Susan Corbin has given away hundreds of quilts, but remembers the response of one particular woman. The mother of three children was in an abusive relationship, and one night left with the kids for the WAVI shelter, where she was given quilts donated by Project Warmth.

"In the thank you she said she was so excited and so happy to have quilts she could keep," Corbin said. "I was like 'Wow!' and I almost cried when I read it."

A division of the Black Hills Quilters Guild, Project Warmth gives away about 300 quilts a year. Originally founded to give quilts to fire victims, the group now also donates to the hospital's pediatrics department, Working Against Violence Inc., Youth and Family Services and the Black Hills Children's Home.

"We usually give 150 to 200 quilts a year for pediatrics and you think, 'That many children needed a hug?'" Corbin said. "The nurses don't just give them to everyone - it's for the special ones and the ones you can tell that they don't have much."

Project Warmth began on a small scale in 1986. Carol Doyle, who has been with the Quilting Guild since it was founded in 1977, said that for their first fire donation, they did not have a quilt completed, so they bought one from a member.

"I remember that 1988 Westberry Trails Fire," Doyle said. "We didn't have many quilts to give away, but we got busy and ended up making 23."

Sometimes the quilters receive thank-you cards from the recipients.

"When you deliver a fire quilt, someone will give you a big hug," Corbin said. "It's really neat to know that somebody is using it."

There is no shortage in demand for the quilts.

"I'm not looking for more people to give quilts to," Corbin said. "For example, WAVI has never once said, 'Oh, we will put those in a closet.'"

Some of the quilters are very dedicated. Corbin said one woman was not able to come for months because she had cancer, but another quilter took her fabric to work on at home.

"When you get here, you can talk to people or you can even cry in the corner if you want to," Corbin said. "But it's just fun and it's all about teamwork."

"Most quilts start out with straight stitches, so you don't have to have a lot of experience to begin," said Bonnie Fingerhut, who has been working with Project Warmth for about 10 years.

The women said the appeal of the Project Warmth work days is the companionship with women who have the same interests.

"We're all friends and we get along remarkably well for women," Doyle said. "It's just a good time to socialize."

Sometimes that socializing can get a little rambunctious.

"We have so much fun that sometimes we're so loud the minister comes up and says, 'You sound like a bunch of chickens!'" Corbin said.

Most of the women are retired and say quilting is a great way to stay busy.

"It's also a stress reliever," Fingerhut said. "A lot of us have elderly parents or an elderly husband. If I couldn't sew, I'd probably go crazy."

How to help

If you sew: Anyone can join the group to work on quilts, regardless of experience. The group meets from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. the last Monday of each month at Faith Lutheran Church on Indiana Street. They usually have a potluck lunch.

If you don't: The group can always use donations of fabric, old quilt tops and money to buy batting and backing.