‘Quilts for Kids’: A Colorado family donates more than 175 quilts to kids at Children’s Hospital
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)-- A Colorado family is continuing their four-year-long tradition of creating quilts for little ones this holiday season.
The mother-daughter duo creates quilts for kids who are at Children's Hospital and donates them just in time for the holidays. Originally, both Bonnie and Kristin would donate their quilts to Pennsylvania as part of the 'Quilts for Kids Headquarters.'
But in 2019 they decided to keep the blankets in Colorado Springs following the creation of a new Children's Hospital.
"So that we could keep our quilts local and bless the children in our community without having to send them to headquarters in Pennsylvania," said Kristin Alexander, one of the quilt makers.
During the first year, both Bonnie and Kristin Alexander donated 46 quilts to Children's Hospital. In 2020, their number was 52 and by 2021 they hit 91 quilts. This year the number is more than doubling hitting a record of almost 200 quilts to give to kids at Children's Hospital.
" And so the quilts actually go onto the children's beds so that when they're emitted they have their own quilt, they get to keep them for the duration of their stay and then when they are sent home to recover, they get to take their quilt with them," added Kristin.
Although the process of making these quilts is time-consuming, they say the reaction from the kids makes it all worth it.
"The other part of why we are doing this is when you go to the hospital whether you're a child or an adult it's just scary, and if we can a leave their fear a little bit by giving them something to hold on to… that's what we are doing," said Bonnie.
They credit their success to others who have now joined in to help make the quilts.
"We have increased our base astronomically it has gone from just a few quilters here to quilters as far south as Canon City, as far north as Broomfield and Parker, and all of these people are sewing," said Bonnie.
In a statement leaders from the Colorado Springs Children's Hospital also mentioned they are thankful for the continuous donations from the mother and daughter duo.
“We are so grateful for our community who continues to support us, especially this time of year when we are in need of blanket donations. It really makes a difference for the comfort of kiddos at Children’s Colorado.”
For those who would like to be a part of the cause you can visit their Facebook page Colorado Springs Quilts for Kids or email them at ColoradoSpringsfk@quiltsforkids.org
