Previous Volunteer of the Year Award Winners

2018 winner – Shirley MacFadden-Geiger

Shirley MacFadden-Geiger receiving the award from Debbie Isaac

This year we would like to recognize Shirley for her outstanding work with the guild.  After serving on the Executive Board of this guild for many years, Shirley’s “get er done” attitude did not switch off.  This year she stepped up as registrar for the Quilt Show and worked with a team of volunteers to ensure that our quilts were well taken care of.  Shirley also offered to organize our first shop hop.  She,  along with 21 other happy shoppers, travelled to Brockville and Kingston on a successful and fun filled trip according to feedback.  Shirley has further offered to put together another outing in the fall.

Many of us have attended Sew Days or Retreats where you can be certain that Shirley is always willing to offer a helping hand.  She continues to be the caretaker of the Accuquilt Go Cutter, ordering dies based on members requests.  Shirley even brought a group of Girl Guides to a  Sew Day to  make a Canada 150 Quilt for Ronald McDonald House.

I’ve been told that Shirley has been an active volunteer with the Girl Guides of Canada for over 30 years and also a volunteer in her church organizing raffles and bake sales to raise funds.  When Shirley escapes the city for cottage life she is also a member of the board of directors for the beach association.  That actually sounds like a group of friends hanging around a campfire having a glass of wine or beer.  Lol

All this being said, busy people always find time to volunteer and we are truly blessed to have Shirley share her time with us.

2017 winner – Gwenne Beck-Pottier

Gwenne Beck-Pottier (left) receiving award from Tammy Davis.

Gwenne, has, without being asked, undertaken a leadership role in the production of quilts for the CQA’s “Canada’s Big Quilt Bee”.  The CQA has committed to making one thousand quilts for Ronald McDonald Houses across Canada.  In turn, the CTQG membership undertook to support this important cause.

Gwenne has quilted 48 quilts made by CTQG members during the past several months.  She has also collected orphan blocks and, together with her friends and family, turned these blocks into quilts that will go to Ronald McDonald House families that are suffering unimaginable hardships.  In total, Gwenne has quilted 71 quilts for The Big Quilt Bee.

Gwenne has donated her own time and thread, solicited the CQA and others to donate batting and backing fabric, and used her own long-arm machine to quilt beautiful, creative quilts for those in need.  Gwenne has been an inspiring example of what one quilter can accomplish.  Knowing that Gwenne is committed to quilting all of our Guild’s Ronald McDonald House quilts has encouraged others to produce more and more quilts.

One of the primary purposes of the CTQG is to use quilting to respond to the needs of the community.  Gwenne’s leadership, dedication and sheer hard work has ensured that our Guild will make a contribution to the CQA initiative well beyond what one would expect of a guild our size.  The Ronald McDonald House quilts will go to families that have taken up long-term residence in their homes across the country.  These quilts will not only provide physical comfort to sick children and their families, but will also send the important message that there is a community of quilters that cares.