A young girl in Studio City, CA has set out to create a COVID-19 memorial quilt to commemorate those who have died of the virus. She believes that all the people who have died deserve to be remembered in some way and so is making the quilt out of squares of material donated by people across the country and the world. One can mail their squares of material to COVID Quilt at 3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd #443 in Studio City, CA 91604.
“I live in California, and I think it's very sad what is happening to the world with this virus,” says the girl, Madeleine Fugate of COVID Quilt. “When you watch the news, it's just about the numbers and how they keep going up. They have gotten so big that we don't think of those numbers as people anymore, and I want to change that. They aren't just numbers. They are people who died and they deserve to be remembered. That person could've been funny or kind or shy or smart. They might have had a dog or a cat or even a bird. They had families and friends. They were loved. They were alive. They should not be forgotten. Every night, we hear stories about people dying alone in hospitals without their families or friends to hold their hand and say goodbye. People are having funerals on Zoom. It's all sad. It breaks my heart.”
Her mother worked on the AIDS Memorial Quilt years ago when the HIV pandemic was at its peak, and she told Madeleine how the act of making it and the completed item itself brought emotional healing that almost seemed magical at the time. Madeleine’s mother lost people she loved, and no one was taking the time to honor them and so she, much like Madeleine, decided to make a quilt to commemorate them. The creation of the AIDS Memorial quilt began in 1987 and it is made up of nearly 48,000 pieces of fabric. It represents the memory of over a hundred thousand loved ones lost to HIV and is widely considered the largest community art project in history.
Now, people are dying once more from a deadly virus, and thousands have lost their loved ones to COVID-19 already. Madeleine has always had a passion for quilting and sewing, so she decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps and make a COVID quilt to honor all the people who have died due to the virus. She also hopes it will offer some comfort to the loved ones left to mourn the deceased.
Madeleine has been completely transparent about where she got her inspiration. She reached out to the board of directors of the AIDS Memorial Quilt to tell them about her idea and ask for their advice. Michael Bongiorni, the interim director of Quilt Operations, National AIDS Memorial said, “Quilts show people care. The tradition of a quilt is very American. It's a tradition that shows compassion and remembrance. As activists, we can all join together to show love in a time of darkness."
The quilt is also Madeleine’s 7th grade school project. Each year, students complete a Community Action Project in the spirit of giving back to the community. The theme of this year’s Community Action Project, or CAP, is, Young Changemakers In A COVID-19 World, and the COVID quilt ended up being Madeleine’s choice. Word of the project spread quickly, and she has received dozens of squares from all over the world. The quilt will continue to grow as long as squares continue to arrive.
There are plans to turn the quilt into a traveling exhibit of remembrance. Panels of the quilt will be displayed in city halls, museums, hospitals, churches and anywhere else healing is needed. “If you have personally lost someone or want to honor someone in your community, please send me an 8 inch x 8 inch square,” Madeleine says. “I will post updates of the quilt as it gets made. Two local quilting clubs have already offered to help me sew, as well as my friends and family. I want to help people heal. I hope you will help me spread the word.” For more information, visit the COVID QUILT website.
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For more information about COVID Quilt, contact the company here:
COVID Quilt
Madeleine Fugate
COVID QUILT
3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd #443
Studio City, CA 91604
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