By Sue Moore
A beautiful, hand-stitched quilt is going to the lucky winner of a drawing that the Vicksburg Farmers’ Market volunteers are conducting during the month of September, according to Carol LaFrance, the market’s board president.
The quilt was donated by the Vicksburg Hearthside Quilters club that designed and stitched it in 1987 to be hung above the fireplace mantle in the original part of the Vicksburg library. Its colors are mauve, burgundy and navy blue against a white background. They matched the color scheme used in the library at that time, but after several paint jobs, it was returned to the club. The quilt measures about 45’ x 60’. Because of its dimensions, the quilt can be sued as a wall hanging, a lap quilt or on a toddler’s bed.
The market’s board of directors was casting around for extra dollars recently to build a storage shed near the new pavilion when the quilt came to mind as a possibility. Regina Richardson and Madeleine Fojtik checked with the club members and they decided to donate it to a good cause, LaFrance said. Other members of the club that had a hand in the stitching are Vicki Smith, Diana Girolami, Sue Dornbos, Rosemary Wood, Ruthie Dorrence, Diane Beaman, and Nancy Tigchon.
“We have had an outstanding season at the market with the new pavilion, lots of vendors, and a huge increase in customers. But there is no place to store our tables and chairs or any of the signs for the market. They are being transported to the site each week from the old location at Bobby’s. The ease of opening and closing the market each week would be helped immensely if we had a storage shed.”
The market is nonprofit and charges just $10 each week to its vendors or $100 for the year, thus there is not much left to build upon according to Stella Shearer, the co-manager. “It could take up to $4,000 or more to build a shed that meets the design approvals that we need,” she said. “We are so grateful to the quilters group for this donation and we are asking the public to help us fit this piece of the puzzle together as the market grows in importance to the community.”
Between 700 to 900 customers have been visiting the market each Friday, with an average of 33 vendors selling fresh, high quality produce and related products that promote good health. An average of $5,000 is spent at the market each week according to Maureen Wiertella, the market’s treasurer.
The drawing for the quilt will be on Friday, October 3, at the Farmers’ Market, with the winner presented with the quilt on the last day the market will be open, October 10. Tickets may be purchased at the market managers’ table at the entrance on market days for $3 per ticket or $5 for two tickets.