Community River Arts Inc secretary and treasurer Fiona Hackett said the group members were discussing ways they could help families who lost everything in the January fire.
“We thought, ‘What can we do from a community perspective to help these people who have lost absolutely everything?’”she said.
“Acknowledging that the weather is changing and everybody needs an extra blanket during the colder months, we thought this was one way we could provide support within our little community.”
Instead of making traditional quilts, the group is creating “rag quilts” using squares of different fabrics sewn together.
“In the middle of some of those squares we’re going to add little heart shapes as a way to let them know we’re thinking of them and, in a community sense, that our hearts go out to them,” Ms Hackett said.
“We’re using fleecy sheets so that we can get them nice and warm and thick.”
Ms Hackett said they hoped to have the quilts completed by mid to late June.
“We’re meeting every week until we’ve got to a stage where we’re ready to sew, and then we might have people take them home and do some sewing,” she said.
“We’ll organise a time when the people affected can come and collect the quilts, and we can do a bit of an afternoon tea for them.”
The project has also focused on reusing and recycling materials, with volunteers sourcing fabrics and sheets from op shops across the region.
“We’ve been op shopping in Cobram, Barooga, Tocumwal and Shepparton, buying what, we think, is good quality to make the quilts thick enough,” Ms Hackett said.
Community River Arts Inc currently has eight volunteers helping make the quilts and is encouraging more people to get involved.
Anyone interested in helping can message the ‘Community River Arts Inc’ Facebook page.
