Piecers provide comfort, memories

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Krystal Ardrey
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Having a baby can be a difficult time for any woman, but here at Incirlik Air Base, the experience may have added stress because of the need to transfer to another medical facility for the birth.

Through a program called "Storknesting", active duty expectant mothers must travel to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, for their delivery.  Dependents have the choice of giving birth locally in one of the hospitals down town, returning to the United States or going to Landstuhl to have their child.

The Hodja Patchwork Piecers and the Incirlik Combined Spouses Club, are working with the 39th Medical Group Women's Health Clinic to provide a little piece of home to expectant mothers who must leave for six to eight weeks to have their child.

The Hodja Patchwork Piecers, a group of spouses who gather weekly to sew, create handmade quilts to welcome the newest Hodjas to Incirlik AB as well as provide a memento to the families that will last for years to come. The quilts are made in a variety of patterns and colors to offer a variety of options to expectant mothers.

"In our community, we all want to support each other because we all care about each other," said Britt Wills, the founder of the Hodja Patchwork Piecers. "It's a way to let them know that we are thinking about them, care about them and are so excited that they have a new member of their families."

The Incirlik Combined Spouses Club helps support the group with donations to assist with some of the material costs, however most of the material is provided by members of the Hodja Patchwork Piecers.

Once the quilts are complete, they are given to the 39th MDG Women's Health Clinic who keeps the quilts until it is time to present them to the mothers. 

The program was initially established to surprise new mothers with a welcome home gift. However, since the expectant mothers do not take much with them to Landstuhl, the 39th MDG has been giving out the quilts to expectant mothers the day before they depart. The first quilts were presented to expectant mothers on Oct. 1, 2014. The program is also working on reaching back and giving quilts to mothers who have recently given birth.

"I love being able to give out these quilts," said Maj. Cindy Adams, 39th Medical Operations Squadron flight commander. "Having taken care of the mothers the whole time, it is a really fun part for me to actually see the baby when they come back wrapped in the blanket."
Adams described the quilts as a gift of love from caring women, caring for other women.
"It is a great opportunity to give back to spouses," said Robyn Mihalyi, a member of the Hodja Patchwork Piecers. "I just know that they are touched by receiving one. They have a piece of Incirlik when they leave."

For more information on the Hodja Patchwork Piecers - contact Britt Wills at 676-5598 for more information. The group is currently composed entirely of volunteers and is open to anyone of any skill level who would like to participate.