Caring For Fellow Alumni

As fellow alumni and as part of the ADM Alumni Association’s

Statement of Purpose…..To Keep Alumni Informed

we have added this page.  We feel the purpose of the page is to let our fellow alumni know our feelings of care & concern during difficult times in their lives.  Also, to give classmates a forum to connect with concerned alumni to support them through their difficulties.  

We will be glad to publish computer links to web sites that are set up for alumni with health concerns as long as the person that is affected has approved sharing their story or information.  Please submit your request for approval on the form below.

Also we would like to share the story of the ADM Alumni Quilters again.  This story appeared in the Spring 2009 ADM Alumni Association newsletter and their group is still working hard to fill requests made by alumni & their families. 

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By Jackie Griffiths Orton, Class of 1970

We started the day on December 13th with a mixture of emotions. We were very excited to see our former classmate, Mary Lou, but very sad about the reason we had scheduled the trip.  Just a few months before, Mary’s husband Dave had been diagnosed with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a terminal degenerative brain disorder that progresses rather rapidly. 

The 1970 ‘gal pals’ wanted to do something for Mary and Dave to show our care and concern, but nothing seemed suitable. I had contributed to different ‘comfort quilt’ projects over the past few years and thought this was something we could do. I had a quilt top ready to be quilted that was red, black and white (how perfect . . . it must have been a sign), so we hustled it off to the quilter and I contacted Mary Lou to see if they were up for visitors. Mary invited us up to Sioux Center, about 3 1/2 hours away.  So we started out early the morning of the 13th and arrived to a warm family welcome. 

We were able to meet and visit with Mary, Dave and two of their three grown children and spouses. We gave the quilt to Dave and Mary, and told them to think of all the prayers and concern from all the classmates/schoolmates when they covered with it . . . to think of it as a ‘group hug’ from all of us. Mary went out for a 2 hour lunch with us as we all caught up on each other’s lives over the past 38 years. Then, much too soon, we went back to the house, said our ‘good-byes’, gave hugs and started the 3 1/2 hour trip back to Adel.  Sadly, but expected, Dave lost his battle with the disease on December 30th, 2008. Our prayers and sympathies go out to the family. 

Out of this initial donation of a comfort quilt sprouts the (hopefully) continuing project of the ADM Alumni Association Comfort Quilts for Classmates. This group of 1970 girl friends has already donated the ‘seed’ . . . over twenty yards of fabric to start more quilts. Squares and strips for two more quilts have already been cut and are ready to be sewn together. 

Our thought is that someone must make a written request for a comfort quilt. It can be for a classmate, a classmate’s spouse, or, Heaven forbid, a classmate’s child that is suffering from cancer, or a rare or terminal disease that requires long trips to specialists and/or treatments that take the very warmth from a person. That person/class would become the ‘quilt sponsor’, if you will and would hopefully help generate more donations. We would also keep the letter and take a picture of the finished quilt to go in a scrap book to document our efforts. Perhaps also a picture of the requestor and/or recipient, if possible. 

We will gladly take donations of red, black or white fabric, batting, thread or cash to defer any purchases for supplies or quilting services not donated. That way, someone that doesn’t sew can still contribute. Then, as the word gets out, hopefully, others will want to volunteer with cutting, sewing and quilting. 

Some of our earliest friendships were kindled during our school days. Time and distance has separated us all since we walked the halls of ADM, but the memories remain.  If we can remind those classmates in need of comfort that they have support from schoolmates, we have that chance to give back a little.

Once a Tiger . . . Always a Tiger!!!