On Thursday May 22, the Alba-United Methodist Church Ladies Sewing Ministry donated 163 quilts to the Shriners. This is the largest batch of donation quilts they've made since their startup in 2006, according to Dawn Craig, member of Alba-United Methodist Church Ladies Sewing Ministry.

The quilts were picked up by Temple Holt of the Shriners in Tyler during a celebration lunch and ceremony. The day was made "extra special" by the appearance of Hallie Sundberg, one of the original founders of the group, and her husband Grover, Craig said.

During the luncheon, the quilts were displayed in the church sanctuary so that all could view the colorful and creative results of the last year's hard work. These quilts will eventually be distributed to patients at the Galveston Shriners Hospital for Children.

The Ladies Sewing Ministry was founded in 2006 by Hallie Sundburg and Louise Hill. Using donated fabrics, they made lap quilts, bibs, walker caddies, chemo caps, and small pillows. Their first donation was made to the Green Acres Nursing Home in Emory. The nursing home received over 200 items in two visits from the Ladies. The first donation to the Shriners was 80 quilts in May of 2009. Each year since then, the quilts have been donated to the Shriners hospital.

The group makes use of donated fabric for the quilts and holds a sale once a year at the Alba Country Fair. During the fair, the group sells quilts and other items to raise money for batting and other necessary supplies. Usually they have a special quilt to be given away in a drawing. Tickets for the quilt drawing are sold in advance and up to the moment when the drawing is held.

The ladies meet on Thursdays at the Methodist Church in Alba, located at170 E Holley St. Everyone pitches in by sewing quilt tops, attaching binding, cutting fabric, or pinning the quilt tops together to prepare them for quilting.

All interested parties are welcome to come on in and sew, or just visit and take a look at the quilts that have been created so far. The current "regulars" of the group are: Mary Lou Jones, Mary Jane Clements, Wynell Nichol, Louise Hill, Sherry Carter, Dawn Craig, Carol Foster, June Hubbard, Ruth Johnson, Ardeth McCall, Nancy Schrimsher, Peggy Sollee, Tena Ny, Sue Johnson and Barbara Brown .

If you would like to make a donation to the Ladies Sewing Ministry, contact Mary Lou Jones (903 765-2776) , Mary Jane Clements (903 474-4039) or Louise Hill (903 765-3101). The ladies can make good use of cotton fabric, batting and other sewing supplies. Any monetary donations will be used for these supplies.