Group helps visitors at warming center

By Taylor Hale

A group of local ladies has been helping keep those in need stay warm.

The Rosholt Lutheran Church Faithful Knotters donated 10 handmade quilts to Evergreen Community Initiatives during the week of Oct. 19.

Norma Anderson said that the quilts each take hours to complete and are crafted with love.

“The group started many, many years ago at our Faith Lutheran Church in Rosholt. Some ladies got together and decided they were going to make quilts. After a time, some of the members would retire or pass on, and other ladies would take over until it came to us,” Anderson said.

The group decided to donate the spare quilts after their church shut its doors due to COVID-19 earlier this year. Before the pandemic, the group would make yearly donations to World Relief, a Christian-based humanitarian service.

“We decided, because of everything going on to give locally,” Anderson said.

Anderson reached out to Mayor Mike Wiza about where she could donate the quilts. Wiza got Anderson in touch with the local warming shelter.

Evergreen Community Initiatives Director Tiffani Krueger said the quilts came at a perfect time, adding that the seasonal warming shelter opened its doors to the public for the first time this year on Oct. 25.

“The quilts are unique. We don’t get much like this. We really appreciate them. There is a lot of time and care put into them, and our clients really appreciate them,” Krueger said.

Anderson noted that all 10 of the Faithful Knotters put their heart, soul and faith into each quilt. The group members that helped create the 10 include: Dorothy Knopp, Lois Thorp, Julie Firkus, Betty Sadogierski, Kate O’Connor, Helen Hetchler, Phyllis Landowski, Darlene Knitter, and Karen Ellsworth.

The group is not currently meeting in person, but Anderson hopes she and her girls can get back to doing what they love in the near future.

“It’s just something that we feel in our hearts that we want to do,” Anderson said.

To learn more about Evergreen Community Initiatives, visit www.wisconsineci.org.