by Lisa Bourgeault
“Thanks!” I said when someone handed me a pin that said SVMQG 5, soon after I joined the guild in 2019. At the time, I didn’t make much of our guild being 5 years old, and I didn’t think anything more about it (except that I liked the pin).
Now I get it: taking a quilt guild from conception to reality takes a lot of work. First, a few visionary people join forces to start something new. All those people have to fulfill important organizational roles and recruit more members. Over time, many people put a lot of work into making the guild run and be fun, educational, and welcoming. I realize now why 5 years was an important milestone. By then we had 75 members, monthly meetings, one retreat each year, and quarterly classes.
Fast forward another 5 years and we have an established guild of about 160 members with an organizational structure that supports a huge number of activities, including our biannual quilt show and several retreats a year. Our 10th anniversary is another significant milestone, worthy of another pin and a big party.
When I say big party, I mean BIG party. Several people exclaimed that they hadn’t been to a real party in years. This absolutely was a real party to remember–a joyful and colorful celebration.
Balloons and decor in guild colors greeted about 40 attendees. Several of our guild’s community quilts hung around the room. Amazing centerpieces with tiers of colorful cupcakes tempted me, but once I was close enough I could see they were made of fat quarters! People loved choosing the cupcake they wanted to take home as each one was different.
We filled a time capsule with memorabilia like a 10th anniversary T-shirt, an activity passport circa 2019, award ribbons from 2021, and lots of items from past retreats. We’ll open the capsule at our 20th anniversary.
Many people took photos with creative sewing props like a huge spool of thread, a tiny sewing machine, and fun signs.
We raffled off “Hello World,” our group quilt made in 2019 for the 2020 QuiltCon Community Quilt Challenge. We raised $415 to be donated to Girls Who Code.
We exchanged pincushions, bought $5 grab bags with lots of goodies inside, and played a party game. Show and tell (not just quilts–we saw bags, a vest, and even tennis shoes) rounded out the activities.
We also got a sneak peek at the quilt we’ll be raffling off at PIQF in July.
Of course, we ate. Potluck dishes completely covered two long tables and a dessert table, which featured a mango mousse birthday cake with the guild logo on it.
Best of all, we chatted with new friends and old, and we savored the feeling of being surrounded by like-minded people.
Three cheers for party planner Jacquie R. and her committee: Kathleen C., Darla G., and Cristin G. They were helped by a big crew of set-up and tear-down volunteers.
Our virtual 10th anniversary party happens in September 2024–rumor has it that we’ll have guild trivia, door prizes, and lots of fun. Don’t miss it!
Note: if you’d like a 10-year anniversary pin, they are still available at the store.
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