Hazelbrook resident and Lower Blue Mountains Rotarian Sue Bell is the quilt queen of the Mountains and lives and breathes Rotary’s service above self motto.
She has just completed another of her personal aid programs – manufacturing and delivering quilts to needy families hard hit by bushfires.
A couple of weeks ago, Mrs Bell gathered her stockpile of 16 beautifully sewn quilts and, with her husband and fellow Rotarian Grahame, drove to the small town of Coolah in north western NSW – close to the Uarbry area recently devastated by the Sir Ivan fire.
After letting the local Rotarians know, she was able to pass the quilts on to Rotarians Barry and Lee Tait of Coolah who have agreed to seek out families who lost everything in the fires.
A Rotary spokesman confirmed this week that “four quilts have already been presented and contacts are being made for distribution of the entire shipment”.
Mrs Bell’s generosity and capacity for quilt production knows no limits. She has previously produced and delivered quilts to needy families after bushfire disasters in Victoria, Toowoomba and Coonabarabran; and has also produced dozens of quilts for Rotary and Girl Guide fund raisers, raffles and prizes.
And her good deeds are not confined to Rotary. Mrs Bell has completed many years as a Girl Guide leader and taken part in guide ‘missions’ to assist with education of guides in India.
With husband Grahame she has completed Rotary tours of duty to India to assist with vaccination of children against polio.
Quilting is a popular activity in the Mountains and on April 8 the district will play host to the 9th Airing of the Quilts.
The Caring Hearts Community Quilters, who regularly donate quilts to Mountains hospitals, women’s refuges, and Blue Mountains Cancer Support run the day to raise funds to provide quilts for the year ahead. The event is at The Arms of Australia Inn Museum, Emu Plains and costs $5. For more details about the event call 47352058.
The Caring Hearts Community Quilters gave quilts to 177 children who lost their homes in the Springwood fires and in 2009, sent 125 quilts to Kinglake West Public School, spokeswoman, Marg Collier, said.
