Eileen Goudge

Stitch it and they’ll come

I got an email the other day from a lady in Utah, who’d come up with a novel idea (no pun intended!) to raise money for a new library in her community. Here’s what Jo Garver wrote:
I am a member of a book club in Coalville, Utah; a small town in northeast Utah with a population of approximately 1400 people. We have been struggling for some time to raise funds for a new library.  I read a book by Jennifer Chiaverini, “The Sugar Camp Quilt” (my first historical novel). I’m not a history “buff” at all and this gave history a whole new meaning. Her main character made a quilt (with fellow quilters) with author’s signatures incorporated into the quilt and raffled it off to raise money for their library. This is what I plan to do. My first quilt square has been signed by Ms. Chiaverini.  I have asked for author recommendations and my mother-in-law recommended you (she initially "dragged" me to book club in the first place!). After researching your websites to find contact information and reading about you personally, I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed your "About Eileen" page. Your closing statement... “Yes, happy endings do exist, in life as well as in fiction. There's only one catch: You have to write them for yourself. I wish every one of you success in making your own dreams come true!" Well... my dream is to help the Library in a big way and would enjoy having you join in as another one of our favorite and well-known authors and have you sign a signature block for the quilt.

When I told Jo I thought it was a wonderful idea and that I’d be more than happy to oblige, she promptly sent me a block of fabric to sign along with a fabric pen. Here’s a photo of Jo holding up the signed square – her first one! I can’t wait to see a photo of the finished quilt.

I love it when folks come up with interesting and unique ways to raise money for a good cause. It’s a reminder that you don’t always need a bulging Rolodex or deep-pocket benefactors. A dream, some old-fashioned initiative, and a can-do attitude can take you far. In this case, Jo has all three. And what better cause than to raise money for a library? If it hadn’t been for the local public library in the community where I grew up, I’d be far less well-read and all the poorer for it. When we were kids, my sister and I would pedal our bikes down to the library on Saturdays and sometimes spend a whole morning or afternoon browsing the stacks. The trip home, uphill, with a bike basket full of books showed serious determination when it came to reading!

I smile now picturing someone curled under the library quilt, reading one of my books. How perfectly full-circle.

Read or make comments for this article

Post a new comment to this article

Nickname Your nickname: Empty field not allowed

Website or Email An URL or Email Address to contact you.

Verification Code Please write the numbers you see in the image

Comments are held for approval by the Admin

Pages: 1 - 0 comments

Eileen's Latest Articles

Look at all the boats

According to my mom, the first complete sentence I ever uttered, as a child, was as we were passing a harbor, and I said, “Look at all the boats!” So it was only fitting that I shoul...

July 30, 2010 | Read the story +

Footsteps in the Flour

My sister Karen sent me some family photos the other day. It brought a smile and brought back some priceless memories. I especially like the photo of my dad holding me when I was two month...

July 26, 2010 | Read the story +

Birthday Boy

If coming up with a gift suggestions for yourself is hard, trying figuring out what to get for the guy who has everything. Today is my husband Sandy’s birthday and I am breathing a sigh of...

July 23, 2010 | Read the story +

Boys and their cars

Boys and their cars… My husband is crazy about old cars. His dream is to someday own a ‘70’s Mercedes Pagoda. At night, his bedtime reading is old car magazines. ...

July 19, 2010 | Read the story +

One Last Dance

Oh, gosh, I remember when I was writing One Last Dance – that tickle of excitement that quickly builds when you think, “I’m on to something here.” The concept: On the eve...

July 16, 2010 | Read the story +

Latest Comments

valerie (Guest) said:


	"I aboslutely love your books!!! i have not read one yet I did not like!" on Everything but ....

Susan (Guest) said:


	"I feel the very same way. The three of us have never argued over who got what when my father d(...)" on The Little Red ....

Petula (Guest) said:


	"Fabulous post. I often think that "adopted" family members understand the meaning of unconditio(...)" on Families are li....

Redcurlz (Guest) said:


	"Just happened to pick up The Diary and you now have another fan for life! I was amazed with th(...)" on My brother Jim.