By Sara Hanson-Andreu, Volunteer Coordinator
You’ve probably noticed that behind our reception desk always hangs a beautiful quilt. Those quilts don’t just magically appear…they arrive via one of our hidden heroes, Mary Anne Spada. Mary Anne has been leading the West Seattle Quilter’s Group as a volunteer for 16 years.
The Quilters Group, which meets at the Senior Center twice per month, has about 45 members who live by two rules: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you and NO drama! Every year they choose a different focus, and this year’s is ‘Sewing for the community.’ They have been working on preemie quilts, burp cloths, quilts for children, catheter covers and quilts for nursing homes and hospice—100 quilts will be donated to Madigan Army Medical Center when they are complete.
The group welcomes all different skill levels, and they enjoy ‘show and tell’ where they can share their own projects. They also host a Quilters Retreat at the Senior Center where they work—and have fun—all weekend together.
Mary Anne takes pride in making the group cohesive and inclusive. “The group really inspires, motivates and supports one another,” she says. “Not just in quilting, but in life. We support each other in so many ways.”
Mary Anne grew up in Snohomish and moved to West Seattle 35 years ago. She taught middle and high school home economics and math. Her passion for quilting led her to become a sales rep in the fabric industry. Mary Anne has two sons who live in Seattle. When she’s not quilting, she enjoys working in her garden, traveling and giving quilts to her family and friends. “My family is still appreciative of getting quilts!” she says.
In September, the group will host a quilters showcase at the Senior Center with a chance to see more of these quilters’ fantastic work. We want to thank Mary Anne for her many hours devoted to this group and for making the Senior Center a more beautiful place!