Parish News

Quilters celebrate two decades of heartfelt giving

Four of the six founding members of the Russell Friends of Victoria's Quilts were present on Feb.22. Left to right: Mona Saunders, Anne Mains, Christine Lang and Lorraine Comeau.
Four of the six founding members of the Russell Friends of Victoria's Quilts were present on Feb.22. Left to right: Mona Saunders, Anne Mains, Christine Lang and Lorraine Comeau. Photo: Carol Goddard
By Carol Goddard

The Russell Friends of Victoria’s Quilts Canada (RFVQC) celebrated their 20th anniversary with a celebratory luncheon on Feb. 22 in the hall of St. Mary’s Anglican Church in Russell.  Victoria’s Quilts Canada provides quilts to people affected by cancer.

The RFVQC was started by Anne Mains who joined a craft club soon after moving to Russell.  After learning about Victoria’s Quilts Canada, Mains and five other women decided to transform the craft club into a quilting club. Over the years the group have created approximately 3,500 quilts, which have been provided to people affected by cancer both locally and across the country.

The RFVQC are an outreach ministry of St. Mary’s Anglican Church, with the women gathering each Friday to create the quilts, which are blessed at a service at St. Mary’s before they are sent.

The quilters were joined by Russell Township Councillor Lisa Deacon and Lucie Doré, vice-president of the National Board of Victoria’s Quilt and Chair of the Ottawa Branch of Victoria’s Quilts Canada, who both praised the work done by the group.

A PowerPoint presentation of the highlights over the groups 20 years was followed by the sharing of a specially decorated cake and the opportunity for more socializing.

Anne Mains, founder and president of the Russell Friends of Victoria Quilts, provides an overview of the past 20 years of the organization during the celebratory luncheon.
Anne Mains, founder and president of the Russell Friends of Victoria Quilts, provides an overview of the past 20 years of the organization during the celebratory luncheon. Photo: Carol Goddard
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