There have been many articles posted in yourhub.com about upcoming and recent events involving Firehouse Quilts. Many of you will also be familiar with the name Dusty Darrah.
What is Firehouse Quilts and who is Dusty Darrah? Firehouse Quilts is a non-profit organization established in 2003 (reaching non-profit status in 2005) to make and donate snuggle quilts (45" square) to children in crisis. The quilts are donated throughout Colorado through fire departments, ambulance companies, hospitals, battered women's shelters and other organizations that work with children in crisis to give them comfort.
Between 2003 and 2004 as the group was growing, around 200 snuggle quilts per year were delivered to these emergency groups dealing with traumatized children. In 2007, the group started making twin sized quilts for the battered women's shelters for those that would benefit from a quilt that is a larger size. Approximately 600 quilts were made and donated, each year from 2005-2007.
So how did this wonderful organization get started? It is the brainchild of one woman; (Patricia) Dusty Darrah. One day in 2003, Dusty was asking a friend how they liked the quilt program at their fire station. The friend said, "What quilt program"? So with the idea in mind, she gathered a few friends to help make quilts and Firehouse Quilts was born! There are now about 40 very active volunteers, a few more semi-active and over 200 that receive newsletters and announcements via email.
Firehouse Quilts is made up entirely of volunteers and donations. It has a welcoming attitude of friendly people, no pressure and assistance that is given to new quilters wanting to learn about quilting while helping others.
Dusty has remained actively involved on a daily basis in every aspect of Firehouse Quilts. She arranges and participates in all quilt deliveries. She applies for grants and solicits donations, is at every sew day and hauls a carload of fabric and supplies to and from each meeting. Volunteers need only bring themselves and their own sewing machine, if they desire, to the sew day they attend.
Volunteers meet twice monthly for "sew days" where they work together or independently on various stages of quilt making. Many volunteers also work on quilts at home and bring finished quilts to sew days.
In 2006, Firehouse Quilts put on their First Annual Quilt Show. Dusty organized and guided the volunteers that participated in making this a successful venture. With the popularity and success of the second quilt show, they moved to a new, larger venue in July 2008. The Quilt Show is the only fundraiser that Firehouse Quilts has and the monies raised through the quilt show, allow Dusty to purchase the large expense items that are not donated, such as the batting that is required in each quilt that is made.
Dusty encourages and helps other groups that contact her and who wish to start their own quilting group.
Dusty was recently recognized by Channel 7's Mitch Jelniker and received the "Everyday Hero" Award. We hope you will view this presentation on: Sunday, August 24 during the 10pm news, Monday, August 25 at 5am, Thursday, August 28 at 11am, Friday, August 29, at 4pm, Saturday, August 30 at 5pm or Sunday, August 31 at 7am.
There are many thank you notes, pictures and feedback reports posted on the Firehouse Quilts website (www.firehousequilts.org) that attest to the program's impact. In addition to the obvious benefit to the recipient children and their families, there is also a huge benefit to the volunteers involved. Great friendships have developed and everyone enjoys the outlet for their creativity and the blessings that come from helping others.
It is doubtful that a day goes by where Dusty does not do something related to Firehouse Quilts and this is truly a labor of love. Her dream of Firehouse Quilts has been achieved, but in no way has she stopped dreaming. Dusty has instilled this dream in many of the volunteers of Firehouse Quilts. "We dream of locating and moving into a building that is large enough to store our supplies and with a large enough area for everyone to work together. A building where we can meet anytime; a place to hang out our shingle that says, Firehouse Quilts of Colorado, Inc. All are welcome"!