COMMUNITY SERVICE
GUILD CONTACT: Marilyn White
August Community Service Sew-in
Click Here for more info
Click the heart to see who we sew for
Community Service Update
Chair: Marilyn White
​
Sit & Sew Feb 3rd
PLACEMATS: Our guild made more than 95 placemats both at the Sit and Sew and at home. They will be given to Serendipity Quilt Shop to be distributed to Meals on Wheels in Sussex County. Many thanks to all of you!
DUFFLE BAGS AND MORE: As you know, Duffle Bags and More had an extremely productive day at the Sit and Sew. A reminder to those who took duffle bag or toiletry bag kits home to complete to please bring your completed items to the April guild meeting. Many thanks. Mary Shephard
Learn More About Each Group...​​​
​
​​​​​DUFFLE BAGS and MORE​
​​
About us: This group is a 501C3 organization that creates duffle bags and toiletry bags for children in foster care. It is funded from grants, donations, and fundraising events. Ocean Waves will be helping to promote the program through publicity and participation, coordinated by Mary Shepherd. The project will be self-sustaining on our budget line. Mary’s group meets once a month at the Village of Five Points Community Center to sew the bags. All supplies, including sewing machines and sergers, are provided. We will highlight Duffle Bags and More at our October guild meeting. In addition, DB&M will participate in our February, 2025 Sit and Sew! Duffle Bags and More will be added to our Community Service webpage. For more details, contact Mary Shepherd, mtshepherd@mindspring.com or www.dufflebagsandmore.org .
Activities: So far in 2024, we have given 100 duffle bag and toiletry bag sets to Delaware Department of Family Services. We also gave 67 bags to Milford Advocacy for the Homeless. We give and fill a dozen toiletry bags to I Support the Girls each month.
Our work parties are on the third Monday of most months, from 9-12 at the Villages of Five Points Community Center in Lewes. We'd love to see new volunteers on September 16th or October 21st.
GUILD CONTACT: Mary Shepherd
​
​
​​
PATRIOTIC QUILTS
​
About us:
This service project group organizes and leads productions of patriotic themed quilts to be donated to the Quilts of Valor Foundation. (qovf.org) “The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing QOV.” The procedures for making these quilts are specific. Check the newsletter and announcements at guild meetings for scheduled Sew-Ins and drop-offs.
​
** Patriotic Quilts is looking for volunteers to quilt one or more quilts for Quilts of Valor. If you can help, please contact Kathy Varga. kvarga07866@gmail.com.
​
Activities:
Yearly total: 21 quilts for Quilts of Valor. Kathy Varga and Rita McConnell
Donations needed: Fabric - Red, white, blue solids or tone-on-tone fabrics are greatly appreciated - fat quarters, strips 8” or longer, yardage
​
GUILD CONTACT: Rita McConnell
HEART PILLOWS
About us:
Pillows are given to patients undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Kits, assembled and ready to be sewn, are available at the Ocean Waves Quilt Guild monthly meetings.
The pillows are donated to the following organizations: Cancer Support Community of Delaware
Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition
Beebe Healthcare - Tunnel Cancer Center
Beebe Rehab
Dr. Spellman's office
Nanticoke Memorial Hospital - Allen Cancer Center
Activities:
We delivered 12 heart pillows to the Cancer Support Group in October.
Carol Fisher
​
Donations needed: No fabric needed for now.
GUILD CONTACT: Carol Fisher
​
TINY TOTS - Baby Items
​
About us:
Tiny Tots was started in February, 2010 with 12 ladies from St. Ann’s Bazaar Workshop. Today it has 50 members and is still growing. Tiny Tots makes quilts, hats, blanket and sweater sets, teddy bears, nursing covers, and exercise mats for the Rosa Health Center in Georgetown, DE. To date, over 4,000 quilts, 500 blanket and sweater sets, 2,000 teddy bears, and 200 exercise mats have been made.
​
The Rosa Health Center takes care of infants thru adults. The Center is absolutely free to whoever cannot afford medical help. Dr. Rama Peri runs the Center.
​
Tiny Tots also donates items to St. Vincent de Paul.
