Wrapping up the 2015 Challenge year!!

   My name is Kathy Kent and  since coming to Quilter’s Dream Batting, I have been the one to log in each and every quilt that we receive for the Hope and Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).  I am a hand quilter and have truly developed a love and appreciation for machine quilting.   The beauty in the stitches is incredible.   I never knew machine quilts were so gorgeous.   So much more goes in to making the quilts than you could ever imagine:  choosing the fabric, pattern, backing and the batting.  It is truly a gift of love.

Being a quilter myself, you can imagine my excitement when receiving quilts every day by mail!    These quilts are stitched with love in memory of a treasured one or simply just because. Whether machine quilted, hand quilted, tied, large or small, each quilt is unique and special.   My job is to open the packages, photograph each quilt, thank their owner then display the quilt on Facebook.  I then separate the quilts to either be distributed to ALS patients all over the country for comfort or set them aside to be sold with 100% of the proceeds going towards ALS research! 

Sometimes we get a little overloaded with quilts, the table behind my desk is piled high with quilts. 

 Quilters are so generous with their time and passion. We receive quilts from guilds, shops, individuals, professional quilters etc. Did you know that you could be a winner of fabulous prizes including Quilters Dream Batting, fabrics, notions and books by simply donating one quilt? The photo below explains each category and prizes that could be won. 

  

Click HERE to see exactly what our generous sponsors have donated!

The pictures and letters of ‘thank you’ we receive from PALS (patients with ALS), are so heartwarming. Truly touched by your quilts, these patients are so grateful for the gift of love that they receive!  

Teri received her quilt from the DC/MD/VA ALS Chapter

                                               

Bill was thrilled to receive his special quilt which will keep him nice & cozy in his favorite chair. 

Janet from Clenton, MS sent this pic along with a thank you note. She says it makes her feel so  warm :)

    

We will soon begin wrapping up the 2015 Hopes and Dreams Challenge. 

Please keep in mind quilts or creative items MUST be postmarked no later than July 31, 2015. Anything dated after that will be entered into the 2016 year challenge. 

We are still hoping to get many more quilts to pass along to our PALS.  Surpassing last year’s total would be wonderful.  

Thank you in advance for all of your donations and your generosity!!!   Hope to see your quilts in my office soon.    We love our quilters!

Kathy Kent
Hopes and Dreams Coordinator 

Petition for GM6 drug that could help ALS patients.

The drug company, Genervon, a small biotech,  is doing the unheard of in ALS.  In early February, Genervon, is going to meet with the FDA to ask for accelerated approval for its drug, GM6,  for ALS.    This trial drug was tested on 8 ALS patients and it has helped, slowed or stopped their ALS progression!   PLUS, a ventilator patient (like Josh) who has had ALS for 9 years, took the low trial dose of GM6 --- and it has helped him with breathing, speech and swallowing!    We need your help (again)! There is an important petition on Change.org requesting Congress to support us in asking the FDA to approve this drug NOW.     It is very important to get the maximum number of signatures for maximum impact to influence and achieve drug acceleration and approval.   I am asking that you please take a moment to sign this Change.org petition asap (see below)-- and forward this to your contacts and share on your Facebook page - asking for as many signatures as possible. Also...please consider submitting  a request directly to the FDA (link below). This drug could possibly help Josh and all of our friends currently living with ALS.   If GM6 receives accelerated approval - it's the only drug close to having a chance of helping Josh and today's ALS patients.  Without accelerated approval of GM6 - today's ALS patients do not have any medication options to help them. How you can make a difference: 1. Go to https://www.change.org/p/food-and-drug-administration-preliminary-approval- of-genervon-gm6-for-use-in-als and sign the petition asking the FDA for conditional approval of GM6. 2. Go to http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/email/cder/comment.cfm and submit a comment to the FDA supporting conditional approval of Genervon GM6 for people with diagnosed ALS. 3. Write your congressperson and senator asking them to urge the FDA to grant conditional approval. 4. Share this post on every social media you use. This message needs to go viral. Thank you so much (again),   Kathy Thompson

States are finally putting the Right To Try law in effect.

The "Right To Try" law allows terminally ill patients to obtain experimental drugs without getting federal approval. 

The Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS was started by Quilters Dream Batting owner, Kathy Thompson in efforts to raise awareness and funds for this awful disease. Kathy's son, Josh was diagnosed with ALS in 2007. After many promises from the FDA and much time spent working to get the necessary treatments, Josh was denied access to a possibly life saving medicine, crippling this young man's ability to live and hindering his quality of life. 

In the video below, Kathy shares her story. 

However, there may be a bright side for patients suffering from terminally ill diseases. 

