This week I talked with Marlene Lucas of the Sun City chartered group Friendship Quilters and Fabric Artists. The club is located at the Bell Recreation Center, in the Arts and Crafts building.

The group was formed in 2003 and the women love to sew and quilt. Membership is only $10 a year and the Friendship Quilters are a very friendly social group with an emphasis on quilting. Lucas is one of the co-chairs of the Charity Committee, along with Donna England and Peggy Morphew. Lucas and England are very passionate and knowledgeable about quilting.

The last Saturday of each month is designated as “Charity Day,” where members first get together in the club room for coffee and donuts; they also bring their lunch for this day of quilting. It’s usually from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and it’s a beehive of activity. Everyone’s talking, laughing, sewing, sharing ideas and working together. They sew the quilt tops, pin batting and backing together on the large work table while others are busy quilting. I spent just a few hours with England and I learned a lot! I even got some handouts for my reference book.

This year, a total of 69 quilts have been made by members for different charities. One is Family Support Resources, Inc. in Phoenix. On Aug. 2, Lucas presented 25 beautiful quilts to Micalah Green, with the organization. England also delivered 30 quilts in May to Family Support Resources. These quilts were made by generous members of Friendship Quilters and there are baby quilts, child quilts and teen quilts. The quilts are meant to be a comfort for the abused or neglected children in the care of Family Support Resources. That organization helps approximately 350 children each year, from infants to eighteen years old. The children are in foster care or get adopted, and they may take their quilts when they leave the care of Family Support Resources.

Other charities that the Friendship Quilters have donated quilts to this year include the DOVES Program’ Area Agency on Aging in Phoenix and Immanuel Campus of Care’s independent living, assisted living, rehabilitation, memory care, etc.

In previous years, the Friendship Quilters has donated to veterans, Hospice care, mothers with infants, the homeless and the International Children’s Surgical Foundation.

All Friendship Quilters charity quilts are made from fabric donated to the club and members are very grateful for the donations. They buy the batting that goes between the quilt top and the backing, then the members finish off the quilts themselves.  eceiving fabric allows them to continue this “labor of love” for Charity Quilts are given to recognized 501c3 charities. It is the Friendship Quilters’s way of giving back to the community through shelters, disadvantaged children, Hospice of the Valley and more.

A big thank you to Lucas, England and members of the Friendship Quilters for all the work you do on beautiful quilts for charities. I was so happy to see that big pile of colorful quilts you had worked on: baby quilts, little boy train quilts, little girl bunny quilts and other gorgeous quilts with so much color detail and design for teens and adults. Thank you for all you do.