1/3/07

Warm hands, warm hearts help nursing home residents
By Jerriod Grizzle

JERRIOD GRIZZLE/Manning Times

An appreciative Windsor Manor resident receives a lap quilt from Hearts and Hands Quilters member Evelyn Blascak. The quilting group presented 46 quilts to residents of the Silver community’s nursing home on Dec. 12.

Even being at Windsor Mannor for just a year, Minnie McFadden has seen a lot of people come in and out of the nursing home, to visit, share devotionals and entertain the residents there. Her favorite gift this Christmas from the many visitors that have come to call is her new quilt.

McFadden’s quilt, in different shades of red, has diagonal and horizontal stripes with a beautiful patchwork of flowers. The toasty quilt covers her legs all the way to her ankles.

“I love my quilt,” she said.

McFadden said that not only would she use it to warm herself on cold days but also for a decoration for her bed.

The response from McFadden was exactly what the women from the Hearts and Hands quilters group wanted: pure joy. Group leader Monika King, along with 13 other quilters, made 46 quilts for the Windsor Manor residents.

“Since the Manning United Methodist church has been so good to let us use their facility, we decided to give back to the community,” King said.

The women of the group used their own machines and cloth to make the patchwork quilts to go to the nursing home residents.

The men didn’t get left out of the fun at Windsor Manor either. The women of Heart and Hands passed out lotion and Avon cologne to the men. The products were donated by the Avon Company. The residents teased that some of men might wear the cologne to surprise their across-the-hall girlfriends.

Hearts and Hands is indeed a very close “knit” organization of women who, by all accounts, like to joke with one another but also support one another.

“We really have a good time and this project made us bond closer,” said King. “Making quilts really worked in our favor.”

Their walk though the nursing home brought home the holiday spirit to the group.

“It’s a little sad to see people that do not have many people to visit with them,” said group member Dora Yonkers. “Some cried and then laughed when we gave them their blanket.”

According to Windsor Manor’s activities director, Jannett Conyers, to the residents of the Silver community nursing home, the most important things are the visitors themselves.

“It’s wonderful!” she said. “They enjoy visitors and they love the quilts.”

By the end of the walk through the home, both the residents and the quilters had laughed and some of the quilters shed a tear or two.

For the residents of Windsor Manor, they now have something to hold onto, to call their own and make themselves a little bit more comfortable this Christmas season.

“Christmas, after all, is about giving not receiving,” said King. “It feels good.”