Life Skills quilts features schools, tractors

(Sentinel photo by Beverly Van Buskirk) Life Skills Foundation board member and quilt auction co-chair Denyse Meister holds a soft baby quilt donated by St. John Lutheran Church, Craig, and is surrounded by a Grandma's Flower Garden quilt made from fabric of the 1920s and '30s, constructed by Becky Wiersma and Della Brouillette, and a queen-size quilt in shades of blue by the St. John's Lutheran Church, Le Mars, quilting group. All will be on the 2 p.m. auction Saturday at Century Hall at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds. [Click to enlarge]

The auction will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Century Hall on the Plymouth County Fairgrounds.

More than 60 quilts, including pieced, appliquéd, embroidered, frayed, hand-quilted, machine-quilted and tied, all of various sizes, as well as crocheted afghans will be on the auction block.

The quilts are donated by individuals, groups and organizations from the area.

Proceeds from the auction benefit Life Skills Training Center and its mission to assist individuals with disabilities to achieve their highest level of independence and inclusion in their communities.

Life Skills is a non-profit vocational training facility for persons with disabilities, which serves 60 to 70 individuals from the area. The center operates a commercial laundry where client are taught job skills.

In the past 12 years, the auction has raised more than $66,000 for the organization.

The quilts are currently on display at First National Bank in Le Mars, and will be available for viewing one hour prior to the auction Saturday in Century Hall.

Denyse Meister, a member of the Life Skills Foundation board, serves as co-chair for the 2009 quilt auction.

Meister is a former Life Skills employee, who worked as the Adult Basic Education (ABE) instructor.

"This auction is an important part of our fundraising efforts," said Meister.

She also knows the importance of the volunteers who make and donate the quilts for the auction each year.

One example is her daughter, Megan, who for the second year has donated a quilt to the auction. She will be a freshman at Kingsley-Pierson High School this fall.

"It's a neat way to instill the spirit of volunteerism," said Meister of her daughter's efforts.

Becky Scheitler, Life Skills' public relation coordinator, expects some spirited bidding on two school throws for the Gehlen Catholic Jays and the Le Mars Community Schools Bulldogs.

"The residents at Park Place Estates donated a John Deere throw they made," Scheitler said.

The large throw would be perfect for a special farmer, she added.

A wall hanging, honoring the 2009 fair, also features a John Deere theme. Another quilt features the "Little Farmers" picture and is bordered in blue and red bandana colored fabric.

Two antique quilts, constructed with fabrics from the 1920s and '30s feature the handiwork of Becky Wiersma and Della Brouillette.

The quilts, in Grandma's Flower Garden and Dresden Plate patterns, were put together from fabric donated by an Alton area resident.

"Becky and Della brought new life to fabric, resulting in these two quilts," Scheitler said.

Scheitler also pointed out a cuddly pink baby quilt, with various textures, donated by St. John Lutheran Church at Craig.

The quilting group at St. John's Lutheran Church in Le Mars have donated a queen-sized quilt in shades of blue and white.

Another quilt offers inspiration with the a picture of the poem, "Footprints in the Sand" surrounded by dark blue fabric.

"We have a few new donors this year, along with our regular donors from years past," Scheitler said.

This year's auction has the largest number of quilts ever.

A special item on the auction is a quilt print framed by Joba's Happy Hang Ups.

"This print would be a great addition to a quilter's home," Scheitler said.

Scheitler hopes people will come out to the quilt auction and show their support.

"Quilts make excellent gifts for weddings, baby showers, graduations and other times," she said.