15 WINTER TEXAN TIMES www.wintertexantimes.com MARCH 27, 2024 TRANSPORT • Sales & Installations • Vinyl Skirting & Tie Downs • Custom Steps made of Wood & Metal • Door & Windows • Plumbing & Electric • Used Mobile Homes Sales Financing Available petecotransport@gmail.com Ph: (956) 787-2847 or (956) 787-0413 We Buy Mobile Homes 2911 N Cesar Chavez Rd. San Juan, TX 78589 Family Owned & Operated Over 30 Years Supply &Hardware Mobile Home Special Orders Available Ask about our daily Manager Specials! PETECO, INC. 2911 N. Cesar Chavez Rd. San Juan, TX 78589 956-787-2847 petecotransport@gmail.com We Do Tie-Down Certification SAVE 10% OFF Your Entire Purchase When You Bring In This Ad *Conditions apply, see store for details. Offer expires March 31, 2024. found herself with several quilts after a park charity group disbanded. She decided to donate them to the scholarship program for the high school seniors. Scholarship Quilt co-chairperson Cindy Biggerstaff said that it continued to grow because Audrey would often sit in the hall to make her quilts. Residents would walk over and say, “I want to help you!” .... so, the group just got bigger and bigger. Although the sewing hobby here is thriving today, it has become fairly expensive. Without labor, Cindy estimates each 60x90-inch quilt costs approximately $350 to make. (That includes $165 just to have it quilted on a long-arm machine. The remaining amount includes material, patterns, batting, and special thread, as well as specially designed labels.) “I think what drives the quilters to continue working on these projects is not only their love of quilting,” Cindy said, “but, seeing the students’ faces light up when they receive them.” Much thought has been given to selecting the perfect quilt for each student, according to Cindy. Based on student essays, the Scholarship Committee might match a student’s favorite color, a particular hobby, or a student’s career goal with a pattern. For example, a student planning a nursing career might get a quilt with crosses and hearts, an architect – a quilt with houses, a border patrol agent – an outdoorsy looking quilt. “At the end of the reception, when they wrap themselves in those quilts,” she said, “it touches our hearts.” Quilts Leave their Mark “These quilts are valued by my students because someone has sewn something so special for them,” school counselor Erica Ramos said. “The quality of the material, the craftsmanship, the love -- it all comes through in each quilt.” At the scholarship reception, students said they enjoyed meeting the quilters who designed and sewed their gifts. “That each one of the quilt donors created a quality piece of craftsmanship for a student, and the Scholarship Committee members took the time to match the fabric and design to the student’s personality, … it means so much,” Erica said. “The students can’t help but feel seen, heard and, quite honestly, loved.” Sometimes getting a scholarship quilt has led to family rivalry -- in a good way, the counselor said. She felt Bryan Cardoza’s comments at the reception best demonstrated that. “My older brother received his blanket [from a quilter], and now I finally got one!” he said. “And it’s all mine! My brother would never share. He took his blanket with him to College Station. Now I can’t wait to join him with my own blanket, so we can match. But mine is better!” Even non-quilters have benefited by being a park resident who wears an Alamo Palms’ name badge at a fast-food restaurant, a grocery store and even at a doctor’s office. “We’re recognized,” Cindy said, “It’s not uncommon for them to hear, ‘Hey! I know Alamo Palms. I got a quilt from you’!” Be sure to visit our website for a web exclusive story about a recipient that returned to PSJA to help others. QUILTS From pg. 7 At Alamo Palm’s RV Resort’s Scholarship Committee reception, 21 PSJAMemorial (Alamo) high school seniors wrap themselves in quilts that were presented to themby 21 Alamo Palms’ quilters.
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