GILBERTSVILLE – The Gilbert Block Quilters (GBQ) started their club in January of 2000, and they’ve been impacting the communities of Chenango, Otsego, and Delaware counties, with their hand-crafted, quilted items every year. It’s their mission to use their talents to spread comfort and cheer to young and old, and they’ve had quite an impressive year! They made 70 quilts, and some have gone as far away as Afghanistan. They stitch for fun, but this community oriented group aims for the heart.

The Gilbert Block Quilters, with over thirty members, meet twice a month to work on projects, have a “show and tell,” and simply to enjoy each others company. In the winter months, they try to have their work meetings when the Baptist Church has their “soup ‘n sandwich” day to be supportive of the church group. Each year they raise funds for needed materials with volunteers participating in the annual Major’s Inn Quilt Show in Gilbertsville where they have a “boutique.”

In a staggering list of accomplishments, the talented GBQ women made a number of lap quilts for residents of the Chase Memorial Nursing Home in New Berlin; they made ten 9x12” quilts for the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative auction, raising $482 to be used for Alzheimer’s research; they made fleece “snugglies” (baby buntings) for newborns at Chenango Memorial Hospital; they donated quilts to the Crime Victim’s Advocacy of Delaware County (- Delaware and Otsego Counties Social Services); Ronald McDonald House; as well as making “snuggly pillows” for foster children (- Chenango/Delaware/Otsego Social Services).