BERNINA DEALER LOVING STITCHES QUILT SHOP TO HOST OPERATION KID COMFORT EVENTS MAY 13 & 25 IN FAYETTEVILLE NORTH CAROLINA

Events recognize Military Appreciation month Attendees will make picture quilts and pillow cases for children whose parents have been deployed

BERNINA of America, the premier manufacturer of sewing, embroidery and quilting machines, is pleased to announce that BERNINA Dealer, Loving Stitches Quilt Shop will host two Operation Kid Comfort events in recognition of Military Appreciation month. The events will be held on Saturday, May 13 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., and on Thursday, May 25 from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. All the events will take place at the store located at 7076 Ramsey Street in Fayetteville. The community is invited to make picture quilts and pillow cases for children who have a military parent that has recently been deployed overseas. The quilts and pillow cases will feature photographs of the parent to help children cope with emotional stress often associated with parent deployment. Picture kits are also available for pickup at the store for customers who prefer to complete the quilts at home. All materials will be provided and there is no cost to attend. In addition, teddy bears will be donated to each child as part of the Mikayla’s Teddy Bear Ministry. Customers are encouraged to donate teddy bears throughout the month of May. For more information, about the events call (910) 630-3912 or stop by the store.
 
“Please stop by our store to make quilts and pillow cases for children who are missing their deployed parents,” said John Watkins, owner of Loving Stitches. “We need your help reaching our goal of making 50 quilts and pillow cases so that kids can find comfort while their parents are away fighting for our country.” 
 
Loving Stitches Quilt Shop is an authorized BERNINA Dealer which provides top-quality service to area residents. The Dealer offers BERNINA sewing machines, software, and accessories, and also provides a variety of sewing, embroidery and quilting classes for people of all skill levels. For more information, visit www.lovingstitches.net
 
Operation Kid Comfort program was created in 2003. The Armed Services YMCA National Headquarters offers this free program to the children of our deployed military service members. Volunteers of the Armed Services YMCA create custom-made photo transfer quilts and pillows. Each child receives a quilt or pillow; children 7 and under receive a quilt, 8 and older receive a pillow. Operation Kid Comfort quilts and pillows are for the children of our deployed active duty U.S. military service men and women. The quilts and pillows are personally handcrafted to help children cope with the emotional stress during a parent’s deployment. To learn more about the program, go to https://www.asymca.org/operation-kid-comfort.
 
Mikayla’s Teddy Bear Ministry is operated by the children of St. Andrews United Methodist Church. The ministry was started by Mikayla Watkins, a former student of the school in 2012 when she was just two and a half years old, after her first open-heart surgery. She wanted to show people that they were loved by giving them teddy bears, and the church supported her by donating bears. Sadly, in September 2015, Mikayla passed away after complications following her third surgery. Her ministry lives on today through the children of St. Andrews.
 
About BERNINA
Founded in Switzerland more than 100 years ago, BERNINA is the world’s premier manufacturer with a proven reputation for offering quality state-of-the-art sewing, quilting and embroidery machines, overlockers, and embroidery software. BERNINA’s leadership is marked by an impressive number of ambassadors, industry leaders, influencers and bloggers who chose to partner with the company. BERNINA products are sold in the United States through a network of over 400 fully trained independent dealerships that also offer support and education. Select BERNINA and bernette machines, and BERNINA software can also be purchased online. BERNINA products are designed for beginning to advanced sewists and priced to meet a variety of budgets, with new products being introduced every year. You can follow BERNINA on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/berninausa, Instagram: @BERNINAUSA, and Pinterest:  www.pinterest.com/WeAllSew, and read BERNINA’s WeAllSew blog at www.weallsew.com. To learn more about BERNINA and to find a Dealer, visit www.bernina.com or call (630)978-2500.