So far, five states including Colorado and Louisiana have jumped on board and put the Right To Try law in effect! 

Goldwater Institute's  Senior political advisor, Lucy Caldwell, interviews with Fox News about how this law could save many lives. 

Like most things, this law has caused debates and controversy. What's your take? Hope your state passes the law if it already hasn't? Leave us a comment. 

Sending quilts to ALS patients around the country.

One of the many rewarding parts of the Hopes & Dreams Challenge is sending quilts so generously donated to ALS Association chapters across the country. From there, those chapters will hand deliver the quilts to ALS patients (PALS).  Yesterday, we shipped 617 quilts totaling 67 boxes!! There are still a few more ALS chapters we are waiting to hear back from so that technically isn't the grand total. But who is really counting, right? The fact that one single quilt can bring joy and comfort to someone battling such a terrible disease is more than just numbers. 


Prior to shipping, one of our #battgirls here in the office, Neva, spent the day touching base with the ALS Association chapters to get an idea of how many quilts they needed. The response was great. Take a look at the warehouse with boxes of quilts piled up before and after!  Although we sent out 617 quilts, we could have used at least 500 more to cover all the requests we had from the ALS Association chapters! 

Ivanka and Kathy double checking each box before giving the "go" to ship.

Almost finished! Just keep sorting. Just keep sorting. 

Included in the boxes, was a letter from Kathy Thompson to each ALS chapter: 

On behalf of Quilters Dream Batting and the Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS, we are pleased to send you these quilts to share with your PALS. Each quilt was handcrafted with love from quilters across the country who have given their time and talents to bring warmth to the laps and lives of individuals diagnosed with ALS.

As the co-founder and owner of Quilters Dream Batting, a Virginia Beach based business that manufactures high quality quilt batting, I knew just how generous and caring the quilt community would be. What I didn't know was how willing these quilters were to embrace the challenge and not only touch my life, but those living with ALS, including my son.

The Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS was created in 2009, when I decided to raise awareness and research funds to help find a cure for ALS. In 2007, my now 40 year old son Josh, was diagnosed with ALS. The disease has taken Josh from a strong, happy, athletic young husband and father to being completely paralyzed. He is currently on life support.

This annual challenge has been an incredible success over the years and has received thousands of quilts! More than 4000 quilts have been given to PALS through ALS chapters across the U.S. More than $80,000 has been raised through the sale of select quilts donated to the challenge and 100% of the proceeds have been given in the form of grants to support ALS research.

We appreciate your chapter distributing these quilts to your PALS. Many quilters have attached stories with their quilts- others did not. We encourage you or your PALS to contact the quilter as most are anxious to learn who received their quilt.

We are hopeful that the gift of these quilts will let PALS know that there are many people who care and they are surrounded by love and concern.

Thank you for all that you do.

 Sincerely,

 Kathy Thompson (mother of Josh Thompson)



With the holidays just around the corner, consider the gift of a quilt to a family member or friend and help find a cure for ALS. 

Select donated quilts can be purchased by visiting our Storenvy shop and stopping into Richard Stravitz's art gallery located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Because Quilters Dream Batting takes care of all Hopes & Dreams expenses, 100% of the money received from quilt sales will go towards ALS research.

Are you a quilter and wish to donate a quilt? Head over to the Hopes & Dreams website for more information. There are plenty of categories you can enter and chances to win fabulous prizes from our generous sponsors. Click HERE to see what 2015 prizes have already been sent in!

A big thanks to the staff at Quilters Dream Batting, who worked hard moving and shipping all those boxes yesterday! It was an exhausting effort, but filled with great joy and excitement for those patients who will receive a quilt.

We'd also like to say thank you to EVERYONE who participated in the 2013-2014 challenge! Without your quilt donations and our generous sponsors, we wouldn't have had such a rewarding day! 

Ice Bucket Challenge

Why is everyone dumping buckets of ice water over their heads you ask?

If you've been living under a rock for the past few weeks, lets catch you up to speed on the latest viral sensation that's getting out of hand...in the very BEST way!

It all began when Massachusetts resident Pete Frates, 29,  who's been living with ALS since 2012 and his family  came up with the idea. The challenge involves people getting doused with buckets of ice water on video, posting that video to social media, then nominating others to do the same, all in an effort to raise ALS awareness. Those who refuse to take the challenge are asked to make a donation of at least $100 to the ALS charity of their choice.

People all over, even celebrities such as the Kennedy's, Justin Timberlake, and NFL football teams have accepted the #icebucketchallenge. And since we are determined to find a cure and raise awareness for this awful disease, of course we took the challenge as well!

Those brave enough to get drenched on this sunny warm Friday (thank goodness, could you imagine this during the winter?) came prepared with bags of towels and extra clothes to change into afterwards. I even think I saw a hairdryer in the bathroom haha.

