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Each student who completes our program is eligible to receive a “release kit” which includes a used sewing machine, cutting mat, rotary cutter, miscellaneous sewing tools, along with fabric and instructions to make a quilt. We recently received a thank-you note from Michele L., who received a release kit when she left Coffee Creek Correctional Facility. Here’s an excerpt from Michele’s note: I was released in June of 2011 and I went to live with my parents. I have just recently gotten my own place and the first thing I did was set up a room so I could begin quilting again. I would like Deb to know that the time I spent quilting with her at Coffee Creek was the only time I felt like myself when I was there. Upon my release, she gave me a bag filled with quilting supplies, fabric, instructions, a cutting mat, cutter, and various other sewing supplies. What a generous gift!! I so appreciate it and with those supplies, I was able to start quilting again. Thank you, Thank you! I also want Deb to know that my granddaughter really liked the heart quilt I made her while at Coffee Creek. I still do not get to see her very often but it makes me feel good that I was able to take something beautiful from my time at Coffee Creek and give it to her. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to feel like a worthwhile human being.

Kids attending a special summer camp for grieving children will receive quilts made by CCQ members. We made the quilts for Camp Erin, where young people learn to cope with the loss of a loved one. Camp Erin is a national program funded by the Moyer Foundation. Camps are held in 18 cities throughout the country and open to children between the ages of 6 and 17. The camp is free for kids; funding comes from the Moyer Foundation and local groups. Oregon’s Camp Erin is administered by the Providence Foundation and takes place this year at Camp Kuratli in Boring, OR, August 16-18.

A group of quilters from St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Gladstone have been Coffee Creek Quilters supporters for several years. They collect money in a “coffee can for Coffee Creek” and send the proceeds to us for our Sponsor a Quilter initiative. These quilters heard about our fundraiser at A Place To Be Cafe on Sunday, August 4th, and decided to come for lunch to support us. We appreciate their generosity!

Quilts crafted by women incarcerated at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility will be on display throughout the month of August at The Place To Be Cafe (P2B) in Canby. Quilts made by CCQ instructors will also be exhibited and offered for sale as part of our fundraising. P2B is dedicating Sunday August 4th as a special fundraising event for Coffee Creek Quilters. On that day, P2B will donate 25% of sales to CCQ. P2B’s menu includes coffee roasted by Portland’s Water Avenue Coffee, tea, bubble tea, cold beverages, delicious panini sandwiches made to order, soup, salads, and lovely pastry items. The cafe will be open to all on August 4th from 11 am to 3 pm. The CCQ exhibit is part of The Place To Be Cafe’s Mission Possible initiative to support local nonprofits. The Cafe is located at 190 NW 2nd Ave, Canby. It’s open Monday to Thursday, 7 am to 7 pm; Friday, 7 am to 9 pm; Saturday, 8 am to 4 pm; and Sunday 11 am to 3 pm. For additional information about The Place To Be Cafe, visit their Facebook page and their website.

Montavilla Sewing Centers has been a generous supporter of the Coffee Creek Quilters program for the past few years, servicing the Janome sewing machines we use in our classes for a special low price. Montavilla also services the donation machines we give our students when they’re released from prison. Several CCQ members showed our appreciation on a recent Friday by bringing a lunch to share with Montavilla owner Brett Moore and his staff. In addition to Janome, Montavilla sells Viking, Pfaff, Baby Lock and Singer sewing machines and sergers at four locations in the Portland area. They also offer repair and maintenance services, classes for kids and adults, and workshops to improve sewing and quilting skills. For more information about Montavilla’s products and services, please visit their website.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tggmlSJQ_YU&feature=em-upload_owner&rel=0&modestbranding=1 Coffee Creek Quilters is featured in this video produced by TheQuiltShow.com, a web-based “TV show” from Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims. It was filmed last August at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility by a TQS film crew and includes interviews with CCQ past president Mary Ann McCammon and several of our students in the Tuesday morning class. It was produced to run as part of TQS episode #1205 which features landscape quilter Sue Rasmussen. We thank TheQuiltShow.com for their generosity in creating this video about our program and granting permission for us to include it on our website.