2017 UMATILLA VETERAN CREW

May 2018 

Winter was rough... there was quite a bit of activity with jeans already donated.  

We continued our pickups at our drop boxes in Roosters on Southgate and Baxters on Emigrant.  Thank you to our folks who sponsor the drop boxes, you are invaluable!  :)  

We are up to 106 pair this spring, and will still take any and all donations.  

Please mark July 4th on your calendar.  Ukiah has the best celebration that we have been to in YEARS!   

Quilt Show at the Community Presbyterian Church.... lots to see and do.  It is well worth the short trip over the mountain.  Hope to see our supporters there.  

Thank you to all who have supported us the past year and a half.  We love you! 

FALL UPDATE!

FALL UPDATE:  

Over the summer we had activity, and now with the coming of fall and people clearing their closets the Month of October has netted us 122 pr. of jeans.  Our total since May is now at 469 pr. counting those reported by friends who added a whopping 75 pr. to the effort (thanks for the share Barb and Mike Morehead).  

We will be having a cutting party in the near future, and hopefully adding new photos to the blog as we go!  

Ruth and the Ukiah quilters are very grateful for all the donation and send their thanks!  Helping us help Vets is what it is all about!  Adding that touch of warmth to our guys is so appreciated by the men and women who are gifted with that special denim quilt.  Now that the seasons are changing and cooler weather is happening, more than ever the warmth is welcomed.  

We don't have our annual Umatilla Veterans Crew photo ready for posting just yet, but here is a peek at a little man that is appreciative of his Papaw's quilt.  My husband served from 1969 until 1978.  Ruthie gifted him a quilt a couple of years ago when we visited the 4th of July Quilt Show in Ukiah.  He was so appreciative, and generous to share with everyone who needs a warm snuggle... Especially his grandson Eli!  (doubles as a great mattress for the little ones) please disregard the blatant Mamaw brag photo!!!!  Just the quilt... yes it is there under all the cuteness!  :)  

MAY UPDATE

MAY UPDATE:

The new Flyers are up!  Bright yellow to draw the eye....  

Delivery this month was 81 pair of jeans to Ruth.  I had a wonderful visit with the Stitch and Chat Quilters.  Lunch was awesome...  I was kind of nice... my contribution was FRUIT... but I went and spoiled it by providing a bowl of caramel for dipping. LOL!   Our collection efforts have kept Ruth busy this spring.  She tells me there are 25 completed quilt tops at this time!  Going to be some happy recipients. 

Hope you will all stop by the Quilt Show in Ukiah at the little Community Presbyterian Church.  Lots of eye candy, meet the quilters... there are items for sale.  JULY 4th celebration is a PLUS.  One of the BEST fireworks displays I have seen in ages!  

APRIL UPDATE: PHEW!

This is going to be a pretty short update.  April consisted of mostly collections, which have understandable slowed a bit.  It takes a while to get a rhythm going. 

Our total collection from April is 72 pair collected!  ~~~Happy Dance! 

We are keeping Ruth busy, and that makes my heart glad! 

VERY grateful acknowledgement to our DROP BOX SPONSORS:  Rooster's Restaurant (Pendleton)  Archie's Restaurant (Pilot Rock) and Baxter Auto Parts (Pendleton)  You are SO appreciated! 

Deep and sincere appreciation to all my "helpers"  We are a big happy family!  Thanks to HollyJo for helping with the dropbox pickup, and Neva for standing in while I was incapacitated.  It is so good to have friends and family involved!  

Thanks to donors who have filled our dropboxes.  Please know that we love your <3 for helping our cause!   

On a lighter note, I did take time with family and friends to attend the 41st annual Wenaha Muzzleloader Rendezvous.  I love quilting (which is how I met the fabulous maker of our Veterans Denim Quilts)  On the way home from Rendezvous I found... in the far reaches of NE Oregon... almost to Washington... In tiny Flora Oregon, on the the east side of town.... A barn... on the barn????  A QUILT BLOCK!  Sunshine, family, friends and a perfect picture!  GOD BLESS ALL! 

LATE MARCH UPDATE

Late March Update:

This has been a busy, busy month.  Many thanks to Baxter Auto Parts in Pendleton for being a second drop location for us in Pendleton! 

Thanks to our friend Diane in Salem for her donation, even when I'm away from home, I find someone with denim.  SO MUCH appreciated my friend. 

In between stomping out family fires and crisis' I've been working on some photos for a tab on this blog showing how the denim is processed.  Karon from Stitch and Chat Quilters in Ukiah has agreed to help me with photos of some of the items that are made from the jean remnant that is NOT used for the actual quilt top. 

It's a WIP  (Work In Progress) 

Here is your guide to Acronyms: 

FEBRUARY-MARCH 2017 UPDATE

What a great time I've been having the last month and a half... Sharing with folks about our efforts to keep Ruth in denim for her quilt tops!  We are succeeding!  YAY!  Thank you to Tyler at Baxter Auto Parts in Pendleton!  We now have a second drop location.  So many folks, when I start "thanking" always afraid I'll miss someone!  Sigh!   Tina, Jerry, Jessica and the folks who have dropped at both Rooster's and Archie's!   So much LOVE!

Had a wonderful, brief visit with Ruth today and she would like to thank everyone who has donated!  She is thankful for the response and took home part of the denim that I had ready to go for cutting.  I will continue the cutting and deliver the rest very soon! 

I am working on a tab that will show the processing of the denim, and how it is used.  Stay tuned for that literary gem :) 

Ever wonder what 150+ pair of jeans in a stack looks like?  Here is a peek!   The angle is a bit weird and I didn't quite get the entire scope of the size of the boxes... but it's a phone...sigh...  

1st DELIVERY OF DENIM

Mid-January saw me trucking down Highway 395 South to visit with friends at the little Presbyterian Church in Ukiah, Oregon.  I had the back of my jeep loaded with 43 pair of jeans, ready to face the rotary cutter and become quilt blocks! 

There was a large storm front moving in.  Previous days had seen some sub-zero temps and wind with drifting snow.  The highway had been closed at least once for less than favorable conditions.  Ukiah is one of the most picturesque small towns in Eastern Oregon.  Turkeys roam the main thoroughfare and life is simple and quiet.