Stitched with gratitude

Quilters present handmade pieces to first responders injured at Tree of Life

Members of three area quilting guilds gathered Monday at the Zone 4 Pittsburgh police station in Squirrel Hill to present handmade quilts to the six first responders who were injured in the mass shooting at Tree of Life/ Or L’Simcha synagogue.

The three guilds — Three Rivers Quilters Guild, Beaver Valley Piecemakers and Modern Quilt Guild — as well as customers of Quilter’s Corner in Finleyville worked on the six quilts, according to Three Rivers member Nancy Palmquist. She said more than 50 people donated quilt blocks that were incorporated into the final products.

“They’re a style of quilt called a string quilt, which is a large collection of all kinds of fabric, which we thought would be a good representation of our community and the differences in all the people that come together,” Ms. Palmquist said at the station.

“We all wanted to share our craft and warm the hearts of these officers,” she added.

Officers Dan Mead and Mike Smidga — the first two responders on the scene of the Oct. 27, 2018, shooting — accepted their quilts in person at Monday’s presentation. Members of the guilds presented the officers with the colorful quilts, all of which share a heart motif that represents “love and appreciation for their sacrifice,” according to Ms. Palmquist.

Officer Mead was shot in the hand in the incident in which a gunman killed 11 worshippers and wounded seven others. He said the support the officers have received since then from people like the quilters has been “overwhelming.”

“Just think of these people who put in this time to make this stuff and made it for the six of us,” he said. “It’s awesome, it really is.”

Mr. Smidga, who was injured by shrapnel, said he appreciated that the quilters and other members of the community have put “a lot of care” into the gifts they have received since the shooting.

“Everybody enjoys a nap every once in a while, so it’s nice to use and nice to know that people are thinking of us as well,” he said.

Lake Fong/ Pittsburgh Post- Gazette Pittsburgh police Officers Mike Smidga, left, and Dan Mead receive quilts Monday from Sue Minkus of Three River Quilters at the city’s Zone 4 police station in Squirrel Hill. Both officers were among the first responders injured during the 2018 shooting at Tree of Life synagogue.