Spend a dollar on a raffle ticket, help out a good cause — and possibly win a beautiful, handmade quilt.    
    The Statesboro Quilting Guild has worked tirelessly for the past year during their monthly meetings on the creation of this original quilt. It is truly a work of art and one that any recipient would be proud to display in his or her home. This is the third such project by the guild and is an original design by Pat Wooke.
    The guild meets each month, on the third Tuesday at 6:30 p.m., at the Honey Bowen Building. There are currently 25 members, but the organization is open to add new members who are interested in quilting.
    The group was organized in 2005 by Caroline Brooks following her move back to Statesboro from Perry, where she was active in a quilting group.
    “Each person in the group, depending on their skill level, worked on either the appliqués or stitches,” said Jan Lane, the guild’s outgoing president. “Some of our members would actually take material home with them and work on the project between meetings.”
    Half of the proceeds from the raffle will go to Ogeechee Area Hospice, and the other half will be used to help purchase fabrics, thread and other essential elements for the guild to continue its work.
    “Quilting has become very modernized today,” said Kay Highfield, another Guild member. “The technology has improved, and patterns have changed quite a bit.”
    Others present during an interview last week included Sharron Sable and Tricia Kennedy. Both are active in the guild and share their love for the art of quilting. They would like to encourage younger people to get involved and learn about quilting.
    Pat Silva, the president of the guild, encouraged anyone with an interest to join, adding that skill level is not important.
    The guild is planning short workshops to teach quilting skills.
    The group’s current project, which was started after the members finished the quilt that will be raffled, is making Christmas stockings for Safe Haven, an emergency safe house for adult and child victims of domestic violence. The request from Safe Haven is for 30 stockings for children during the Christmas season.
    Raffle tickets may be purchased by calling the guild treasurer, Lee Mitchell, at (912) 531-8236.