LAGRANGE, Ohio — In a former LaGrange high school classroom — room 111, to be exact — is the home of the Penfield Quilters, each stitch strengthening a tradition of handmade quilts that traces back to the 1920s.
Our guide through this world of needles, thread, and yarn is Linda Chapin, who started with the Penfield Quilters after retiring from teaching.
"So it's been about 20 years," Chapin recalled. "Wow."
The group of roughly 25 members comes here to work on their craft, and much more.
"This group is quiet today, but normally they'd be laughing a lot," Chapin said. "And it's just a warm friendship."
Their talents transcend these walls, the community outreach, and the quilts donated to fundraisers for libraries, cancer centers, and hospitals. Lap quilts made today are destined for a special place: the Achievement Centers for Children, a nonprofit that empowers children and adults with disabilities through family-focused services.
"We saw what they did and how much they've helped families deal with children with special needs," Chapin explained. "We felt like we wanted to be a part of helping them."
This special partnership has led to around 700 quilt donations. The Achievement Centers for Children uses them for their Early Childhood Mental Health program, Help Me Grow Home Visiting program, and Infant Massage classes. Each family receives the quilt as a gift from both groups.
"It sends the message that we value them, we appreciate them, that they're important to us," Simira Wilson, vice president of clinical care and innovation for the Achievement Centers for Children, said. "We're very much thankful that they are committed to us and dedicated to helping our families that we serve."
"We've heard it brings smiles to their faces," Chapin remarked. "They're so appreciative, and we've put a label on it so they know where it came from."
The materials for the special quilts are donated, while other funds are raised through craft shows. The ladies have it down to an assembly line, with each taking on a specific task. It takes about an hour to complete each lap quilt.
"It's just a sign of just something very special, one of a kind," Wilson said. "And so families are just delighted when they receive this gift from us."
"We hope they would remember that there were people who cared about them, who cared enough to do something handmade," Chapin added.
The Penfield Quilters are preparing for their next quilt show on Wednesday, April 17 from 1-3 p.m. at the LaGrange Municipal Building on 301 Liberty St. Besides quilts, other handmade items will also be for sale. Again, the money raised helps with the group's outreach efforts.