January 2018 Meeting Review

Happy (Belated) New Year! We have another exciting year of making and sharing quilts and making and sharing memories. Remember every day is precious - reach out and tell someone you love them!

Opportunity Quilt for Clean Water

This month was our annual yard sale and everyone was in for the bargains! For those who sold items, please make sure you give 10% of your proceeds to the Susan C. for the guild.

Angie N. shared with us a beautiful opportunity quilt she was selling tickets for to help provide clean water to a village in Uganda, Africa. Thanks Angie - we hope the project goes well!

The Guild also gave us all belated Christmas gifts - a super nifty project bag AND a combination flashlight and screwdriver set! How cool!


The January meeting is traditionally when we nominate the Raincross board and chairpersons. Our nominees for 2018 are:

• President - Jeri R.
• Vice President - Susan M.
• Treasurer - Susan C.
• Secretary - Andie B.
• Membership - Dawn M.
• Nancy's Nifty Notions - Nancy R.
• Mystery Box - Shelly N. (February), Rose B. (March), Tamy A. (April) [Contact Jeri or Stephanie to sign up for a month of your own!]
• Humane Society Quilts - Samantha N.
• Neonatal Quilts - Jeanne H. & Mary T.
• VA Quilts - Andie B.
• QoV Quilts - Susan C.
• Childhelp Quilts - Gloria H.
• Happy Bags - Dawn M.
• Survivor Bags - Sandy S.
• Threads of Love - Sharon C.
• Hospitality - Sandy S.
• Retreats - Barbara M.
• Web Mistress - Cassandra G.
• Block of the Month - Elly H.
• Challenges - Elly H.
• Door Prizes - Jeanne H., Chris K.
• Show and Share - Dorothy M. & Nancy F.

We'll vote in the board at the February meeting.

Elly H. introduced our last BOM of 2017 and announced the theme of 2018 - "disappearing"! We're looking forward to seeing our first block next month!

Elly also announced our first challenge for 2018 - the 50% Challenge! Time to dig out your UFOs or whatever projects you consider 50% done and get them ALL THE WAY done and bring them to the April meeting.




Gloria H. introduced us to a new charity project, making lap sized quilts for the Childhelp Merv Griffin Village in Beaumont. Childhelp is a national organization that provides 24/7 treatment of abused, neglected, and at-risk children of California. They are asking for quilts to give to the children so that they can have something that is theirs to keep and to hold. The sizes can range between 36" x 42" to 40" x 50". Gloria has quilt top kits or you can make your own or you can simply donate money to the organization. Let's help these poor neglected and abused children, like the Turpin family children, know that they are loved and begin to rebuild.

Barbara M. announced that we are still on track for our Spring Retreat at Vinya de Lesstonnac and the final total is $270. If you've already given Barbara $50 to hold your reservation, any remaining balance up to $220 is due at the April meeting.

Susan C. reminded us that the national Quilt of Valor Sew Day is coming up on Saturday, February 3rd and we'll be at a new location this year: Riverside Community College District, Office of Economic Development at 23555 Meyer Drive, Riverside (which is at the March Air Reserve Base). This is located on the corner of Riverside Drive and Meyer Drive, across from the church. There is easy parking in front of the building. We'll have a salad potluck lunch, so please bring salad fixings, sides, breakfast munchies, all day munchies - you get the idea! Raincross will be providing pizza and dessert - what a deal! Please remember to register for free at the Quilts of Valor Foundation for the event.

Dawn M. reported that our Happy Bag distribution at the Loma Linda Cancer Board was another resounding success and that we handed out over 300 Happy Bags - fantastic work everyone! Work has already begun on this year's Happy Bags: we'll have some Sew Days coming up this year and don't forget to keep collecting those free flashlights from Harbor Freight!

We are also sad to announced the passing of Sharon Diekman from leukemia on January 15th. Please keep her friends and family in your thoughts and prayers. Dina B. also broke her arm and could use some prayers and quick phone call to cheer her up.

At our February meeting, we will welcome "The Batting Lady"; she'll tell us all about batting and (I think) will have batting for sale. Let's stuff some quilts!

Door prizes

• Fat quarter packs - Jean H.
• Quilt bag patterns and fats - Vangie
• Lipstick needle case and precut quilt pattern - Jeri R.
• Charm pack and scissors - Shelly N.
• 2yd white fabric - Jason R.

- Cassandra G.