More than 400 quilts will be sent to Poland for displaced Ukrainian children. InkFreeNews photos by Liz Shepherd.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — More than 400 quilts are being sent from Warsaw to the country of Poland for Ukrainian children displaced as a result of Russia’s invasion.

Members of Warsaw’s Liberty Sewing Circle, who sew quilts for area veterans and made thousands of masks at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, partnered with the North Central Indiana American Sewing Guild to make and collect quilts for Ukrainian children.

Various organizations and people donated quilts and money to the cause, including First Christian Church, Warsaw; Sew Sisters, Fort Wayne; Kindred Hearts, Fort Wayne; The Red Hat Society; and Kosciusko County Senior Services’ Women’s Euchre Club. One group from Fort Wayne made 43 yellow fleece scarves, which will also be sent to refugees.

New Life Christian Church and World Outreach’s Pastor John B. Lowe II recently traveled to Poland to help Ukrainian refugees. Marsha Huffman, Warsaw Liberty Sewing Circle’s president, said the idea first began in mid-March, while Lowe was in Poland at the time.

Warsaw’s Liberty Sewing Circle group, which sews at both New Life Christian Church and World Outreach and the Kosciusko County Senior Center, set a goal to collect 350 quilts. That goal was exceeded, with 470 quilts collected.

“When we first started getting the quilts, we took everything out to look at them,” said Liberty Sewing Circle Member Cookie Hartman about quilts being donated. “‘Look at how cute this one is! Oh look!’ But now, it’s like ‘Oh, we have so many!'”

The “Wrapped in Love” quilts will be prayed over during New Life Christian Church and World Outreach’s second service on Sunday, May 15. After that, the quilts will be sent to World Compassion Network, which will handle shipping them to Poland.

Huffman, Hartman, and Liberty Sewing Circle Member Juanita Campbell said they’re indebted to both New Life Christian Church and World Outreach and Kosciusko County Senior Services for allowing them to use their facilities for their sewing work.

“We appreciate everyone who made quilts or donated money or materials,” said Huffman.

From left, are Warsaw Liberty Sewing Circle Members Juanita Campbell and Cookie Hartman and Liberty Sewing Circle President Marsha Huffman. Alongside them are some of the quilts prior to being laid out in New Life Christian Church and World Outreach’s sanctuary.

Two dolls wrapped in quilts will also be sent to Poland. A note in one of the quilts reads, “A little quilt for your dolly. Someone in Fort Wayne, Indiana, is praying for you.”