West Coast quilters back at work after relief sale

Mennonite Central Committee
Friday, 20 April 2001

REEDLEY, Calif. -- On the first weekday after their annual relief sale, West Coast Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) volunteers were back at work. From left, Irma Toews, Lu Klassen and Vi Fast stitch a quilt for next year's sale. As quilts are finished, they are displayed in the West Coast office's "museum." Tourists are invited to see the quilts and learn about MCC history.

Proceeds from the West Coast Mennonite Relief Sale and Auction, held April 6 to 7 on the campus of Fresno Pacific University, were down somewhat from last year, probably because of rainy weather. The quilt auction raised $104,600 Cdn./$68,000 U.S., with a Baltimore Album design bringing $5,400 Cdn./$3,500 U.S. The total sale weekend brought in $307,700 Cdn./$200,000 U.S. for MCC's relief and development work around the world.

A long-standing tradition in Mennonite circles, quilts are also becoming a way to connect diverse groups of women, many of them recent immigrants. Newcomers to the sale this year were women from El Faro Mennonite Brethren Church in Reedley. Their quilt, which sold for $1,000 Cdn./$675 U.S., was created as the multi-generational group grew in friendship and reached out to others. "More than producing quilts or comforters, our main goal is to touch people's lives," said Pauline Aguilar, West Coast MCC quilting coordinator.

For more information, or to contact Mennonite Central Committee, see their website at: www.mcc.org