Sheri Nockels
The SaddleBrooke Friday Quilters has about 100 members. One member who truly shines is Jane! Like many charitable individuals, she doesn’t want any notoriety or attention and asked us not to use her last name. She, and others, have found ways to contribute to our organization even though they can’t or prefer not to attend our Friday get-togethers. They continue to put smiles on many faces and have touched countless hearts. When SaddleBrooke Friday Quilters donate quilts and other projects, we want to ensure they are well received and treasured. Jane, and others, have provided quilts and other items to a wide variety of needy causes.
Jane has been a member of the Friday SaddleBrooke Quilters since 2006. She feels blessed to have God-given talents to help others. Like some of our other behind-the-scenes quilters, Jane has gone above and beyond! Like many who sew and quilt, Jane cut fabric and gave it to those making COVID masks. In addition, she made and donated 360 quilts between January 2020 and December 2022!
She made lap quilts for Linus Project, which were given to hospitalized children to cuddle and play “I Spy” with. She also made baby crib quilts and adult lap robes for IMPACT of Southern Arizona in Catalina. Her charity even extends to Vista, Calif. Her son, a pediatrician there, gladly accepts quilts for needy newborns at his clinic when he visits several times a year! She stuffs cat and dog beds others make with quilting scraps for the Pinal County Animal Shelter. In addition, she makes eating utensil packs for the homeless who receive meals at parks and churches. Quilters don’t like waste. She extends that practice to giving fruit from her trees to the food bank on Hawser Street. In her “spare” time, Jane likes to keep her mind strong by doing wordsearch activities and watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. She enjoys travel shows, listening to music, and calling family and friends. She’s currently organizing years of photos and annotating pertinent details on each photo to give to her family members.
Jane, and others who preferred not to be mentioned in the article, are truly hidden gems who help make our SaddleBrooke Friday Quilters group an integral part of SaddleBrooke and the surrounding communities. They’re all proof that you don’t need to attend our Friday meetings to be active and contribute to our organization and so many needy charities! We value all our members, whether a snowbird, regular or part-time attendee, or someone who doesn’t attend at all. If you’d like to join us, we meet Fridays from 9 to 11 a.m. in SaddleBrooke One Activity Room 4.