Day of Service

As we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and a Day of Service, I’d like to look back and remember my colleagues that served with me in Germany as teachers for the Department of Defense Dependents Schools. Not only were they fellow teachers, but they also taught my children. Additional members of the community abroad served as leaders and sponsors of multiple youth-oriented activities that benefited my children.

Teachers of my three daughters supported their education and helped them along the way through many activities that have made them the wonderful, responsible world citizens they have become. Not only did the teachers provide excellent educational opportunities, but extracurricular activities as well. Girl Scouts, Model United Nations, National Honor Society, and Soccer played important parts of their adolescence.

As appreciation for all their efforts, I gifted quilts to as many of their teachers and sponsors as possible before retiring in 2018. In the beginning the quilts were machine pieced, but hand quilted. When a colleague taught me how to use my domestic machine to quilt, I took off with it and continued to develop those skills. I deeply enjoy creating quilts as gifts designed especially for these special people.

I participated as well by promoting service with my students through Girl Scouts, Junior and Senior Class Sponsor, Booster Club, Student Council, National Junior Honor Society, Future Homemakers of America, Odyssey of the Mind, National History Day, Global Citizen and the German Red Cross. Proudly, I was instrumental in aiding Spangdahlem Middle School being selected as a Green Ribbon School which required a great deal of volunteerism school wide. And to support my colleagues, I served as the local and district union representative for many years.

I am creating a separate section of as many of these quilts as possible in my gallery. I hope you enjoy the show.