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Quilter 'keeps busy' with project
5/9/2008 | Today's Georgetown Times Online Edition
Published on 3/27/2008
Written by Meredith Carter
"It keeps me out of trouble," she said with a laugh. "Plus, I get to feed my fabric addiction!"
Trouble-making and fabric addictions aside, there's another reason Vinik, a member of Temple Beth Elohim in Georgetown, has kept quilting: She has started making quilts to donate to Dr. Paul Hletko, a local pediatrician, who gives them to his young patients and their families.
The project started with one small quilt in May 2007. Since then, Vinik, with help from temple members Sheila Borash and Carrol Sallas, has made 116 quilts. The number grows larger every week, she said. Vinik presented Jana Hletko, Dr. Paul Hletko's wife, with the 100th quilt recently at temple services.
Jana Hletko, who accepted the 100th quilt, said she hopes everyone will appreciate Vinik's efforts.
"This is not about Georgetown Pediatrics or Paul (Hletko), it's about these babies," she said. "Annette is giving these babies beautiful handmade things they can keep."
For Vinik, a 15-year quilter and fabric collector, the project offers a way to give back to the community.
"Tzedakah, or giving, is a very important part of being Jewish. A gift of a quilt to wrap a baby in is precious to these families," Vinik said. "I've been told that Paul regularly sees these same patients come for an appointment with their quilt in tow. I think this project will continue for as long as I and others can keep on sewing!"
The project, Vinik added, has grown to include the temple's board of directors and the congregation as well. The board set up a quilt fund that temple members donate to, and Vinik uses the money to purchase fabric, thread and batting. (Each quilt, she estimated, costs between $6 and $8 to make.) So far, Vinik has collected over $250 with the "Quilts for Kids" fund, and she held a drawing recently for a quilt to raise more money.
According to Vinik, the quilting project allows her to combine her passion for quilting with giving back.
"I've been quilting for about 15 years and feel it's a form of therapy. It's a great creative outlet, and the project allows me to do something I enjoy and give pleasure to someone else."
How it started
The idea for the "Quilts for Kids" project, Vinik said, came to her last May. Newly retired, she and her husband, Gene, found themselves with more time on their hands -- and Vinik wasn't quite sure how to pass that time.
"When we retired, my husband took on a lot of the everyday household duties that had been mine for over 20 years," she said. "Our kids were out on their own, so I had no more PTA, Little League, Girl Scouts, taxi-mom, etc. duties. Suddenly, I had empty hours to fill."
So Vinik came up with the idea to make child-sized quilts and give them to Dr. Hletko, who in turn would pass on the creations to his patients. She contacted Jana Hletko and discovered there was a greater need than she'd expected.
"I made the first quilt in May 2007 and took it to Jana and Paul," Vinik explained. "That's when she told me they could use 30 a month -- a quilt every day! I told her I'd do what I could."
Soon, Vinik realized she'd depleted her "fabric stash" and the project was becoming more costly. So she approached the board to set up the "Quilts for Kids" fund.
Vinik said she finishes about three quilts a week. The time it takes to create each quilt varies, she said, according to what pattern she chooses to use. She has a simple pattern of long strips of different fabrics that goes together "very quickly" and a more involved pattern that takes longer. Vinik also uses preprinted panels, which are whole quilt tops ready to be quilted and finished.
Two other temple members have volunteered to help with the sewing, and Vinik said she hopes more and more people will get involved.
"The four of us should be able to produce many more quilts," she said. "I'm hoping that the project will continue to grow."
About Temple Beth Elohim
According to its Web site, www.templebethelohim.net, the temple, a Reform Jewish temple, was founded in 1904 when Jews in Georgetown formed Temple Beth Elohim, a sister temple to Charleston's Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim.
Temple Beth Elohim is located at 230 Screven St. in Georgetown. Visit the Web site or send an e-mail to templebethelohim@gmail.com for more information.
