From Ami Simms, founder and Executive Director of the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative:
The Alzheimer’s Art Quilt
Initiative will most likely reach the $1,000,000 mark in money raised
for Alzheimer’s research some time in 2013!
The work of your hands and the compassion in your hearts has brought us to
this milestone. I will be forever grateful to each and every one of you for your
support and dedication.
What began as one person’s response to sorrow and frustration has grown into
a national charity embraced by a large portion of the quilting community. More
than 13,000 quilts have been donated, turning sweat equity into
over $883,000 for research so
far. For many donors these quilts were healing works of art which helped them
grieve as they stitched for the greater good. Hundreds of thousands of people
have seen the AAQI’s two traveling quilt exhibits about Alzheimer’s. Through
this artistry came the realization for many that they were not alone on this
journey of heartbreak; others understood, perhaps for the first time, what a
diagnosis of Alzheimer’s really means. Together quilters have funded 11 research
studies at six universities and a medical school. Three more studies will be
funded this month and hopefully more throughout 2013. Because of the AAQI,
scientists know a little bit more about Alzheimer’s than they did before.
Hopefully this understanding will bring us all closer to a cure.
When I created the AAQI back in 2006, I never expected it to become so successful! I also never imaged how much work it would take to keep it going. As the AAQI blossomed, board members and core volunteers have had to increase our hours and pace to keep up. While I find enormous satisfaction in nurturing the AAQI, I much prefer sewing to administrating. I miss just being a full-time quilter.
For this reason, 2013 will be the last year of fundraising for the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative. I hope you will help the AAQI reach our goal of One Million Dollars for research and then at the end of 2013 celebrate with everyone who made this tremendous achievement possible. Please review the important dates below:
There is still much work to this year as we sprint to the finish line. I hope
everyone who reads this will join in, either as a seasoned veteran or a first
time quilt donor or quilt buyer. We will continue to make a difference until the
very last quilt is sold. Let’s make 2013 the best year ever!
Thank you for your support,
Ami Simms
Founder & Executive Director
Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative
Congratulations, Ami, for all you've done. I encourage everyone to become a part of this in 2013! I'm going to see what I can do :)
Cheers,
Patrick
Ami and her mother, Beebe, in 2006 shortly after the
AAQI began.
When I created the AAQI back in 2006, I never expected it to become so successful! I also never imaged how much work it would take to keep it going. As the AAQI blossomed, board members and core volunteers have had to increase our hours and pace to keep up. While I find enormous satisfaction in nurturing the AAQI, I much prefer sewing to administrating. I miss just being a full-time quilter.
For this reason, 2013 will be the last year of fundraising for the Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative. I hope you will help the AAQI reach our goal of One Million Dollars for research and then at the end of 2013 celebrate with everyone who made this tremendous achievement possible. Please review the important dates below:
February 15, 2013: All bookings for
the traveling exhibit “Alzheimer’s
Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope” must be finalized.
March 1, 2013: First online
auction of quilts from “Alzheimer’s Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope”
traveling exhibit. Twenty-six Name Quilts will be auctioned
during the first 10 days of March, April, May, June, July, August, and
September. Payment will be required at the conclusion of each auction with
shipping in October 2013 after the exhibit retires. The 54 Priority: Alzheimer’s
Quilts from the traveling exhibit will be auctioned during the first 10 days of
October and December.
July 2013: Last month to participate in the
Quilt-A-Month Club.
August 1, 2013: Last day to register Priority: Alzheimer’s Quilts.
Quilts delivered to scanners after August 20 will be refused.
October 29 – November 3, 2013:
International Quilt Festival. We hope to be invited back one last time to sell
quilts in Houston, TX.
November 1-10, 2013: Celebrity Invitational
Quilt Online Auction
December 30, 2013: Last day Priority:
Alzheimer’s Quilts can be purchased online.
December 31, 2013: Quilts For Sale and Donation pages will be removed
from the AAQI website and all solicitations will cease.
2014-2015: The Alzheimer’s Art Quilt
Initiative will monitor research grants awarded in 2013. The AQQI web page will
be left intact for at least six months. Any funds not needed to sustain the
AAQI’s final expenses will be donated to research. Remaining assets will be
disposed of according to IRS regulations after which time the corporation will
be dissolved.
Thank you for your support,
Ami Simms
Founder & Executive Director
Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative
Congratulations, Ami, for all you've done. I encourage everyone to become a part of this in 2013! I'm going to see what I can do :)
Cheers,
Patrick
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