​
Tiny Tots meets at St. Ann’s Church, Delaney Hall, in Bethany Beach on the 4th Tuesday of each month (except December, July, and August) from 9AM to 1 PM. It is supported by St. Ann’s Parish, Bethany Beach, DE, and Ocean Waves Quilt Guild.
All of the fabric and yarn used to make these items is donated.
Activities: we are in need of volunteers to complete partially sewn quilts as well as some quilts that need quilting. A great way to practice using your long arm! Come to the Community Service table at the guild meeting for pick up or contact Mary Martinez at oceanviewmary@mchsi.com or 302-541-4964.
Delivered to St. Vincent de Paul: 3 quilts, 55 hats, gloves and scarves Delivered to Rosa Health Center: 5 exercise mats,14 bibs, 20 quilts with hats,10 handmade sweater sets and 25 bears. Mary Martinez
​
Donations needed: We are in need of worsted weight yarn and fiberfill stuffing. Fabric - Yarn, Baby Flannel and fleece, Adult fabrics
GUILD CONTACT: Mary Martinez
COMFORT QUILTS,
formerly BABY WRAPS
About us:
Our group started in 2017 with five women. Now we have 19 members who meet once a week at Heritage Shores Community Center in Bridgeville. We originally made quilts for newborns at Nanticoke Hospital, but in the last year, we have reached out to other charities who use our services. We changed our name from Baby Wraps to better reflect our commitment to provide quilts to older children, hospice patients, and veterans.
​
Activities:
Comfort Quilts is being honored by having their own
Quilt Show in the Heritage Shores Community Clubhouse in Bridgeville from March 5th thru April 4th. Comfort Quilts will showcase their quilts created for Quilts of Valor as well as quilted items other than quilts done for charity. About 50 quilts will be on display. For more information contact Darlene Jack at ken.dar.jack@gmail.com. or 302-956-0380.
Charities we support include:
​
Olivia's House - York, Pennsylvania
oliviashouse.org
​
Delaware Hospice -- Milford, Delaware
delawarehospice.org
​
KatyBug - pediatric hospice -- Milford, Delaware
delawarehospice.org
​
Dover Air Force Base - Dover, Delaware
dover.af.mil
​
Veterans Home - Milford, Delaware
vethome.delaware.gov
​
We have also contributed to other groups when asked, including the Salvation Army, Cross Roads Church, and Ft. Dix
​
Donations needed: Fabric: cotton, flannel (any color, prints other than toddler and baby OK); Rick rack; Lace; Yarn
GUILD CONTACT: Darlene Jack
QUILTS OF LOVE
​
About us:
This group's primary mission is to make baby quilts for newborns at BayHealth Hospital and A.I. DuPont Children's Clinic in Milford. Larger quilts are made and given to Habitat for Humanity when new homeowners move in Quilts of Love hold quilting bees 4 times during the year in September, November, January, and March. Kits are assembled and ready to be sewn. The location varies so listen at guild meetings or read the newsletter. Quilts of Love sews from 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM. Bring your sewing machine and a covered dish for lunch. Quilt kits are always available at guild meeting to be sewn at home. Contact the coordinator for more information.
Activities: Just a reminder of our in-person sew-in on Saturday March 22nd. It will be held at St. Jude the Apostle Church in Lewes – 152 Tulip Drive Lewes. The time is 9 am to 1 pm.
Bring your sewing machine, accessories and sewing supplies. Kits are premade and simple to assemble. If you aren’t a stitcher, we can always use folks to help ready the lunch and do some ironing. Feel free to stop in on the 22nd to get a kit or two if you just want to make them at home.
Bring a Dish to share for the Pot Luck lunch. Hope to see you there.
If you can’t make this date and wish to sew at home, contact Daria Ewanik at dewanik@comcast.net or 908-285-6084 to arrange a time to pick up kits. (4728 Maritime Way, Lewes, DE. Questions – contact Pat DeVoll – pjdevoll@aol.com or 302-259-1022.
​
NEW REQUEST for the coming cold weather: The guild has been asked by the Milford Advocacy for the Homeless to sew lap size or twin sized quilts for its 3 Delaware shelters. We will provide the batting and backing for you! We currently have 7 quilt tops ready to be quilted., or you may use your own. A great opportunity to practice your quilting skills on your long arm (or domestic machine.) Please contact Pat DeVoll, pjdevoll@aol.com. or 302-259-1022 if you can help.
