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April/May 2024 | maconmagazine.com 101 ABOVE LEFT A Carolyn Mendes quilt. ABOVE RIGHT Helen Anderson sits on a church pew, holding a quilt like those donated to the Methodist Children's Home. Made with love BLANKETS THAT COMFORT But the Spring show at the Methodist Home offers more than a chance for the public to view quilted artwork. This is also when members of the Heart of Georgia Quilting Guild donate quilts to the Methodist Home so every child that comes there can receive one of their own. A tradition established by Steve Rumford, Methodist Home CEO from 1984 – 2013, the quilts provide love and warmth to the children who are, at that moment, apart from their families. "I believe this is the best way for the president of The Methodist Home to meet the children for the first time," said Steve. "I always had six or seven quilts in my office. When I met a child for the first time, I would say to them, 'Before you ever came to The Methodist Home, somebody thought enough of you to make you a quilt. Each quilt is special just like you are, and each quilt is unique just like you are. The only difference is the quilts are handmade, and you are God made. This quilt is yours now to put on your bed and yours to keep when you leave.'" Last year, the Heart of Georgia Quilting Guild donated 35 quilts to the Methodist Home. They are among a force of quilting groups and individuals throughout Central Georgia who prioritize this part of their work. In total, roughly 75 quilts are donated to The Methodist Home annually to be given to children who pass through their doors. With locations in Macon, Americus, Columbus, Valdosta, and St. Mary's, children across Central and South Georgia are receiving a hand-crafted covering of love from our community. "A quilt is something to keep you warm when it's cold," said Helen. "It can make you feel good when things are bad. When a kid is brought into the Methodist Home, they are able to pick out a quilt of their own." As a group, the Guild is deeply committed to sharing its quilts in this way. This passion is also evident on an individual level. For B.J. and Ansley, it is what drew them to join the Heart of Georgia Quilting Guild. "It's something that is theirs, it belongs to them," B.J. said. "Quilts are often about passing it on. Making them is a labor of love; a lot of time goes into it. The quilts we donate are about covering a human in hand-made love." "A quilt can give someone comfort when they might not have a lot of comfort," Ansley agreed. While today, the outpouring of local support for the Methodist Home in the form of quilts is undeniable, the idea seemed ambitious at first. When Steve first brought the idea to The Methodist Home, there was speculation that there wouldn't be enough quilts to sustain the initiative. "The response at large from everyone was, 'Nobody quilts in South Georgia anymore.' So, I agreed we would not give a child a quilt until we had enough for each child and enough in storage. In less than six months we had enough. We then laid out all the quilts we had on the back of the pews in our chapel. Each child picked out their quilt, beginning with the child who had been there the longest. "When I met a child for the first time, I would say to them, 'Before you ever came to The Methodist Home, somebody thought enough of you to make you a quilt. '"