As you may know, we have established close relationships with many non-profits and relief organizations, so that our charity program may help those in need. This includes groups that work internationally, nationally, regionally and locally…like when Colorado has had floods, fires, and now our hometown tragic mass shooting.
Over the years we have raised almost $1.8 million to help those in need, but also with your help, and the help of partners like Mission of Love, we have collected and distributed 15,000 donated comfort quilts to those who have suffered terrible losses and crushing burdens.
Yesterday I received a request from our contact at the Boulder Emergency Taskforce, asking if we could put out a call for comfort quilts, for those traumatized by our March 22 mass shooting. This includes the families of the 10 victims, and the 150 first responders who rushed to the King Soopers to save lives.
There will be an event for these folks on May 15, and if you would like to donate a special comfort quilt to these families, police, and other first responders, please drop off or ship to us to arrive by May 13. If for some reason your gift arrives after that date, we still have the means to distribute your quilt to one of the people in our community who were impacted by the event.
We know there were 115 people inside shopping, and another 25 people in the parking lot, when the shooting started. We are thinking about these people too, and everyone in that neighborhood whose life was forever changed by what they witnessed. We have so many friends in that neighborhood who are still processing what happened that day, in the grocery store that was a community institution. Struggles with depression and PTSD are common after an experience like this.
To ship a quilt to us:
eQuilter.com – 6201 Spine Rd. Suite A, Boulder Colo 80301
If you want confirmation that the quilt arrived, please choose a method of shipping with a tracking number. We will not have time to contact you to confirm receipt.
To drop off a quilt to us:
Call us at 303-527-0856 when you arrive. Be sure to bring your cell phone. Our front door is still locked and staff are still wearing masks and social distancing. Our phone number is also posted on the front door. We are open Monday – Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.
Please do share this blog link with anyone (or any group) who might wish to contribute.
I’d also like to remind you that we’d like to present memorial quilts to the community next year on the one year anniversary, listing all 10 victims, including police officer Eric Talley who rushed in first. He was the father of 7 young children. Please contact me if you are interested in making a community memorial quilt wall hanging.
We want to thank the first responders for their courage and compassion during this terrible event, and we want to hold the families in the comfort of a handmade quilt.
If you send a quilt (lap size to bed size) be sure to put a label on the back so they know where it came from. Target size is a generous lap/nap quilt to small bed quilt – imagine someone curled up on the couch wanting to snuggle under a comfort quilt. However we will take whatever you wish to donate, that you think is appropriate.
As always, we ask for your donations to be fragrance free, odor free, animal hair free…to avoid any allergy issues for the recipients.
…with hope for the future,
Luana and Paul
* The photo above is the spontaneous memorial for Officer Eric Talley at the Police Station, 2 days after the event.
