Wednesday, May 3, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
21
Victory quilts helg children with chronic medical conditions
By Jodi Schneider McNamee
Correspondent
Master quilter Jackie
Erickson of Sisters cre-
ated 36 unique “victory”
quilts as a fundraiser for
Victory Junction, a camp
that enriches the lives of kids
with chronic medical condi-
tions or serious illnesses. The
camp is sprawled across 84
acres of lush rolling hills in
Randleman, North Carolina.
Once the children pass
through the gates, the bound-
aries and limitations they live
with daily disappear, and they
can concentrate on having
fun.
Erickson began making
her quilts for campers when
Victoria Junction was being
built in 2001.
“After the camp opened
in 2004 and volunteers began
making the campers’ quilts I
stopped for a while because
both my kids were in school
and I was on the committee
for Starry Nights,” Erickson
told The Nugget. “But I
enjoyed doing it and started
again this year as a fundraiser
for the camp.”
Victory Junction was built
by the former third-gener-
ation NASCAR driver and
NBC sports racing analyst
Kyle Petty and his family
Cork
Cellars
Wine & Bistro
in honor of Petty’s late son
Adam, who died tragically on
the racetrack in 2000.
Erickson and her family,
including her son Ethan, have
been NASCAR enthusiasts
for years. The Erickson fam-
ily met Kyle Petty twice at
the NASCAR races.
“Back in the late ’90s
Ethan was really into Kyle
Petty as a driver because Kyle
would drive a giant life-size
version of a Hot Wheel’s car
that Ethan loved,” she said.
“We went to Sears Point race-
track in Northern California
every year. When Adam died,
it was sad for everyone.”
Petty built a camp in
honor of Adam. His son vis-
ited Camp Boggy Creek, a
fun year-round camp for seri-
ously ill children in Florida
with his dad, and loved it.
Erickson watched the
NASCAR races every week-
end, heard about the camp
they were creating and
decided to lend a hand.
“They needed quilts for
their campers,” Erickson said.
“They provided each camper
with a quilt and a Teddy bear
as they arrived. The quilts that
I made are a usable size about
40 inches and up to 60 inches
long. The bright fabrics that
I use comes from my stash,
plus I get donations from
other quilters. I put those
scraps together to make the
full-size batting that I need
for the inside of the quilts. I
use up everything, and what I
don’t use I donate to Habitat
in Sisters. The batting is the
piece in the middle that gives
the quilt its fullness.”
Erickson always made
36 quilts a year because in
NASCAR they have 36 races
a year.
“I would make a quilt per
race. Another reason I started
again this year is because
Kyle Petty’s Charity Ride
Across America will be in
Portland on May 13, and I’m
going to bring a couple of the
quilts with me to show him.
We’ve seen the start of the
rides a few times, but having
it begin in Oregon is great.”
The bulk of the dona-
tions from the Ride Across
America go directly to
Victory Junction Camp.
The 23rd anniversary Ride
Across America, led by for-
mer NASCAR diver Kyle
Petty, will leave Portland
and travel across the Pacific
Northwest and will arrive in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on
May 19, covering eight states
in seven days. He leads 200
bikers on the weeklong route
to raise funds and awareness
for Victory Junction.
PHOTO BY ETHAN ERICKSON
Jackie Erickson crafds a muldidude of quilds do benefid children in need.
Petty’s main way of rais-
ing money on the charity ride
is through spectators con-
tributing to the ride’s “Small
Change Big Impact.”
Erickson liked the idea.
During the last two week-
ends, her “victory” quilts
were hung at Stitchin’ Post,
where she put out a donation
jar.
“People donated their
pocket change and we raised
around $700!” said Erickson.
“It’s a win-win situation
because I’m donating the
cash and the quilts. We sold
nine quilts so the kids will
still get 27 quilts to go on
their beds.”
Erickson is a longtime
quilter and will be teaching at
quilters affair again this year
during Sisters Outdoor Quilt
Show week.
To find out more about
Victory Junction Camp go to
www.victoryjunction.org and
www.kylepettycharityride.
com.
Dinner Specials
Friday & Saturday
Spring Chicken with Fresh
Herb Sauce, Pasta Mornay,
Beer Mac & Cheese
Tasty Thursday
Wines of Spain, 5-7 p.m.
Imported Wines
Live Music
Sat., May. 6, 7-9 pm
Cuppa Joe & Anastasia
Open Tuesday-Saturday 12-8 pm
391 W. Cascade Ave. | 541-549-2675
corkcellarswinebistro.com
Celebr ating 42 Years in
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on this week’s inserts in the Nugget:
RAY’S FOOD PLACE:
It’s a 72-hour Meat Sale!
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, check
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of chicken, ribs, steak, pork loin,
ground beef and bacon! And for
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6-packs, $5.99! (plus deposit, limit 4)
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Breakfast & lunch
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Breakfast & lunch 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Full-service dining in the bar
nightly until 10 p.m. (21 & over)
171 W. Cascade Ave., Sisters
541-549-2631
SOUP OF THE DAY
May 3rd - May 9th
Wed .........................Black Bean Sat...........
Thurs .......................Beef Barley Sun ........ ................Minestrone
Fri ..Clam Chowder & Vegetable Mon ........ .......... Broccoli Cheese
.Navy Bean with Ham
Tues .................................Lentil