A Minnesota quilt Charlie made for Shari Rich, a former Birchwood Activity Coordinator, before she moved to Texas.
STITCHED WITH LOVE Father Honors Son's Legacy by Giving Back BY DARLA MAKELA
When I asked Charlie Thompson what he was doing in retirement, I was surprised when he responded, “I am quilting!”
His most recent and longstanding mission has been to sew quilts and donate them to various charitable organizations or any needs he might hear about.
Surprised in a good way, of course! Especially as this gentle, 80-something-year-old man began to share his passion for giving back with quilts.
Once I heard about this, I knew I needed to sit down and hear more about the details of this life-changing work. Here is what I learned:
If you have been around North Mankato over the past 25 years, you may have seen or heard of some of Charlie’s efforts to give back to his communities to keep his son’s memory living large.
Me: Tell me how you got started sewing quilts.
In 2007, Charlie and his wife, Barb’s son, Army Staff Sgt. Jacob died during active duty in Iraq, doing what he was passionate about and giving his life for the sake of others. Since then, Charlie has made it his life mission to keep his son’s memory of giving back alive in everything he does.
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NORTH KATO MAGAZINE WINTER 2023
Charlie: 12 years ago, I was doing a lot of woodworking and started having trouble with my arm. I watched my wife, Barb, quilt, and I thought that maybe that was something I could easily pick up. So, I took some of her scraps, grabbed her sewing machine, and made my first table runner. From there on, I was hooked! I began imagining how to use my newfound hobby to bless others. Me: How did your quilting hobby become a charitable activity?
