On Saturday, Nov. 19, Christie's Quilting Boutique will present quilts to two World War ll veterans as the store partners with Connecticut's Quilts of Valor Foundation to honor servicemen and women. Norwalk Mayor, Harry Riling, his wife Lucia and other residents will be in attendance for the boutique’s third annual military event.
Quilts of Valor is a national program which provides keepsakes for military veterans. Christie's is one of three stores in Connecticut, and the only one in Fairfield County, to make quilts to present to retired servicemembers.
"Once I saw some of the quilt ceremonies that the Quilts of Valor put on, I immediately thought this is something we have to do," said Christie Ruiz, owner of Christie's Quilting Boutique. After sharing the idea with others, Ruiz was flooded with requests to help. "I instantly got so many people asking, 'What can I do?'"
It takes about 25 people to complete a quilt, as each person makes a block which is then sewn together. "Volunteers are absolutely critical to the quilting process," said Ruiz. Volunteers also provide financial and material donations. "The quilts that we're donating would normally cost 700 to 800 dollars," she said.
Ruiz has owned her Norwalk store since 2013 after operating exclusively online for 20 years.
In addition to Quilts of Valor, her boutique donates to five charities each year. In the past, she has worked with foster cares, nursing homes and the One Million Pillow Foundation for which Ruiz and volunteers made and donated over 500 pillowcases.
“Volunteering and quilting have been my two passions for as long as I can remember,” said Ruiz. “I am just so lucky that so many wonderful women share that passion.”
Christie's Quilting Boutique is currently accepting financial donations to help offset the cost of the quilts. To learn more about the Quilts of Valor Foundation, visit the Christie’s Quilting Boutique website.
Darien Rowayton Bank is proud to support Christie’s Quilting Boutique and Quilts of Valor.