Jeanne Becker, Greater Sun Lakes Community Foundation Treasurer

The mission of the Agave Quilters Guild is to promote the appreciation of quilting, encourage quilt making and collecting, contribute to the knowledge of quilting through education, and to promote friendships and philanthropic endeavors. This $1,500 grant complies with the Foundation’s Mission Statement in that it will provide the supplies and means by which many more charitable quilts can be completed by local Sun Lakes area quilters. Our quilters are provided with instruction in quilt making, which involves color, design, math, and decision making. This project also creates friendships and an altruistic purpose for those participating. Agave provides many educational opportunities for its members, with classes being taught by local members and outside artists. These classes provide skill-building techniques and also provide social opportunities of shared interests, helping members to remain actively involved in our community.

Agave Quilters Guild (dba Sun Lakes Quilters) currently has 107 members, most of whom are senior women living in the Sun Lakes area. Our guild meets monthly September through May, with many smaller special interest groups meeting regularly throughout each month. Agave has an active community service program in which our members create and deliver quilts to various local organizations, including a local hospital (where the majority of the quilts will be donated to hospitalized children to use as comfort blankets that they can take with them when they are discharged from the hospital) and to a local nursing home, a Navajo orphanage, a women’s shelter, and a local memory care facility. Their contact information is [email protected] or Dennie Sullivan, membership chair, at [email protected].

The Greater Sun Lakes Community Foundation was established to enhance the quality of life for the older population in the East Valley, including Sun Lakes residents, in the areas of health, safety, education, and culture. The Foundation gives grants and awards to local nonprofits,  service organizations, and clubs to enhance their work in all our Sun Lakes communities. The Greater Sun Lakes Community Foundation is entering its seventh year as a charitable 501(c)(3) foundation serving the Sun Lakes Community. During the past six years, The Foundation has raised and disseminated grants and awards in excess of $100,000 in support of many local groups that provide services, activities, and opportunities for our senior population. So, if you are part of an organization in Sun Lakes that would like to apply for financial support, please go to slcommunityfoundation.com.