At the Vashon Island Quilt Guild’s monthly meeting last Tuesday, six members displayed the quilts they have created for charitable organizations from local hospitals and island nonprofits to those helping members of the military overseas and girls in third-world

countries.

While all of the quilters are members of the guild, the charitable quilt work is done individually, on each member’s own time and at their own expense. Quilt guild member Andrea Avni, who makes quilts for Vashon’s DOVE Project and Vashon Youth & Family Services, as well as an organization that provides baby boxes to Syrian refugees overseas, said quilts bring comfort.

“They bring warmth and healing to those who get them and those who make them,” she said.

Quilter Edee Eggert agreed and said her group of quilters, which sends quilts to Seattle Children’s Hospital, is prolific. Her group sends roughly 200 quilts to the hospital per year, of which she makes at least 50.

Marie “Toodie” Blichfeldt is part of another prolific charity quilt group. She and a group of other islanders meet at Vashon Lutheran Church and send anywhere between 200 and 300 quilts every year to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

Turning the lens to international causes, quilter Margaret Bickel showcased her quilts for American Hero — a national organization and network of quilters who make quilts for wounded military personnel. The organization recently sent 100 quilts to Qatar.

Meanwhile, Cindy Sheehan has started a new project with the organization Days for Girls, which provides reusable feminine hygiene products for girls in third-world countries.

“A lot of these girls are shunned from society when they get their periods, which is ridiculous,” she said. “These things can help them go about their lives normally.”