The Battalion
lUESDAY
August 6, 1996
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members of the Quilt Guild work on a
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By James Francis
The Battalion
■ Stew Milne, The Battalion
Delores Rydell, a resident of College Station, stitches portions of a quilt for the Bryan-College Station Quilt
;Guild. The Guild meets every second Tuesday of the month to make quilts for a variety of causes.
uilting has been a favorite pastime in the
I lUnited States for years. At its inception,
^Q^many people saw quilting as a way to pass
dowmfamily history.
Someone would make a quilt for a newborn
baby, the child would grow up, and then the quilt
would be passed on for generations to come.
Nowadays, quilting has broadened into more
than just family heirlooms, and organizations
across the country are keeping its spirit alive.
Established in 1986, the Brazos Valley Quilt
Guild offers more than just stitches and patches.
From its meetings on the second Tuesday of
every month to various programs and quilt shows,
the Guild is in a continual state of scheduling.
Beverly Alexander, president of the Quilt Guild,
said she works to point the organization in the right
direction and make sure things run smoothly.
"There are a lot of committees that do a lot of
the work,” she said.
The Guild’s quilt education program involves
trips to elementary schools to demonstrate how
quilts are made, tell about the Guild, and have the
school children help make blocks for quilts.
Quilting Bees is a division where people get to
know each other while working on either commu
nity projects or simple group efforts.
The Guild’s productions range from traditional
to artistic to miniature designs — some creations
can even be worn.
Alexander said the Guild’s main purpose is to
teach people about quilting.
She said she hopes members gain fellowship
and earn a chance to serve the community with
service projects.
“We’re a non-profit, educational charter,” she
said, “and it (quilting) is an art form.”
In serving the community, the Guild aids needy
children and provides a wall hanging for every
Habitat for Humanity home.
Care Quilts is another program aimed at com
munity children.
Marsha Milford, co-chairperson of Care Quilts,
said the program gives quilts to children when
they arrive at Phoebe’s Home, Sheltering Arms or
Child Protective Services — three safe-home envi
ronments the organization works with.
“The Care Quilts are more of a security-type
quilt,” Milford said.
She said last year, the Care Quilt program do
nated about 130 quilts to various child services.
Although the quilts have no general or changing
theme, there is a commonality among them.
"A lot of them are just scrap quilts and some are
pre-printed tops we just add a backing and lining
to,” Milford said.
Alexander said the quilts, comes a feeling of as
surance to the recipients.
“It’s comforting to have something that’s
theirs,” she said.
Lucy Smith, a member of the Quilt Guild, is
just one of many who has had a direct hand in
making Care Quilts.
Smith said the happiness a child gets from receiv
ing one of the quilts is a great return to the maker.
“There’s satisfaction in knowing that I’m help
ing a child that never had something of their own,”
she said.
Smith said she has received a lot of feedback
from parents of foster children who came to them
bearing a Care Quilt. The parents have told stories
of how their children never go anywhere without
their quilts.
“[It’s important] to let these children know they
are loved by many people,” she said.
The Quilt Guild has a display niche at the Bra
zos Center where visitors can observe some of the
organizational’s work.
In 1997, the Guild will host a big show using all
of the Brazos Center, but it will hold a smaller
quilt exhibit in October.
Summer dating doesn’t have to bum a hole in your pocket
Options include Putt-Putt golf, picnics and the plethora of parks in the area
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By James Francis
The Battalion
F
un in the sun is what everyone wants
when the summertime rolls around.
For some, this dream may not be real
ized when they are thrown into the clenches of
miniature golfs low prices and fun are just two
fundamentals that draw people to the game.
“I guess it’s the competition if you come as a
couple,” she said. “It’s just a relaxed, family
environment.”
Where there is a family environment, people
can usually expect low family rates.
Phillips said the putt-putt establishment offers
a package called Aggie Night, which is unlimited
games for $10 a couple, every Thursday night.
summer school. As for others, summer brings in
times of hanging out with friends and going out
with a special boyfriend or girlfriend.
"To college students, it's the money, of
course if you're creative, you don't
have to pay for fun."
Either way, individuals must consider one as
pect that sometimes gets in the way of having a
good time — cost.
While looking for locations to enjoy the sum
mer at low rates and beat the heat, some may find
a mixture of indoor and outdoor recreation to suit
different tastes.
. Eloise Huerta, a general clerk for the Bryan
Parks and Recreation Department, said people
can find various activities for free such as Tangle-
wood Park.
"We have a pavilion that seats up to 80 people,”
she said, "with a playground for the children and
picnic tables with barbecue pits.”
Other outlets for summer enjoyment at Tan-
glewood Park include a volleyball center and
tennis courts.
Huerta said adults can also find just as much
to do with their time in the park.
“[They can] take their children out and picnic
with different sports activities,” she said.
Christy Phillips, a senior English major and
employee of Putt-Putt Golf and Games, said
— JIM GORDON
senior civil engineering major
Along with the package, each person gets 10 to
kens (only good for the game room), a 16-ounce
drink and a snack (chips, ice cream or a candy bar).
Besides playing 18 holes of miniature golf on
one of the two courses, customers have other op
tions as well.
“We have bumper boats, batting cages and a
video arcade room," Phillips said.
Phillips said even though many people feel
putt-putt is only for kids, some college students
also appreciate the fun.
“It e really for people of all ages,” she said, "kind
of a break from studying, stress and real life."
One place real life and fun tend to mix together
is in the workplace, depending on the type of work
being done.
In search of other summer activities at a rela
tively low cost, sometimes students’ places of em
ployment can be an outlet for recreation.
Jim Gordon, a senior civil engineering major
and employee of BCS Bicycles, said bicycling is
just one of many outdoor summer festivities.
“It allows you to go out and enjoy the out
doors,” he said, “roll around Research Park, and
things like that.”
Wendy Hardeman, video manager at Hastings
Books, Music and Video, said movies are a great
way to have fun without the sun and still enjoy
the low price of entertainment.
“It’s an escape for a little while into romance,
violence and adventure,” she said.
Outside the work environment, people often
separate their own lives and attempt to find
leisure fitting their own ideas of summer fun.
“We go swimming, we like to go bowling,”
Hardeman said. “A lot of times, we just get to
gether with friends and play board games.”
Hardeman said aside from the entertainment,
sometimes the simple fact that another person is
near is all that is needed.
“Occasionally, we’ll go out to the parks or
lakes, walk around and enjoy each other’s compa
ny,” she said.
Gordon said, he agrees with Hardeman that it
is a good idea to alternate between outdoor and
indoor activities.
“We go for bike rides, walks in the park,” Gor
don said, “and sometimes catch a movie at the
dollar flick.”
Gordon said another idea is to pick up a copy of
ETC. Magazine, which lists events such as plays
presented at Wolf Pen Amphitheater.
Even with planned outings, the decision to pay
lots of money or have fun is always tough.
"To college students, it’s the money,” Gordon
said, “of course if you're creative, you don’t have
to pay for fun.”
Hardeman said, other than visiting parks for
the use of their tennis courts, she agrees that
money sometimes rules the situation.
“It’s pretty much a factor in whatever you do,”
she said. “You try to have fun with as little money
as possible.”
Gwendolyn Struve, The Battalion
Caitlyn Gordon, a resident of Franklin, plays minia
ture golf with her family at Putt Putt Golf Monday.
The Battalion
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