Midlands volunteers and Congaree Cares are helping to make quilts for veterans

Lexington and Richland County community members are coming together to make quilts for veterans, through the Quilts of Valor Quilting Bee program. Congaree Cares and the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) Congaree Unit 90 are looking for volunteers to help make quilt toppers, which are then sent to St. Matthews to finish off.

Congaree Cares began making quilt toppers for Quilts of Valor in September and has made a total of 26, according to Congaree Cares Vice President Sylvia Corley-Drennan. Volunteers with the group work to provide quilts for both current military members and veterans by cutting, ironing, sewing and putting the toppers together.

Precut materials for the quilts are sent to Congaree Cares from Quilts of Valor, and the volunteer group puts them together. Corley-Drennan said they put a lot of time and effort into making the quilt toppers. Some members take the quilts home to work on, and bring them back for the next meeting.

“It’s just a passion that we have for our military personnel and those that give their lives for us and service for our country,” said Corley-Drennan. “It’s 600 hours that goes into making one of these quilts.”

Individuals who wish to help make quilts do not need prior experience with sewing or quilting. Bringing your own materials to the meetings is not required, but volunteers who have a sewing machine, scissors, cutting mat, thread, tape measures or pins are encouraged to bring them. Corley-Drennan said the group is actively looking for new volunteers to help out.

“We are looking forward to it growing; last year we had around 18 (volunteers), they come and go, work at their own time span,” she said.

The quilting group meets the first Tuesday of each month from 4 to 8 p.m. at Congaree American Legion Post 90 on HWY 302. Volunteers do not have to stay the entire time in order to participate. Visit Congaree Cares on Facebook or email congareecares@gmail.com for ore information.