We feel a quilt is something that represents WI. Quilting has been typical of women coming together to serve the community for many generations. Quilting can serve as a means to tell specific stories as well as to bring warmth and joy. Our aim was to build four unique story squares out of Lego depicting how we experience community connection here in Paris Ontario. Then we quilted our Lego squares together as one large collective piece.
Starting from the bottom right and going clockwise here are our narratives:
“In the community, WI has created a sense of belonging. Since becoming a WI member I have established connections that ground me to Paris. The colours of my Lego quilt are symbolic: green represents Brant County, dark blue represents the FWIO, brown is for the many walking trails, light blue is for the Grand River, and purple represents Women Inspiring Women, our local WI branch. There, in the middle of it all, is an open door inviting all Wonder Women to come in.” ~ Lisa
“A Community flourishes when information can be shared. Whether it is through discussing books, attending lectures, chatting in person, or via electronic means, sharing information enriches the individuals and the collective community. The WI was founded with the purpose of sharing information to improve the lives of women, and that has fostered the growth of many wonderful communities.” ~ Anna
“The place where one lives is just a place until you open the door to venture around and among others, then ‘place’ transforms into a community. The activities that we engage in connect us to that place. The rivers and parks are some of the places where we connect with people from all walks of life. As we paddle the quiet rivers, play with friends in the park, enjoy a picnic or observe the wildlife, we all come together and find social connections. The water and natural spaces surrounding us create synchronicity amid a world that can sometimes be overwhelming. Paddling on the river, tracking wildlife, and enjoying the rapturous sounds of kids playing are all part of connecting me with the greater community in which we live.” ~ Jenni
“In the community, I feel connected when I share my love and passion for beekeeping and honey. In the fall, my family and I collect honey from our backyard beehive and gift it to our neighbours. This act brings us so much joy and connection to our neighbours who are thrilled to find out that their garden flowers may have been secretly visited by our bees and then they get to taste their own garden as a sweet reward. This act of community sharing has sparked neighbours to choose to plant flowers that attract pollinators including our honey bees to their backyards. Plus, a beehive is a perfect allegory for community cohesiveness if I have ever known one.” ~ Erika
