By Liz Gordon-Hancock
The Bluffton Scrap Artist Quilters (BSAQ) are delivering 48 home-made quilts to area veterans on Veterans Day, Monday, Nov. 11. The club will visit veterans in Birchaven, Hilty Home, Mennonite Memorial Home, and Maple Crest to present the quilts.

BSAQ has been making twin-size quilts for veterans for 12 years, focusing on Ohio veterans for the last five years.

"We keep up with all the local institutions so all of our local vets have a quilt," said club member, Pat Rodabaugh.

The local American Legion Post 382 have furnished money for batting and backing fabric to make soldier quilts for veterans in Hancock and Allen counties) for the last four years.

Club member, Susan Baughman, Ada, has done five quilts this year alone. "I try to do two to three a year because I feel that this is a good cause," said Baughman.

Betty Fiser, club member from Lima, recalls she delivered the first 40 quilts to a military base medical center in Killeen, Texas, twelve years ago. Over the past twelve years, the club has created and presented over four hundred quilts to wounded soldiers and veterans.

The fabric, batting and piecing is donated by the club, and Forever in Stitches (which is locally owned and operated by Rick and Ruth Grihalva) quilts each quilt with their long-arm quilting machine. Arlene Garmatter, Bluffton club member (pictured below), volunteers her time to long-arm all the soldier quilts. 

Anyone who would like to get involved in making soldier quilts should join BSAQ. The club meets the first Monday of every month, and is made up of local quilters of all sewing abilities.

If you would like to contribute to the soldier quilts project, but do not sew, then you can donate fabric, batting or money to the club, by contacting Lori Diller, club president, 419-303-7889.