Quilted works

Pine Prairie resident Karen Chaddrick was the guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Ville Platte’s last meeting of September. Chaddrick, a member of the Glenmora Bobbins, talked about the group’s broader organization Quilts of Valor.
Chaddrick said Quilts of Valor began in 2003 when a quiltmaker wanted to give a comforting present to her son who fought in Iraq. “Our mission is to honor our service members and veterans who have been touched by war with a quilt of valor,” she said.
She went on to say, For those of us who have never seen combat in a war zone, such experiences are beyond our capacity to comprehend. We believe the quilts we bring to them will offer both comfort and warmth. We’re hoping, during times of when they are in need of a grateful hug, they will wrap the quilt around them.”
A Pine Prairie sub-group of the Glenmora Bobbins began in 2016 with four ladies and has since expanded to around 10. Since 2017, the group has given 105 quilts to veterans in Evangeline Parish starting with those who fought in World War II and the Korean War.
Rotarian Brian Ardoin thanked Chaddrick for all the work of the group. He said, “As a veteran, I know some may not believe how much this helps, but it helps a lot just to know that somebody is thinking about you and wants to provide you with something that’s a comfort.”
Earlier in the day, on September 29, several Rotarians and other members of the Ville Platte community went bring donations to those in Elizabeth who are still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Laura.
Ville Platte Rotarians donated $1,500, and the club matched that amount for a total of $3,000. That money was then used to purchase laundry detergent, disposable plates, toilet paper, bug spray, and personal hygiene wipes along with $25 cards.
The Rotary Club also teamed up with the Evangeline Chamber of Commerce and the Acosta Foundation to get the Food Bank of Central Louisiana to donate 200 boxes of food.
Half of the supplies and food boxes were given out at The Corner Store in Elizabeth, and other half was given out in Pitkin.
“We had a great successful morning and a great turnout,” Brown said.