Craft Center artists are accustomed to working with young children in educational outreach projects; now, in partnership with community members, the artists are filling a more immediate need.

The “Quilts for Kids” program, which began earlier this year, provides bedding to children in DeKalb County who’ve been removed from homes where methamphetamine has been made.

A bright spot in the lives of displaced children, these quilts were sewn by Craft Center artists and community members.

Because the manufacture of the highly addictive illegal drug creates a toxic environment, children removed from such homes aren’t allowed to take any personal possessions with them.

So Craft Center representatives and community volunteers recently spent a couple of days quilting, and the fruits of their labor — 33 completed quilts — were delivered Monday to the DeKalb County Department of Human Services.

“We started this project after we learned that 60 children in DeKalb County in 2004 were removed from homes where methamphetamine was being produced — and officials say the number is expected to increase this year,” says Gail Looper, gallery manager and project coordinator. “Our goal with this project is to be able to give a new, handmade quilt or blanket to every child in the county who is removed from a meth home."

Project participants are already more than halfway to realizing that goal, and Looper says she is both surprised and thrilled by the results.

Craft Center students, faculty, staff, friends and several Putnam and DeKalb County businesses — including Food Lion, Food Center, Fred’s, Family Dollar, Smithville Pamida, Hancock Fabrics, Gridge’s, Cookeville Big Lots and Algood Wal-Mart — donated fabric, sewing tools or other items to the project.

“This project would not have come to pass without the help of two very special people — Smithville attorney Chris Cantrell, who has been involved since the program’s inception, and Cheryl Ludwig of the Craft Center maintenance staff, who tirelessly solicited donations from individuals and business on behalf of these children in crisis,” Looper says.

Another day of quilting is planned for late summer, when Craft Center students return for the fall semester.

Until then, donations of new, unused quilts and crocheted and knitted blankets are being accepted at the Craft Center or at Webb’s Gifts on the Smithville courthouse square. For more information about the “Quilts for Kids” program, call the Craft Center at 3051 or 615-597-6801.