short period of time they got the event going. The event went so well that The Legion Riders plan on doing this event once a year for the Freedom Quilts. American Legion Riders fit so well with Freedom Quilts. They also try to comfort families of our fallen by keeping protester away from families that are dealing with grief during the funeral. It's sad when you have protester come and try to be so disrespectful to these families that have already given so much to this country. These men and women at one time serve their country or had some one in their families serve their country. There is a time and a place to protest but not at a funeral that is totally disrespectful. Freedom Quilts has made new friends and enjoy knowing others care also and want to keep Freedom Quilts going. Freedom Quilts want to thank all those that was a part of the Freedom Quilts Ride and hope that next year we have many more come. One of our many prizes will be a Freedom Quilts Quilt. Next year we plan on having the fundraiser on September 11 the day Freedom Quilts was born the day my life any countless others life change. I'm hoping for many new faces and new friends to come next year we are also hoping that all of us take time to remember that what makes this country so great is that we all gather together to help one another and by doing that we make a huge different in our lives and others we help.

Winner of the 2009 Raffle Quilt

The winner of the 2009 raffle quilt is Lenora Babb from AR. We are getting ready to send Lenora her quilt and when she has time she will send us a picture so we can post it on the blog and on the newspaper. Congratulation Lenora on winner the beautiful quilt.

Caring

My Dear Friends today I realize that I have not blogged for a long time and that shouldn't be. I should try to blog at least once a week but I been a little depressed. My mother is ill and my attention has gone to her and I have left thing slide and for that I'm so sorry. Today I received a beautiful phone call that touch my heart and made me realize that I need to continue doing God work and keep working. The call was from a mother that lost her son in Iraq. As some of you know when I send a quilt out I always send a letter it's just the way I do it. I write from the heart to let the families know that we do care for each of them and I try to always write a special messenge for the families. What comes out of my heart is what I write to the families. This one messenge I wrote was for the parents that lost their son but reaching out to the father. I only know what my heart was crying out to say and so I wrote the letter not know what this poor father was dealing with beside the death of his son. You see he is also in the military and his pain is deep more then anyone can imagine. None of us know what our soldiers go through to survive it is something that they keep bottle inside which eats at them. These are good men doing what needs to get done and then living with what happen in a country that life means nothing to them. He deals with what happen in Iraq and he deals with the lost of his son how much more can he deal with. Where is the help to bring him peace of mind? When we say we support our troops are they just words or do you really support our troops? My hearts goes out to these families for their pain will never go away. They live day by day trying to deal with all the pain and hurt all that is thrown at them and hoping that maybe one day they will be able to cope better. Those that reach out to God for help seem to get the strength they need to continue even with their broken hearts but they know they must for the sake of others. When a parent loses a child it's hard for we all know men want to fix things but how can he when his heart is broken also. How can he comfort his wife when he is hurting also. The pain is so deep for both of them. We as women reach out and hope someone will listen. It's not that we are looking for answer for we know God is the one with answers we just want someone to listen and not turn their back on you. The words "we understand what you are going through " is hurtful for those that lost a love one. No one really understands unless they walk those shoes. To hear the words in time you will heal or you need to move on are all hurtful words. Yes we mean well but it's not helpful. If we can't say anything just wrap your arms around them and let them know you are there for them. Time does not heal that broken heart that the parent are dealing with time only gives them a better way of hiding their true hurt feeling.

I also received an email from the grandmother that was helping raise her granddaughter. She email to tell me that her granddaughter received the quilt I sent her. The granddaughter read the letter I wrote her and sat silent for quite a while. It was a good quiet. She snuggled with the quilt for a while then told her grandmother she wanted to put it away so it didn’t get any dirt on it. She wrote I know it sound silly to have a material item to hold on to make you feel better but believe me I have seen it work. This is absolutely a beautiful quilt that she will cherish forever. All sign to me that I need to continue I need to not stop for many need to know we do care many need to be able to reach out and know someone will listen and care. For those of you that continue to help me I thank you from the heart for you are making it possible for me to continue to comfort the families’ thank you and God blesses. Your friend always Betty