Cozy Quilters at 2,500 Quilts
The Cozy Quilters, an ecumenical group of 20 women and two men, was organized in 1993 to give warmth to the homeless. At first, the group made sleeping bags which were called "ugly quilts," but they changed the design to a 6-foot square quilt, and the name to "cozy."
The quilters include personal care items with each quilt - such
as used clothing, shampoo, toothbrushes, or combs - which are rolled-up
with the quilt. All items used in making the quilt, or enclosed with the
quilt, are donated to the project.
At roll-up, the quilters say a prayer: "Lord, take the work of
our hands, bless it, and let the person who receives this gift know that
he/she is loved, Amen."
Over the years, the quilts have been given to the Open Door Mission and New Hope House in Owego, and to rescue missions and organizations in Syracuse, Rochester, Binghamton, Bath, and Oxford.
Cozy Quilts is an offshoot of My Brothers' Keeper Quilt Group which was started by Flo Wheatley of Hop Bottom, Pennsylvania. In 1979, Flo was in New York City where her son, Leonard, was receiving treatment for cancer. A homeless man helped her get to Queens with the sick child. As he put her in a taxi, the homeless man's final words to her were "Don't abandon me." Flo never saw that man again, but over the next two years, she frequently saw other homeless, one in particular whom she saw wrapped in a pink crocheted blanket one cold morning in 1981.
"That moment triggered the memory of the other homeless man who had helped Leonard and me," said Wheatley. "And finally I realized what it all meant."
Wheatley's sleeping bag quilts, which began as a family project, became pet projects of churches, schools, and scouting groups. To make sure that volunteers weren't scared off by the quilting part, the sleeping bags were called Ugly Quilts
"It's an incredible feeling for people to share time on a project like this, a tremendous spirit of common goal to do good that transcends religious denomination, economic status, age, and all the other labels that often separate us," said Wheatley.
The coordinator of the Cozy Quilters in Owego is Florence Campbell. "Our fellowship is gratifying and rewarding knowing we are able to help others with our quilts," said Campbell.
If you would like to get involved with the Cozy Quilters, call Florence Campbell at 687-3721. All is needed to be a quilter is a large eyed needle, scissors and yourself.
The Community Press
a free newspaper, published monthly
serving the Tioga County, New York, area
Copyright 2003 Brown Enterprise and Marketing