Quilts donated to Afghan refugees. Image courtesy: Ann Chrudinsky / Wausau Salvation Army
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — The Salvation Army staff in Wausau has been busy this Friday processing more than 1,000 quilts that have been donated for Afghan refugees staying at Ft. McCoy.
Some of the quilts have come from as far away as the Green Bay area, and all have been made unique by customers of quilting shops from across Central and Northeastern Wisconsin.
“Customers from quilting stores made and then donated more than 1,000 quilts to be distributed,” said Ann Chrudinsky, development director with the Salvation Army in Wausau. She adds that each one has its own uniqueness to it. “They are whatever the customer designed, [they] put them together then donated them back to the stores.”
She says the quilts were sent on to local churches across both regions, then picked up by a father-daughter team who then brought them to Wausau.
Those who donated the quilts said they could also be given to locals in need, but Churdinsky says they do currently have enough supplies for those in the Wausau area. “We are OK with that right now, we have other generous donations we can use for that. So the quilts that are being donated through this effort will all be donated to Fort McCoy.”
Chrudinsky adds that the quilts are being brought through the Wausau Salvation Army post because their staff is best equipped to handle such a large donation.
The Wausau Salvation Army has been named one of the regional hubs for donations to those staying at Fort McCoy. Chrudinsky says they’ve already taken truckloads of diapers and clothing to the base.
RELATED: Wausau Salvation Army Accepting Donations for Afghan Refugees
The biggest needs right now remain new clothing items, especially winter clothing. Cash donations are also appreciated because those can be used to purchase any goods that are needed to fill in the gaps for the refugees.
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