Thanks to quilters and a dedicated couple from the Tampa Bay area, Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office employees were recently able to distribute more than 100 quilts to local senior citizens impacted by Hurricane Michael. Inspire Quilting and Sewing in Plant City, Florida and the Piece-makers Quilt Guild of Brandon, Florida, together, donated the 100+ quilts and provided support for community outreach volunteers Guy and Jean Liedke, who drove the quilts up to Gadsden County in their personal van, all the way from their home in Tampa. The Leidkes also helped hand out quilts to local seniors. Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young said, “The Tampa Bay area has truly been a blessing as neighbors who care. We feel very passionately about our seniors; it’s in part our duty to always take care of our seniors.” Young added it was “so exciting” to see the smiles on recipients’ faces as the quilts were passed out. One of the quilt recipients, Laura Collins, said, “I just thank God for allowing all of them to do something for us. He didn’t have to do it, but God allowed them to do these things to help the seniors, and we appreciate them so much!”
Photos courtesy GCSO
- A local woman inspects her bag of goodies, handed to her by a Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office investigator.
- A local senior citizen cocoons herself in her new quilt, surrounded by Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office personnel, including Sheriff Morris Young himself (far right).
- A local woman smiles as she’s gifted a brand new quilt by a Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office investigator.
- Laura Collins and her granddaughter, Zoe, bundle up in quilts donated by Tampa Bay-area quilters. In all, more than 100 quilts were donated, all of them earmarked for senior hurricane victims in Gadsden County.
- Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young hands a local woman a donated quilt.
- Annie McMillan stays cozy and warm beneath her new quilt, donated – along with more than 100 others – by Tampa-area quilters and distributed to local senior citizens by the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office.