TIMMINS - Between awards, shipping issues, and searching for a new home, a Timmins charity has had a busy year.
Now that Quilts for Survivors has settled into its new home at the former St. Paul's Anglican Church in South Porcupine, volunteers and founder Vanessa Génier are looking forward to what they can do in 2025.
“We still have some things to work out, because we still have to build some offices and make the space a little more what we need,” said Génier. “The space definitely is cozy.”
The organization's goal was to ship 2,000 quilts this year, and although they didn’t ship any during the Canada Post strike, by mid-December they had sent out over 2,400 so far.
“We’ll have about 350, 400 quilts once January comes around,” said Génier. “It allowed us to catch up a little bit. So production didn’t stop, but shipping did.”
Quilts still reached residential school survivors, though, as travelling volunteers offered to take them where they needed to go.
“We had a guy that went to Saskatoon and Regina, took a couple quilts there, I dropped some off in Toronto, we had a lady that brought some across the border, and we had some local volunteers in BC and Alberta that dropped off where they could,” she said.
The group of volunteers in Ottawa also delivered some quilts in the area during the strike.
The extra space for the long-arms — large machines that finish the quilts — and other equipment also means the annual sewing retreat will be held in-house in 2025.
“Every sewing retreat, we are constantly coming back to grab more fabric, and it takes us three days to pack up, and we’re constantly coming back to grab more stuff,” she said. “So now it will be a full circle completion of quilts.”
That extra room also allows for other events, like classes and community events, to take place in-house as well. There are regular drum circles and ceremonies that take place.
“We had a Christmas party here, we have craft nights, and I do work for my First Nation and we’ve had activities here, which is great,” said Génier. “It’s been a good turnout. It’s just a really great space so we can be more in the community, not just making quilts.”
The growth and recognition of Quilts for Survivors is beyond what Génier imagined it would be when she started the project in 2021 after unmarked graves were discovered at a Kamloops residential school site.
Her original goal was to make 18 quilts, and in April 2024, the organization celebrated sending out its 5,000th quilt.
“In a simple way, it’s just a blanket, but it has so many other meanings to it,” she said. “I never thought this is where we’d be.”
This year, Génier has been travelling across the province, collecting awards for the work Quilts for Survivors does. While her name is often on the trophy, she says she accepts them for everyone who has volunteered to create the quilts.
Génier received a meritorious service decoration (civil division) from Governor General Mary Simon in May, an Inclusive Growth Award in October, and a Women of Influence Award in April. She was also recently nominated for a Premier’s Award.
The organization has a five-year commitment to its new home with the possibility of 10 more years in the current space. Génier feels something like a weight off her shoulders to focus on other aspects of Quilts for Survivors’ mission.
“Last time I did the numbers it was about 40 years it would take to get to every survivor,” she said. “I don’t think we’ll ever be done.”
The goal for 2025 is to send out 3,000 quilts.
