Sixteen years ago when the Bartlett Foundation was opening the doors of its new dorm facility for medical patients in Juneau, the Ripinsky Rippers made 30 quilts and wall hangings to give the place a local feel.
“We figured people who were staying there would want something to make them feel at home, from the area,” group member Becky Nash said.
A month ago, the group delivered another 13 quilts, to replace tattered ones. “They just kind of wore out over the years,” Nash said.
Many quilters participated in the project, including Juneau quilters, who donated three boxes of fabric, Nash said.
“I got a call they were working on a project, but when Becky showed up with those wonderful bags of color, I was just astounded,” Sheila Bradford, director of patient access services at Bartlett Regional Hospital, said last week. “The quilts just make our rooms warm and inviting.”
Bradford said about 70 percent of guests at Bartlett House are from Southeast. The residence, that has 13 beds, is open to all patients getting medical care in Juneau. “The Ripinsky Rippers have covered our guests in love and color again,” she said.