​​​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Donations needed: Fabric: Baby, Kid, Blenders 4.5” squares or larger. Backings – at least 1 ¼ yds x WOF
GUILD CONTACT: Pat DeVoll
THE GLADE QUILTERS
About us:
​
The Glade Quilters meet each Tuesday from 9 AM to 12 noon at the Glade Clubhouse to design, assemble, and sew quilts for babies, children, and adults. Its workshop includes cutting tables, sewing machines, and a fabric room. The Glade Quilters donates to the following organizations:
Bay Health Hospital in Milford and Dover
Sussex County Women's Shelter
Little Sisters of the Poor
The Baby Pantry (resource center)
Kody’s Kids Reading Group (started by Phillip Brown)
Cape Henlopen High School homeless students
YMCA (for the homeless of Rehoboth)
The Glade Quilters also provides quilts to several organizations which have fundraisers during the year, such as Stockings for Soldiers and Ducks Unlimited.
Activities:
We sent 25 scarves made of fleece to our Resource Center here in Rehoboth two weeks ago.
Terry Cassanelli
​
Donations needed: Baby Fabric
GUILD CONTACT: Terry Cassanelli
​
​
ANGEL GOWNS
Infant Burial Gowns
About Us:
Our guild members sew infant burial gowns from bridal dresses.
We have the patterns for the members to use. The need is
approximately 50 per year. The burial gowns are distributed to
Christiana Cares and A. I. DuPont Children's Hospital. Every year
there continues to be a need for infant Angel Gowns (burial gowns). Please consider sewing one (or more) of these gowns from a simple two-piece pattern. Any white fabric is suitable, and you may add trimmings as you wish. The families of the infants are most appreciative.
The project coordinator is Dr. Shelly Hopkins
​
Activities:
Received thank-you notes from Beebe Hospital and Project Sweet Peas for its recent donation of infant burial gowns. This was the first donation to Beebe. Melissa Sopko
Donations needed: Fabric: White; White Bias tape;
GUILD CONTACT: Melissa Sopko
Download the patterns:
Baby Burial Gown Basic Sewing Instructions
​
TEDDY BEARS (formerly FRIENDS OF THE FALLEN)
About us:
The seed for giving teddy bears started at the Dover Air Force Base Transfer Ceremony for children attending a fallen family member's return. It was felt they needed "something to hold." We have also found these teddy bears comfort children at hospital emergency rooms. We offer bears to first responders at all local police and fire departments. In addition, bears are given to children attending Operation SEAs the Day each September at Bethany Beach.
​
Teddy Bear pattern is in two parts as a PDF file, which you can access by clicking on its underlined name.
• Teddy Bear: Upper Body Pattern, Lower Body Pattern, Updated Instructions
​
Activities:
We thank Marcia Bonifas for her many dedicated years as head of the Teddy Bears, a project near and dear to her heart.
Donations needed: Fabric: Light denim, children’s print, patriotic prints- fat quarters or larger
GUILD CONTACT: Daria Ewanik
PILLOWCASES OF LOVE
​
About us:
Pillowcase kits, containing the necessary fabrics, are available at meetings. Members take the kits home, sew, and return at a future meeting. Some get together and make them, enjoying the community effort. Some raid their own stash! Once returned, the finished pillowcases are then laundered, ironed, labeled, and attractively packaged individually, and are ready to be given.
​
Activities:
Yearly total: 172 pillowcases This month, we delivered 60 pillowcases to Bayhealth. Sue Brittingham Reminder: Kits can be picked up, and completed pillowcases can be dropped off at Dreamweavers, located in the Midway Shopping Center in Rehoboth, any Saturday 10:00-1:00.
Sue Brittingham
We welcome donations of fabric that are width of fabric by any length 2" and over, preferably bright and cheerful. We hope for a wide range of colors and patterns so we can create pillowcases for all ages and genders - babies, kids, teen, women, and men.
​
Donations: No fabric needed for now.
GUILD CONTACT: Sue Brittingham
​
• Pillowcases of Love Instructions
​
​
​