Buckets of all sizes, NONE too small were filled with ice and water to the rim! They were placed under the trees out front of Quilters Dream Batting Headquarters as 7 thrill seekers waited for a chill. Kathy Thompson, owner of QDB, decided it would be fun to "nominate/challenge" other batting companies. You will have to watch the video to see who she will choose.

Soooooo COLD!!!!!!!!!!!

Sharon

Jane

Jason

Kathy K.

Gina

Neva

How could we leave out the boss?? Kathy Thompson

We couldn't be happier to be soaking wet amongst many others in the hopes to find a cure and raise awareness for ALS! 

We hope to come across your video in the social media world. 

Dr. Feldman Univ of Michigan

Three Weeks Left in the 2014 Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS

24!

That's how many days remain in the 2014 Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS!  While this year's challenge ends July 31st, there is still plenty of time to send in a quilt and have a chance at winning some fabulous prizes from our wonderful Sponsors.

Presenting Sponsors ($2,500+)

[Click on each logo to visit their website]

Quilters Dream Batting
589 Central Drive
Virginia Beach, VA  23454
(888) 268-8664

J.N. Harpers is a fourth generation business in Canada that distributes fabrics ranging from fine apparel, exquisite Italian shirtings, a full range of interfacings, as well as a full compliment of products for the quilting industry - batiks, cotton prints, excellent basics and batting.

J.N. Harper Co.
8335 Devonshire Road
Town of Mount Royal, Quebec H4P 2L1
Canada

Grand Sponsors ($1,000+)

[Click on each logo to visit their webpage]

 

Dragon Threads
490 Tucker Drive
Worthington, OH 43085
(614) 841-9388

Forever in Stitches
120 N. Main Street
Bluffton, OH 45817
(866) 434-7552

hang it dang it
Innovative Solutions
692 Roger Canyon Road
Laramie, WY 82072
(307) 760-5279

Judy Martin Books
Crosley-Griffith Publishing Company, Inc.
P.O. Box 512
Grinnell, IA 50112
(641) 236-4854

Minick & Simpson
1528 Miller Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI  48103
(734) 665-8334

Mistyfuse
Attached, Inc.
Brooklyn, NY
(631) 750-8500

Quilters' Gift Shop
2506 Robinson Street
Colorado Springs, CO  80904
(719) 635-0968

Straight Stitch Society
35 Meadow Street, Studio 316
Brooklyn, NY  11206
(347) 422-0970

The Warm Company
5529 186th Place SW
Lynnwood, WA 98037
(800) 234-9276

The Wooden Bear
1685 McBride Ridge Court
Winterest, IA  50273
(866) 927-8458

Golden Ruler Sponsors($500)

[Click on each logo to visit their webpage]

Angela Walters
Quilting is my Therapy
AngelaWaltersquilting@gmail.com

Swirly Girls
info@swirlygirlsdesign.com

 

All generous quilters who donate a quilt will be entered into a general drawing to win great prizes, including Quilters Dream Batting, books, patterns, fabric, notions and more valued at $1,000.

All quilts must be postmarked by July 31, 2014. Quilts received after this date will automatically be entered into next years challenge.

THANK YOU!  For the gift of your time, talents and quilts that are helping us bring HOPE to our DREAMS of a CURE for ALS!

Meet Linda Teufel of Dragon Threads - $1,000 Grand Sponsor of Hopes & Dreams

Say hello to Linda Teufel.

Linda Tuefel owner of Dragon Threads.

Linda has owned and operated Dragon Threads Textile Art Books since 1994.

Linda is also the author of two books, KOOS couture & collage and Quilting Party! Group Quilting for Celbration, Commemoration, and Charity.

Linda loves helping others, whether introducing them to a new idea or twist on a traditional art form, or inspiring someone to make quilts that are donated to others.  She believes in Hopes & Dreams and became a Grand Sponsor the very first year of the challenge in 2009.

When we asked Linda why she continues to support Hopes & Dreams by donating $1,000 in books as prizes each year, she said, "My best friend's mother has ALS and went through it and my Aunt had it, too.  I didn't watch my Aunt go through the daily struggles with this disease, but I saw her from time to time and it's pretty disturbing up close.  My best friends mother was in her body, but couldn't come out having lost all muscle movement.  They got her a machine to help her communicate and then took her to Germany to try testing.  It was very sad. Donating the books is a little thing to do.  It's not finding a cure, but it is something."

Yes, Linda - it is a big something!  If you will, take a moment and click here and tell Linda "Thanks!" for continuing to support the Hopes & Dreams Quilt Challenge for ALS as a Grand Sponsor.