Programs resume at library

The Ville Platte Quilting Club was able to meet at the Evangeline Parish Library for the first time in over a year, now that COVID-19 restrictions have relaxed a little across the state. Wearing their masks, except during pictures, the ladies helped each other with their projects and expressed gratitude for being able to meet again.
Pat Fontenot of Ville Platte, who started the Quilting Club a couple of years ago, was working on a quilt to be donated to Quilts of Valor, an organization with a mission to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor. Pat meets with the Glenmora Bobbins in Pine Prairie on the second Tuesday of every month to work on the project. “People turn in the names of their soldier, whether it’s Navy, Army, etc., and where they served. We present about eight to 10 a month, sometimes even more. It’s almost a one-year waiting period, because we have so many names that get turned in.”
Deborah Kelley, from Mamou, was at the library to get help with lap quilting and explained, “In the old days, a quilt was not just a quilt to cover with. It was very essential in life. When they took trips on the wagon trains, that was their bed, and they slept on it on the ground. When they got home, it was on the bed. Sometimes they used it to cover up doors. Usually when they died, they wrapped them up in quilts to bury them. It was very important to the family.” She used to explain to school children that needles were just as important as guns in the old days. “Because you made clothes and quilts by hand.”
Paula Courville, originally from Ville Platte but now in L’anse Grise, was there to work on an Easter table runner. When she developed an autoimmune disease that attacked her lungs, leaving her unable to work, she started attending the Quilting Club. “When I first got out of the hospital, I couldn’t have any company. I couldn’t be outside and do anything for three months. I was used to working with and being with people. I wouldn’t get enough oxygen in my lungs to talk. I said, ‘Okay, Lord. You’re making me be quiet.’ But He’s blessed me very much with this little group.” She soon fell in love with quilting, and the other women embraced her and became mentors. “I’m having a blast. I love coming.”
The Easter table runner Paula was working on was originally a Halloween pattern, but she turned it into an Easter work, cutting out each of the bunnies from some material. “I was proud of myself for doing that,” she said. The last year had been rough on Paula with family health issues, and not being able to have the club as an outlet made her miss it all the more. “I was so glad when this started again.”
Eva Guillory of Ville Platte said, “This has been wonderful for us. We’ve been inside for so long. It’s good to be with other women. You can only take your husband for so long,” she laughed. “We all bring a project. If you’re not working on something, you help someone else,” she added while helping Deborah with her project.
Library Director Yvonne Lavergne said everything is getting better since the state went into Phase III of re-opening. “When we announced on Facebook that programs are starting back up, the Quilting Club contacted us the next day after the announcement.” She and her staff are glad the programs are coming back and think it’s “wonderful,” adding, “We have children coming in. We’re doing crafts for the children and having programs starting for them. We’re going to have our Mystery Book Club starting back April 28. People are just coming back to all the programs. We are seeing people in the library again, and we’re very excited.”
The Ville Platte Quilting Club is open to anyone who wants to work on quilting. They meet every Thursday at 1:00 at the Ville Platte branch library.