Local group donates quilts to patients at Shriners Hospital

On June 7, members of the quilt group Lodi Rag Quilters, along with project sponsors, presented several quilts to Shriners Hospital staff. Throughout the year, the donated quilts will be presented as a gift to children upon their arrival to Shriners Hospital for Children in Sacramento.

Shriners Hospital for Children of Northern California is one of 22 Shriners hospitals in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Patients include children into their teens, and some continue treatment into their young adult years.

The Sacramento campus offers a variety of special services. Treatments include orthopedics, spinal cord injury treatment, burn care, cleft palate repair, pediatric surgery and plastic surgery. Treatments are offered at no cost to families due in part to the generous donation of businesses and communities.

The Lodi Rag Quilters, led by Ellen Ashbaugh, has provided thousands of quilts throughout the years as part of many projects sponsored by various local community groups including the Lodi Lions Club and Lodi Community Outreach, a program of Lodi Funeral Home.

The Lodi Rag Quilters will continue to aid the children at Shriners Children’s Hospital in any way they can, in hopes to continue to support them as they find healing.

“Shriners Hospital is made up of professionals who truly care and love what they do for the children and families in their care. Families are able to find hope through such devastating circumstances. The donated quilts are a warm embrace to the young patients and a special reminder that they are in the minds and hearts of the Lodi community,” Lodi Community Outreach Coordinator Esther Jimenez said.

For additional information on community events intended to enhance the overall well-being of the community, call Jimenez at 209-369-3564.