GALA Activities

In addition to attending guild workshops and meetings, members are encouraged to participate in our activities and community service projects.
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President's Challenge

It is a customary in our guild for each GALA President to present a yearly challenge to the members. Over the years this has encompassed many different pieces, from miniature quilts to crazy pieced patchwork.

President’s Challenge 2010 - What fun 42 people had in choosing crayons for this year’s challenge. Excitement was high in the room as everyone drew their 2 crayons from the bag. What colors did you get? The rules for the challenge are as follows :

1.    Use your 2 crayon colors somewhere in your quilt piece
2.    Size to be no smaller than 24 “ on each side
3.    Piece to be quilted, bound, and labeled to be considered finished
4.    Due at the December meeting
5.    Pin your crayon pieces to the outside of your quilt in a baggie.

To those people who took 3 crayons, consider turning back in that third crayon so that anyone else who wants to participate may have some crayons to choose from.

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Block of the Month

Wonder what surprise Sunny will have in store for us this month? And who will win all those squares? The enthusiasm and interest is building. Thanks to Sunny for her great prep work.

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Scrap Bag Exchange

For those who want to increase their scrap supply, we hold a scrap bag exchange at every meeting. It's easy to participate! Bring ten different six inch squares of high quality quilting fabric in a plain brown paper bag for the exchange. 

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Cottage Groups

The intent of having a cottage group is to allow members who are interested in the same thing to meet together in a smaller setting for work and fellowship. 

Our "Dear Jane" group is working on Dear Jane squares. They meet every other Monday morning. The focus of this group is to help and encourage each other as they complete these intricate squares.

Please Contact Us if you would like to join the Dear Jane group or if you have suggestions for forming another cottage group! 

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GALA Quilt Exhibits

GALA Quilt Show

In celebration of National Quilting Day, the GALA Quilt Guild will host a Quilt Exhibit at the Phenix City Public Library on March 20, 2010. The library is located at 1501 17th Avenue in Phenix City and the event is open to the public. (Details will be posted in 2010.)

Our first exhibits were held on National Quilting Day in March 2008 and March 2009. Many people took time to attend our previous events and inspect our work and we were pleased and excited to be able to share our enthusiasm for the wonderful art of quilting!

Callaway Garden Quilt Show

In October 2008, we collaborated with Callaway Gardens to host their first judged and juried Quilt Show. Over 100 quilts were displayed in the Callaway Discovery Center and hundreds of visitors enjoyed the show.

GALA Guild member award winning quilts:

by Chris Piepmeir                                     by Cynthia Johnstone

Gracie and the GALA Raffle Quilt

by Karen Wawrosch

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GALA members may earn a Golden Scissors pin by meeting
and documenting each objective below:

-Finish a quilt that is 216 inches square (54"x54").
-Turn in 4 finished charity quilts.
-Chair a committee for the guild.
-Teach a workshop or program for the guild.
-Serve as an officer for the guild.
-Finish a President's Challenge completely and on time.
-Perform a service to the guild and/or community above and beyond normal boundaries/expectations.

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Community Service Projects

Blankets for Benning
GALA Quilt Guild members make baby quilts every year and donate them to Martin Army Hospital at Ft. Benning, Georgia.  These special blankets are given to babies born while their fathers are deployed.

Walker Totes
GALA members make tote bags that can be attached to walkers in order to hold personal belongings. They are donated to the Veterans Hospital in Tuskegee, Alabama.

Christmas Bags
Every year GALA members make tote bags and fill them with gifts and toiletries to donate to those in need at the Battered Women's Shelter in Phenix City, Alabama. In addition to the bags and gifts, the guild makes a monetary donation to help with other needs at the shelter.

Cat Pillows
For our furry friends, guild members make and donate adorable cat pillows to the Allied Cats Shelter in Columbus, Georgia.

Project Linus
Several of our members work with Project Linus and donate quilts to "...provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer 'blanketeers'.

Other Projects
GALA members regularly make and donate quilts to projects providing quilts to wounded soldiers.

In March 2008, the guild created a special kaleidoscope baby quilt and gave it to the first baby born in our area on National Quilting Day!