Emerald Valley Quilters member and volunteer mask sewer Pamela Reim
“I believe that it is important to help vulnerable people in whatever ways we are able. Each year our quilter’s guild donates several hundred teddy bears to help children in vulnerable situations, and we also make quilts for the Eugene Mission. Mask making and our other donation projects allow us to express our creativity while using our skills for the benefit of our community.”
Pamela is a quilter, volunteer, and active community member here in Eugene. Originally from California, Pamela found a career with the Social Security Administration as a public affairs coordinator. In this position she worked directly to help many vulnerable members of society, including the homeless and those suffering from mental illness. She also worked with community outreach in the San Francisco Bay area and, during this time, established several connections with non-profit and volunteer organizations.
When she moved to Oregon, Pamela still wanted to somehow help the people in her community. She found the Emerald Valley Quilters Guild and decided to become a member based on their community involvement and her own love for sewing. As a member of the guild, Pamela joined (and for several years led) the community service committee which connected her to many volunteer and service opportunities in the Eugene area. Prior to the Covid-19 crisis, the main focus of the community service committee was the production of quilts for the “Eugene Mission” homeless shelter and teddy bears for “Kids 1st.” The quilts for the shelter help to make sleeping areas feel less institutional by adding colors and patterns to the environment, and the teddy bears help to comfort children who are often victims/witnesses within the criminal justice system.
Because of her involvement with the E.V.Q.G., Pamela was in a good position to help the Eugene community early in the Covid-19 crisis. With many members of the guild working in healthcare or at least having family members that did, they were able to quickly identify where there was need and begin producing masks. In addition to making masks for donation, Pamela also makes mask-creation kits that contain supplies and instructions for people who want to make their own. As for the masks that she makes herself, Pamela has made several donations to local assisted living facilities and the Willamette Valley Cancer Institute.
