SHELBURNE — With more than four million people fleeing Ukraine, a Shelburne resident and business manager are tapping into artistic and musical talents to raise money for refugees and medical care in the country.
“I just felt like, well, what can I do? I know how to quilt, so that’s what I did,” local quilter Jody Stetson said.
Stetson is accepting bids on a 49-by-67-inch quilt that she created in response to the invasion of Ukraine in February. Meanwhile, The Blue Rock Restaurant and Bar is gearing up for a Sunday concert to raise money for World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit that provides meals in the wake of humanitarian crises.
Stetson’s quilt is made from blue, yellow and sunflower material, a reference to Ukraine’s national flower, and is stitched with the words “we stand together for freedom” and a quote from Joshua 1:9.
“They’re all very one of a kind,” she said of her quilts. “I usually try something different every time because I do it for my own enjoyment.”
An on-and-off quilter since 1970, Stetson sells her work to raise money for the Salvation Army, Samaritan’s Purse, Hope Force International and Relay For Life. During the early months of the pandemic, Stetson raised $450 for charity through a Mother’s Day quilt show and hosted weekly, drive-by viewings of her quilts at her home in Shelburne throughout June 2021.
“It’s gone into an almost obsession,” she said. “I just love it.”
Stetson will take bids on her Ukraine quilt until April 10, and the proceeds will be donated to an emergency field hospital in the outskirts of Lviv, Ukraine. The highest bidder, Stetson said, will get first pick of a variety of her quilts, and the second and third highest bidders will follow.
The highest bid for a quilt so far stands at $350, she said.
Residents can view the Ukraine quilt at The Optician, located at 27 Bridge St., and can place a bid by calling Stetson at 413-625-6138.
Meanwhile, the Blue Rock Restaurant and Bar is gearing up for a concert at the restaurant on Sunday to raise money for World Central Kitchen, which provides meals in the wake of humanitarian crises.
“They’re on the ground running, and they go straight to the central location,” manager Holly Sonntag said. “Because we’re a restaurant, that’s who we chose.”
There is a suggested donation of $10 to attend the concert, to be held from 2 to 5 p.m. The restaurant will host Rise Up Productions and other performers for an afternoon of “freedom songs” in solidarity with Ukraine.
The Blue Rock also began selling a specialty “we support Ukraine” cocktail in support of World Central Kitchen at the start of the invasion.
“I hope people know that it’s very important to unite during times of crisis,” Sonntag said. “I feel like this is a turning point for humanity. … You have to go through every avenue you can.”
The concert requires no reservation, but Sonntag suggests calling ahead at 413-625-8133.