By Rosemary Dellinger
A caring heart and a compassion for others has led Dora Gunnoe to create homemade quilted throws for local residents in area nursing homes.
The Wapato homemaker began making quilts several months ago.
“I was looking for community service work,” Gunnoe said about searching for a project. “I wanted to do something for others in the community. I have been helped so much in my life, I wanted to give back. So I started praying and this blanket project began.”
Shortly after moving to the Wapato area in 1990, Gunnoe became ill. She was eventually diagnosed with cancer. Three sets of cancer treatments were unsuccessful and doctor’s finally determined she would be a good candidate for a bone marrow transplant.
“I was able to use my own marrow, which they took while I was in remission,” she said. After 17 years, Gunnoe is thankful she has remained cancer-free.
The generosity and caring she received as a newcomer to community has inspired her to “pay it forward,” helping others in need.
Gunnoe uses old blue jeans to piece together the inner quilt. She then sews recycled blankets or fabric for the outer edges before sewing the backing together to form the quilt.
The blankets are small, lap sized quilts, which make a perfect size for sitting in a chair.
“I used to work at a nursing home and I know the residents there can get cold just sitting around during the day,” she said. “I keep the blankets small and use light fabric so they are not too heavy.”
After a three-week quilting marathon, Gunnoe was able to present 26 lap quilts to residents at Emerald Care in Wapato on Grandparents Day, Sept. 13.
According to Gunnoe, once she has all the supplies gathered, she can make a quilt in a day. Gunnoe said making the quilts keeps her busy between caring for her husband and teenage son. Gunno is also a volunteer for the Wapato fire department.
Her husband, Bob and son, Willie both help with the quilting process by cutting and laying out the fabric at night.
“My ultimate goal is to make and donate lap quilts to residents at all the local facilities in the area,” she said.
Gunnoe doesn’t consider herself a quilting expert. Although she recently volunteered at the 2009 Central Washington State Fair in Yakima, she didn’t enter any quilting projects.
“I like making them, but I am not an expert,” she said, adding she recently gave a quilt to a friend as a gift with a hand-written card that read, “made with hands, coming from the heart.”
The only obstacle for Wapato’s “lap quilt lady” is finding enough jean fabric and sheets or blankets and additional materials for backing.
“I try and shop around at stores, but it gets expensive,” she said about the cost of creating quilts.
Gunnoe is looking for local residents who have used jeans or other lightweight fabric they would be willing to donate for the projects.
“I keep thinking there are people out there who may have these items just sitting around in their homes but don’t know what to do with them or they will just throw them away,” she said.
Anyone with clean, used jeans, light blankets or other fabric they would be willing to donate to the quilting project can contact Gunnoe at online at firefighter43sparky@gmail.com.