Lakes Region quilters fight Alzheimer's with quilts

LACONIA — "Alzheimer's Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope," the nationally touring quilt exhibit about Alzheimer's, will be featured at the Belknap Mill Quilters Guild quilt show October 1-2 at the Conference Center at Lake Opechee Inn and Spa.

Exhibit hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5. For more information, visit BMQG.ORG.

The 236-quilt exhibit includes 54 small (9" x 12") quilts illustrating Alzheimer's disease and its impact on the person with the disease and their family.

Laconia quilter Michelle Plourde spearheaded the drive to bring the exhibit to the Lakes Region. Her mother has Alzheimer's and her name is included on one of the quilts ,along with the names of at least two others from the Lakes Region.

Meredith Village Savings Bank, The Belknap Mill Quilters Guild, Metrocast Cablevision, Laconia Savings Bank, Foley Oil Company, Sherry Bunker, Ralph Langevin, Richard and Pat Casstrucci, Michelle and David Plourde, Kelly and Walter Bliss, Terry Larrere, Kathy Burdett, and Robert and Brenda Morin provided financial support to bring the quilt exhibit to the region.

"Alzheimer's Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope" is sponsored by the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative, a grassroots effort to raise awareness and fund research through art. The all-volunteer charity has raised more than $576,000 for Alzheimer's research since it was founded in 2006 by quilter Ami Simms.

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Michelle Plourde with her mother’s name on the Alzheimer's Art Quilt. (Courtesy photo)