The Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library will host a colorful variety of displayed quilts by Kwiltz 4 Kidz from May 1-29. The library invites the community to stop by and admire the detailed craftsmanship of these beautiful pieces of art that share love and bring smiles to so many faces.

Eight years ago, Karen Keyes and Sue Burge blazed a trail that has expanded into a well-traveled road. A generous group of women, desiring to help others in need, met together to make fleece quilts. These quilts were sent to Project Linus, a national outreach program and others were sent to the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital.

Keyes, whose mother was a master quilter, offered a wonderful sewing space in her home to teach hand quilting. At that time, 8 to 10 women learned the basics of putting together squares, appliques, and how to sandwich together fabric squares with batting and backing. As the group continued to grow and produce quilts, a fitting name was chosen, Kwiltz 4 Kidz, and more of the group’s handmade gifts were given to children in crisis.

Today, with the addition of machine quilting design, training continues; quilts are being finished in shorter periods of time.

Kwiltz 4 Kidz makes seasonal place mats for St. Andrews Gregory Wing, the Boothbay Green and Wiscasset Green. Place mats, quilts and hand-sewn pillowcases are sent to Healthy Kids in Damariscotta for Christmas and dresses, tote bags and boy’s shorts are sewn for a village in Uganda.

Local missionary Nancy Van Dyke has made numerous trips to Uganda, to hand deliver suitcases filled with quilted gifts to village families.

The group is always watchful for children in need of a warm, snuggly hug by means of a quilt, but has expanded their outreach to include adults facing serious illness, families who have lost their homes to fire and other situations.

Donations of cotton fabric, batting and thread are always appreciated. To make a donation or find out more about the group, contact Karen Keyes at 207-633-2295.

The Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library is located at 4 Oak Street in Boothbay Harbor.