Article—Wednesday September 11, 2002 Atlanta Constitution

Children continue to finding ways to help others
by Sandra Eckstein

Quilts bring comfort to the less fortunate

Quilts can touch our hearts as well as our bodies. That's why Judith Meeker, a teacher in Nashville started the project after Sept.11 that lets children make quilts for other less fortunate children. She calls her project "More Than Warmth."

Meeker came to Atlanta area this week so even more children could make squares for her quilts. She was at the Arbor Montessori School in Decatur yesterday and is scheduled to be at Cook Elementary School in southeast Atlanta today.

Children draw pictures of love and friendship on squares, then, adults sew the squares into quilts. The children also write letters to children in places like Afghanistan and Africa, so when the quilts are sent overseas, they come with letters of friendship.

Meeker said more than 1,300 children from across the country have helped her make the quilts. So far, 33 quilts have been to other countries, and 60 more are done and waiting to be shipped. Another 50 are waiting to be finished by adult quilters.

"Some children in Afghanistan wrote a letter of thanks back," Meeker said. "It's important the children of other countries know that American children love and care about them."