Ruralite - December 2003
A newsletter for customers of Klickitat PUD

Klickitat County quilters made a good showing during the recent selection of quilt blocks for the Ruralite 50th Anniversary quilt. The quilt is made up of 50 blocks, and three Klickitat PUD customers had their quilt blocks chosen. The quilt will be on display in the Goldendale PUD office from December 15-19.

From Shannon Lackey, age 7, who has been quilting for one year, to Wanita Gordon and Doris Brack, who have dozens of years of quilting experience, these three women designed and stitched their way onto a quilt that will be displayed throughout Washington, Oregon, California and Alaska.

Shannon, a White Salmon home-schooled student, completed her quilt block as part of her unit studies on electricity. After completing a book report on electricity and Benjamin Franklin, Shannon designed the quilt block as part of her art studies.

"My quilt block has Benjamin Franklin's kite, with the key, big clouds and a lightening bolt, and a rainy kind of background," said Shannon.

Shannon said she has also quilted a pillow, a wallhanging and a sampler. She joined the Keepers of the Faith quilting club in White Salmon. Shannon is taught by her mom, Christine, who uses a "unit studies" method of schooling. After choosing a topic, such as electricity, Christine incorporates math, history, science, art and languages into the study of that topic, and the quilt block design was part of Shannon's school projects.

On her submission form, Shannon wrote "I am 7 years old. In school I am learning about electricity. I wrote a report on Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin was interested in lightning. He believed its force could be useful. Ruralite magazine talks a lot about safety in using electricity."

Wanita Gordon, the White Salmon customer representative for KPUD, also had a quilt block selected. Her block showed a salmon leaping above the Columbia River, and the cliffs of the Columbia Gorge in the background.

"Fish and fishing issues play an important part in the generation of electricity in our area," said Wanita. "Three generations of our family have participated in sport fishing on the Columbia River."

Wanita has been sewing since age 10, participating in 4-H sewing projects. While living in Hawaii she joined a club and began quilting, and has made many quilts for family and friends. Last Christmas, she presented her husband with a windowpane quilt she had made entirely without his knowledge.

"When he got up at four a.m. to go hunting, I got up and sewed," said Wanita. "Then I stowed every scrap of fabric in a closet when I heard his diesel truck coming up the driveway."

Doris Brack of Goldendale was the third KPUD customer to have a block selected. Her block depicts the petroglyph Tsagiglalal "She Who Watches," a famous rock carving from the Horsethief Lake area on the Columbia River.

"The Indians have been a part of my families' history forever," said Doris. "We have a family story that my great-grandfather, the first sheriff of the area before it was a county, saved an Indian child from drowning, and my grandfather was a mentor in Rock Creek for the Indians who had problems."

Doris said she has been quilting "forever" and that her mother and grandmother were fanatical quilters. Doris made a quilt that is petroglyphs from Roosevelt to Skamania County.

Congratulations to these three quilters!