This quilt drive is a combined effort of the Pajaro Valley Quilt Association (PVQA) and the Santa Cruz County Emergency Operations Center (EOC). This massive fire destroyed 925 homes and damaged 90 homes in our county. Fire survivors are suffering from total loss of homes and tangible heritage, as well emotional trauma. The quilts, which survivors choose, will provide comfort, and help fill an emotional void in their lives.
A story about the CZU Lightning Fire quilt donation aired on KSQD radio – 90.7 on August 17th and 18th produced by Kyle Baker. Kyle, a UCSC student, came to a quilt give-away and interviewed people coordinating the events (Helen, Barbara, and Lori), people who were receiving quilts, and people volunteering. Kyle produced the story about the quilt give-away that was aired on NPR on the Kitchen Sisters radio program. Kyle had no history of quilts, how they were made, time involved, materials, and so forth. He became quite impressed with our effort to track down and distribute quilts to those affected by the CZU Lightning Fires and was impressed by the people who showed up to collect quilts. He has succeeded in getting this story out.
Helen Klee, Lori Camner, Barbara Lockwood
Replay the program here to hear about this year-long quilt giveaway project:
(audio file to be included here soon)
Kyle Baker is a Santa Cruz based documentary filmmaker with his MFA in Social Documentation from UC Santa Cruz.
We started the fire quilt quilt drive at the end of September 2020. Since then, we have collected over 1,400 quilts!!! We have received quilts from all over the United States and quite a few from our local quilt guilds. We have had many Give Away Events so far.
If you know of anyone who has lost a home in the CZU Lightning Complex Fire, please have them contact czulightningfirequilts@gmail.com or go directly to the CZU Lightning Fire Quilt Request Form by clicking the link below:
CZU Lightning Fire Quilt Request Form
If you wish to send a flyer to a fire survivor, you can find that flyer by clicking on the link below:
One of our survivors wrote to us after receiving his quilts:
I was able to go select 2 beautiful handmade quilts at the Live Oak Grange a few weeks ago. I don’t know why it was this event that touched me so deeply. There have been so many instances of generosity and support that I have experienced since losing my house in the August wildfires. I think it must have been walking into that room full of quilts, all made with loving care by people I do not even know. I have made many quilts in my life, my gramma made quilts. I know what a labor of love making a quilt is. The part that amazed me was that those works of art were freely given to a complete stranger. I really was overcome by the whole event and left with tears in my eyes.
I am so very grateful to have been a recipient of 2 amazing quilts. And I thank you for making this possible and hope you will pass on my thanks to all of the wonderful craftspeople involved in bringing these joyful creations to my family. T.S.
Please check this website for project updates or the Facebook Group: CZU Lightning Fire Quilts.
If you have any question, please email czulightningfirequilts@gmail.com