Letter to the Editor

Quilting for Native American reservation

Friday, August 6, 2010

To the Editor,

I am undertaking a project and am asking the help of Putnam County residents. I volunteer for the American Indian Center in Indianapolis. I recently learned that on the Indian Reservations, they are losing 54 percent of the children under the age of 3. I just find this horrible in this day and age.

Why is the infant death rate this high? Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is 300 percent higher than any other race in the United States. That is because they do not get pre-natal care, have deplorable conditions after they get home, and up to 60 percent of the homes do not have electricity or running water. That is a global problem across most of the reservations.

I am going to make baby quilts and quilts to take to one of the reservations. Would anyone like to help me by contributing a quilt or even a store-bought baby blanket or even an adult quilt or blanket? I am collecting with my goal being to take a load of blankets to one of the reservations before Christmas.

I am also looking for someone who would be willing to donate the use of her quilting machine to help me quilt the quilts I piece. I am doing machine quilting in hopes I can get more done. I also have a pattern that children can do very easily (Girl Scouts, church groups, etc.)

Would a business like to donate material for a quilt or two? Would you like to help me make quilts? I am also making quilts and lap quilts to take to Indian Veterans at the VA Hospital in Indianapolis.

Questions? Please call 765-795-3896.

Ellen Perry

Cloverdale