Above: The River City Piecemakers Quilt Guild gathers on Thursday to present 75 handmade quilts to local law enforcement officers.
Article by Emily Wang, White River Now
The Batesville River City Piecemakers Quilt Guild presented 75 handmade quilts to local law enforcement on Thursday. The quilts are designed to comfort children in distressing situations.
With around 45 members, the initiative, organized by Glenda Taylor, president of the quilt guild, began in April when the group sought a community service project. After discussing various options, they reached out to law enforcement to see if quilts could be used to comfort children facing traumatic experiences, such as domestic incidents, accidents, or other difficult situations.
“We wanted to create something meaningful that could help during difficult times,” Taylor said. “The feedback from law enforcement was overwhelmingly positive. They requested quilts to keep in their vehicles and additional ones for their closets.
The quilts are stored in linen bags to protect them in law enforcement vehicles.
Above, from left: Max Rucker with the Independence County Sheriff’s Department; Brandon Trewyn with the Arkansas State Police; Danielle Adams with the Alpha Pregnancy Center; Kody Headley with the Batesville Police Department; and Cheyanne Malloy with the Independence County Sheriff’s Department and K-9 deputy Mixxy.
“The Batesville Police said, ‘Yes, we want one in each vehicle and extra in the closet.’ The Independence County Sheriff’s Department said they want some too, and the Arkansas State Troopers said they wanted some to give out.”
The group also contacted the Alpha Pregnancy Center to donate quilts for expecting parents.
Taylor thanked First Baptist Church for its generosity in providing a meeting space, saying, “They have always been very community-oriented in being involved in community activities.”
Gene Tuleberg, an administrator at the First Baptist Church, emphasized the importance of the quilts.
“Beyond the warmth they provide, these quilts can be used to soften these situations.”
Among the many contributors to the project, Taylor thanked Marshall Bentley, Karen Bentley, and Amy Keener from Marshall Dry Goods for providing fabric and batting for the quilts.
The guild also recognized the generosity of community members, including Sadie Reeves, a local quilter who donated quilting materials she could no longer use due to vision problems, and a woman from Cabot who drove to Batesville to donate surplus fabric after seeing a report about the quilt initiative.
Taylor shared that the guild received support from multiple sources, including fabric donations from a woman in Lonoke whose mother had previously made quilts for similar purposes.
As the guild continues to create quilts, Taylor remarked on the sense of community that has emerged from the project.
“It is just our pleasure to make them and donate to you to be able to give to children in situations where a child is hurting, to wrap them up in a quilt so they can feel loved.”
The River City Piecemakers Quilt Guild meets every second Thursday of the month in the West Annex at the First Baptist Church on Main Street, though Taylor shared that the guild will hold its meetings at the Independence County Senior Center when it opens.
Images by Emily Wang
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