Date: Fri 18-Jun-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: JEFF

Quick Words:

AIDS-quilt-Interfaith-Ministry

Full Text:

Sandy Hook Third Graders Make Quilt for AIDS Victims

(with photo)

BY JEFF WHITE

Since January, the Sandy Hook third grade has supplemented its AIDS curriculum

by stitching together eight quilts for the benefit of Interfaith Aids Ministry

in Danbury.

On Monday, Ivana Butera, an Interfaith Ministry director, was on hand at the

school to accept the quilts on behalf of AIDS and HIV patients under the

Ministry's care.

The quilts will be going directly to three children who are HIV positive and

their siblings as a sign of sympathy and support.

The Ministry thrives on such contributions, according to Ms Butera, who said

that numerous area schools donate in different fashions to the same cause.

"Everyone here knows what it feels like to get a gift, don't they?" Ms Butera

asked the assembled third grade class, getting a chorus of nods in reply.

"Well that feeling is exactly what these children will feel when they get your

quilts. I'm here to accept these quilts, and give you my thanks."

Every third grade class at Sandy Hook participated in this project. The quilt

patterns were based on different books unique to each section. Each student

picked his or her own picture, as well as their own panels. They all made the

squares themselves, did the stitching, and tied off each quilt.

Along with the quilts, each class donated the book that inspired their design.

"The kids did a lot of work on this, starting in January," explained Suzanne

Davenport, a third grade mother who helped organize the entire undertaking.

The idea for an AIDS quilt came from Ms Davenport, who, six years ago, lost

her brother to the deadly virus. She heard that the third grade curriculum had

started to deal with AIDS, and thought that such a hands-on project could

complement in-class discussions.

For the most part, Ms Davenport seems to have succeeded. "I got to learn what

AIDS was. I never knew what it was before now," said third grader Irene Coh

when asked what she took away from the enterprise.

In the end, all Ms Davenport hopes is that she has created a project that will

hold a permanent spot on Sandy Hook's third grade curriculum roster.

"Although the project might not be able to be done on the same scale, I hope

they do it again next year," Ms Davenport said. "As long as I'm at Sandy Hook,

I'll help with it."