Carol Wagner, Leader Correspondent
Photo by Carol Wagner Ali Moede, a student at Olga Brener Intermediate School, holds her miniquilt while other kids work on theirs. The miniquilts will be displayed on Main Street in Shawano and then auctioned off on Sept. 24 to benefit three nonprofit organizations.
Main Street in Shawano will be a lot more colorful in September when 60 miniquilts grace downtown light poles.
Shawano Pathways member Matty Mathison came up with the idea to benefit three nonprofit organizations: SAM25, the Boys and Girls Club, and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Many people used their talents to paint the 12-by-12-inch quilts that will displayed before the annual Bike the Barn Quilts event on Sept. 24.
“I am very excited about what a good job everyone did,” Mathison said. “People will see quilts they didn’t expect to see.”
Students, 4-H members, literacy council students and several adults used their creative and painting skills to make the quilts.
Ali Moede, the daughter of Kim and Dustin Moede and a student at Olga Brener Intermediate School, looked online for ideas and decided on a checkerboard pattern.
“It takes longer than you think,” she said. “I learned patience.”
The miniquilts will be placed on light poles on Main Street around Sept. 1. People who walk or run the new 5K or 10K run/walks along the park-to-park loops during Bike the Barn Quilts will get a close look at them.
The quilts can be purchased for $100 after Sept. 24. Sealed bids also will be accepted, and there will be a live auction at Memorial Park at noon Sept. 24.
“We’re just trying to find different ways to support local organizations,“ Mathison said.
For information, call Mathison at 715-304-9796 or go to shawanopathways.org.