VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - There's a certain sound you will hear every Tuesday morning at one church off Princess Anne Road in Virginia Beach - sewing machines humming along as a handful of women work on making quilts for a special cause.
Women like Erika Olson.
"I love it; it makes me so happy! It brings like, I don't know - a light into our week," she says.
Erika is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but you don't have to be a member to join in on these Tuesday quilt-making sessions. Neha Desai found out about this community service project online.
"We wanted to give back to the community, and we found Just Serve. We were searching online for something to do and found this and we're like, 'Let's give it a try.' We wanted to help children," Neha said.
This effort is just one of the projects of the Relief Society, a women's community service arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Donna Wright, who leads a local chapter of the Relief Society, says the quilts will stay in Hampton Roads and go to local fire departments, police stations, hospitals and will be given to children who are in a time of crisis.
"Like, the fire station would keep some in a box, and when they find children who are burned out of their home or somebody who needs comfort, then they pull them out," she explained.
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For those reasons, News 3 is presenting the Relief Society with a People Taking Action award, along with a $300 Visa gift card from our community partner, Southern Bank.
Donna was very appreciative and says the money will be used to buy more supplies to continue this mission of making quilts.
"They go to all ages - infants through teenagers. That just warms my heart because children need that - because a quilt is like a hug when you wrap it around yourself, and it's an object of comfort."
To learn more about Just Serve, click here.
To nominate someone for a People Taking Action Award, click here.
