Fredericton quilters send 32 quilts to soldiers hurt in Wainwright tragedy - CBC

Lynne Mersereau is a Fredericton representative of Quilts of Valour Canada. (Jordan Gill/CBC)Social SharingQuilters in Fredericton have sent 32 handmade quilts to Alberta for soldiers affected by the Wainwright military base tragedy, and they say more are on the way.

The fire broke out Oct. 17 at CFB Wainwright, one of the busiest army training bases in Canada, east of Edmonton. Four service members were killed and 39 others were injured, 19 of them critically.

A preliminary investigation points to a munition from a live-fire exercise igniting a grass fire fanned by strong wind, but officials have said the cause could take time to confirm.

Quilts of Valour Canada has since asked chapters across the country to send between 350 and 400 quilts. 

Lynne Mersereau, a local representative, said the Fredericton group knew right away they wanted to help.

“It was so tragic and hard to believe,” she said. “We just immediately knew that we had to help.”

“Our quilts are known as a hug from a grateful nation. And we just knew that that would help anybody with any injuries, help make them feel better. So we got to work.”

Mersereau said the quilts are also meant for others on the base who were traumatized. 

“A lot of them have been sent home and recovering mentally,” she said.

The 32 quilts sent from Fredericton were ones the group already had on hand. The chapter keeps a stash ready because it holds presentations at the New Brunswick Military History Museum in Oromocto about once a month, presenting 10 to 20 quilts at a time. 

“We’re going to send more,” Mersereau said. More quilt kits are now out with members, and the quilts will go both to Wainwright and to restock the local supply.

About 25 quilters belong to the Fredericton group. A quilt can take anywhere from a few days to a month, depending on the quilter’s experience and the pattern.

The biggest holdup is finding “longarm” quilters, who use large machines to stitch the top, batting and backing together. Many do it for free around their own businesses, so the group has more tops than finished quilts.

Supplies are costly, too, and all of the quilts are made from new fabric, not scraps. 

“It’s not cheap to buy fabric,” Mersereau said. 

Through a “sponsor a quilt” program, $250 covers the fabric, batting and backing for one quilt. Quilts of Valour is a registered charity, and donors receive a tax receipt.

To receive a quilt, a person must be nominated or nominate themselves through the Quilts of Valour website.

Recipients must have served in combat areas or peacekeeping areas, or been physically or mentally injured on the job. They can still be serving.

Since becoming a registered charity in 2009, the organization has presented more than 29,600 quilts across Canada. A waiting list of more than 2,000 people remains nationwide, though New Brunswick is “almost current.” 

“We have a great team of quilters and we just love what we’re doing,” Mersereau said.

Presentations are emotional, she said. Recipients are wrapped in their quilts, often with family and friends watching. 

“We always have a box of Kleenex because there’s lots of tears,” Mersereau said. 

She said one man told her his quilt “means more to me than all the medals I’ve received.”

Polina Kozlova is a journalist based in Fredericton. You can contact her with story ideas at polina.kozlova@cbc.ca .