Airedale Rescue Quilting Bee: Airedales Around Town Arrives at It's New Home!

"Airedales Around Town" has arrived at it's new home with Marcia Hogsed. Marcia was kind enough to share her thoughts and photos of the quilt's arrival.

Hi Lori,

I wanted to let you know that the quilt arrived this afternoon and it is magnificent! You were right, it is so much more impressive in person. The thought and work that went into making this beautiful quilt is truly amazing. What a talented group! Every stitch is perfect - even the back is simply gorgeous! Each time I look at it I see something new. I don't think I can adequately express how lucky and honored I feel to have this quilt in my home. I love the stitching along the side - "It Takes a Village to Raise an Airedale".

Thank you for the careful and thoughtful packing - it traveled beautifully.

I have attached a few photos. I had hoped that Walter, Wilma and Sid would pose with me and the quilt as I unfolded it but I'm sure you know how that turned out. Since it wasn't their idea - not a chance. I ended up with quilt spread across me and they played bitey face behind me. My husband did volunteer to hold the quilt in the last photo so all of it can be seen.

Thank you again, I still can't believe I won!

Yes Lori, please share with the Bee! I want each of them to know how much I love the quilt. I've enjoyed reading the bios as I study each block. I've read them before but it's so much more personal when you have the quilt in front of you. What a labor of love this was! I can't help but smile every time I look at it.

Marcia

Marcia and friend checking out the quilt

Giving it a good sniff

Marcia's smile says it all

A very happy winner!

A full view of the quilt in it's new home!

Why the Last Quilt?

For the last few years, it has become increasingly harder to find volunteers to run/manage the Bee. The steering committee has done all it can, but is retiring. We want to be very clear, it is not a financial issue for the volunteers of the Bee, it is a lack of dependable people stepping up to manage and participate in the behind-the-scenes running of the fundraiser. Currently, there are NO plans to continue any managerial portion of the Bee or to create additional quilts.

The steering committee has taken on all the managerial aspects of what is literally running a small business. Each and every one of us has devoted endless hours and money to making this a successful fundraiser for NAR. Running the Bee consists of many tasks and this is by no means a complete list: finding artists, finding block makers, finding quilters, deciding on themes, preparing block packets, coordinating timelines, finding a professional photographer, securing ticket printing/ purchasing, obtaining raffle license, selling tickets (donations), having a presence at MCKC, having a blog and/or website to promote the quilt, obtaining rescue stories and photos for marketing, acquiring donations for prizes, and ‘nagging’ members to complete their jobs in a timely fashion. Many times the steering committee has had to step in and do a job at the last minute because of the lack of volunteers or follow-through.

It has been a great 17 year run for the Quilting Bee, as the largest fundraiser for NAR. We know many Airedales have been supported through this effort.

Incentive Winners

"Aire Leaps Through the Seasons" - Charles Jones, III - GA
"Table Runn-Aire" - Helena Epstein, NY
"Dive Bombing Swallows" - Lynn Mathers, WA
"Straw Hat Girl" - Cathy Gaidos, KS
"Leap Y'Aire" - Donna Cardamone, OH
#9-5 Martha Calligan, OH
#9-4 Barbara Bonfield, CA
#9-3 Judith Luckett, TX
#9-2 Lisa Panno
#9-1 Ann Cosgrove, VA
$25,000 Milestone - Patty Eisenbraun, MI
$20,000 Milestone - Judy Luckett, TX
#8-5 Sharon Rafferty, CO
#8-4 Cindy Trimble, FL
#8-3 Caroline Thibodeau, CA
#8-2 Heidi Klaus, Freehold, NJ
#8-1 Nancie Secher, CA
#7-5 Dean Incopero, IL
#7-4 Sandra Swanson, NY
#7-3 Virginia Slowik, NY
#7-2 Barbara Morrison, WV
#7-1 Katherine Appleton, PA
$16,000 Milestone - Dina Rabanal, NM
#6-5 Lisa Hedman, WA
#6-4 Marcia L. Smith, NY
#6-3 Nancy Wagner-Hislip, NJ
#6-2 Linda McVey, British Columbia
#6-1 Donna Couch Jones, AZ
#5-5 Nancy Tripp - MA
#5-4 Denise Seis, IN
#5-3 George Core - AZ
#5-2 Patty Eisenbraun, MI
#5-1 Elisa Burnsed, GA
#4-4 Christine Votel Sheffer, NY
#4-3 Wendy Hodgson, Australia
#4-2 Pam Vandergrift
#4-1 Susan Winnett, Australia
$10,000 Milestone - Paul Pistell, MD
#3-4 New England Airedale Rescue, CT
#3-3 Ginger Robinson, VA
#3-2 Jean Naragdao, OR
#3-1 New England Airedale Rescue, CT
#2-4 Nora Davidson, TX
#2-3 Pat Bently, AZ
#2-2 Robert Haney, NJ
#2-1 Frances Murphy, AZ
$5,000 Milestone - Ruth Ellen Hill, TX
#1-4 Barbara Bonfield, CA
#1-3 Debbie Butler, KS
#1-2 Carole Evans, IN
#1-1 Leah Bokovitz, OH

Explaining the National Airedale Quilting Bee

Every year since 1999, a group of dedicated quilters and Airedale lovers has gathered in cyberspace to create a very down-to-Earth work of art as a fundraiser for National Airedale Rescue (NAR), the 501c3 corporation which is the Official Treasury of the Airedale Terrier Club of America Rescue & Adoption (ATCA R/A) Committee. Almost all of the materials and every one of the hundreds of hours of labor are volunteered, so that the proceeds of the fundraiser go 100% to NAR.

The donations are in increments and each donation you make (online or by check) will make you eligible for the main quilt and/or one of four bonus wall hangings. The donation structure is set up as follows: for each $5 donation you make, you will receive one entry for the main quilt; for each $25 donation increment you make, you will receive 5 entries for the main quilt and 1 bonus wall hanging entry. For example, if you donate $50, you receive 10 main quilt entries and 2 bonus entries, and so on.

Airedales Around Town Arrives at It's New Home!

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