The Lake and Mountain Quilters Guild was formed in April of 1987. Prior to this, basic quilting classes had been taught with the Oconee County Extension and Heirloom and Comfort Shop. Students from these classes and other longtime quilters in the area met at Cheryl Kurey's house in Clemson in April, 1987, to discuss and organize a quilting guild that would welcome all levels of quilters from the tri-county area - Oconee, Pickens. and Anderson counties. There were approximately 20 participants. Cheryl was elected President and Pat Brown vice president at that time. The first group project was making a scrap log cabin quilt to which the members contributed both time and fabric. Early meetings were help in members' homes, the Lutheran Church in Clemson, and the Chapter House of the Seneca Presbyterian Church. When a need was felt for more room, we arranged to meet at the Blue Ridge Art Center, which had just been purchased and restored from the old Episcopal Church. As the membership and library grew, we once more started looking for a meeting room that would accommodate our ever-increasing numbers. The Eternal Shepherd Lutheran Church in Seneca became our next home. and in February of 2002, as our numbers increased even more, we moved to the new and larger Fellowship Hall.

For many years, the County Extension had a quilt show every spring in the Walhalla Library. Guild-sponsored shows have also been held at the Blue Ridge Art Center and the Senior Center in Seneca.

One of the first suggestions was that we find a logo to illustrate our name. Marge Edie, Mary Ann Bagwell and Jennifer Borg, with the help of several other members, sketched, drew, and experimented with fabric and came up with a logo featuring both the lakes and the mountains of the area. From there it had been suggested that as a group endeavor it would be a great idea to design and make a quilt showing the history of the upstate. We received a grant from the National Quilting Association and the quilt has been forever named "The Grant Quilt." The beautiful result can now be seen at the Walhalla Library. It has also been on display in many places in the state, including the South Carolina Welcome Center on 1-85 near the Georgia line. It is a collage of history, events, and culture in the Golden Corner - varying from the Stump house Mountain Tunnel, Clemson University and the African-American College that was once located in Seneca.

While many of our members have received nationwide, statewide and local recognition for quilts, wall hangings, patterns, and books, a major purpose of the Lake and Mountain Quilters Guild has been to turn our talent, effort, and material to philanthropic needs. First among those was the Ronald McDonald House in Greenville. This facility cares for the families of children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases while they are undergoing treatment at the hospital. Each child received his/her own "Happiness" quilt for the stay in the house and is then able to take it home. For a number of years, the guild kept police cars of the tri-county area supplied with child-sized quilts to be given when picking up neglected or abused children. Some members made it a personal project to keep Hospice of the Foothills supplied with lap warmers and wheelchair-sized quilts for their clients. Until it closed, Worth House, a facility for abused women and their children, was also supplied with quilts. The Guild has added a few more projects to their philanthropic efforts: baby quilts to the Oconee Memorial Hospital OB floor for those children in need, small tote bags and little pillows for breast cancer treatment patients, quilts to an abused children's therapy program in Greenville, where each child chooses a "Hero" quilt to use during their therapy and then take home. Also, at holiday time we make and fill stockings for Hospice clients.

Each year we look forward with pleasure to joining our fellow quilters worldwide to celebrate National Quilting Day. Within an eight-hour day, we cut, baste, sew and bind to make quilts and other items (like shirts, one year, for Helping Hands in Central and hats for cancer treatment patients in Greenville) for those who have suffered in the tragic developments of recent years. Quilts have gone to Bosnia, Sarajevo, flooded areas of the Midwest, and, of course, most recently to the September 11th catastrophe. We find joy in sending these quilts off to distant, needy places, and love goes into every stitch that is made.

Compiled thanks to Carol Grewe. If you have any additions or corrections to this history, please feel free to contact us.