Ethel Mayor Gwen Sims hand made 142 quilts which were delivered to the residents of the Kosciusko Veterans Home for Christmas.
Last year on Aug. 26, she discussed the project with other members of the American Legion Post 44, and they agreed that it was a good idea. She began the project on Aug. 28.
“I spent quite a while cutting squares and sewing the quilts up. It was quite a project. I was working on these every day, sometimes seven or eight hours a day. If it was a day off that I wasn’t working at city hall I would spend the whole day pretty much going back and forth to the sewing room, cutting here, sewing there, cutting the batting, and getting it stacked up. I just paced myself,” said Sims. “I enjoy working with my hands, and I thought this would be a good project for me, especially because my husband was a retired Marine who was a Vietnam vet. It was my way to give something back to the veterans and let them know how much I appreciate them.”
Each quilt is a unique patchwork made with Christmas themed fabric colors and patterns, with the exception of one quilt, which is a patriotic theme. Sims made this quilt for the oldest resident, James Bostick, who is 100 years old.
“A couple of members of the American Legion Riders, members of the VFW, and members of the United Veterans of Attala County, we all met up two weeks before Christmas and took the gift bags we had put the quilts in along with other items. We delivered those gift bags to the veterans home and they then gave them out on Christmas day,” said Sims. Sims personally delivered the patriotic quilt to Bostick, the oldest resident, because he was not at the veterans home on Christmas when the other quilts were distributed.
The quilts are 32-by-40 inches because that size can easily fit a wheelchair if necessary. The project cost over $2,200. Monetary donations were made by the American Legion Post 44, Sons of The American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, American Legion Riders, United Veterans of Attala County, and the Attala County VFW, to help offset the cost of the necessary supplies and material.
“It was so much fun,” said Sims. “It made me feel like I was doing something worthwhile. It’s not often you get a project that comes along that really makes you feel like you’re doing some good somewhere. I appreciate all those veterans up there.”
