Retirement community shows quilts

Some date to 1930s, one from 1890

MOSES LAKE — Colorful quilts line the walls of Monroe House Retirement Commuinty in Moses Lake.

The quilts, submitted by members of the retirement community and some Monroe House staff, are on display for the public until Sunday. Some are made recently, others are treasures passed down within families.

A giant purple and blue elephant submitted by Alvarda Jorgensen dates back to 1979. A pink quilt Jorgensen had put on the wall, called Wedding Gift, dates back to 1935. The oldest, submitted by Lahoma Pittman, is from 1890. The creator is unknown.

In all, about 77 quilts decorate the hallways.

One particularly enthusiastic member of the community, Roberta Price, said one of her favorites is the wedding quilt. She also enjoys a quilt submitted by a member of the community who celebrated her 101st birthday Tuesday.

Administrator Linda Edwards said the quilt show, an annual event, is the second of its kind at Monroe House. Many residents have quilts from their parents or grandparents. It gives residents a chance to look forward to an event they hold themselves, rather than an event staff provided for them, Edwards said.

"They love talking to people about their things," she said.

The idea developed in 2005, when a group of residents from Monroe House decided to make a quilt together to benefit the Moses Lake Cancer Foundation. After the quilt was donated, an idea developed to display a quilt every three weeks on the wall of the facility. Members of the public showed an interest in seeing the quilts that were on display. The idea evolved further into an opportunity to display all the quilts at once.

"So many of them had beautiful quilts to show," Edwards said.