Women celebrate friendship, quilting

WHITE PINE - Seventy-seven women celebrated their friendships at the seventh annual Friendship Tea recently at the White Pine Community Methodist Church.

A total of $716 collected at this year's tea was donated to the Ontonagon County Cancer Association, designating the money to help fund free mammograms the OCCA offers in October.

The ladies of the church began the tea in honor of Mary Jo Hilborn in 2007 as she was battling cancer.

The event carried a quilting theme, with many quilted items displayed at the church. Displays included items made in the early 1900s through present day. Two women displayed quilts made in the 1930s of similar fabric in the same design made by their grandmothers. One was made in the Upper Peninsula while the other was created in Illinois.

Guests participated by reading quilt quotes and sharing stories about the items they brought to display. "There were stories about quilting experiences and quilts with fond memories," attendee Jane Dickow said. "The Rev. Rosemary DeHut explained that two of the quilted banners in the church were made by the ladies of Faith Lutheran Church and the White Pine United Methodist Women."

Other entertainment included a presentation of quilt blocks that were supposed to help slaves navigate the Underground Railroad called the Quilt Code.

Attendees also received instructions for proper tea etiquette in a skit called "Emiily Postuula's Rules of Etiquette for Yoopers," starring Judy Bardell as Postuula, Cyndy Walworth as Miss Bea Haven and Merry Sanders as Miss Ettie Kit.

Marilyn Anderson concluded the tea with a reading of "God is a Quilter."