Filling the COVID time warp: We’ve asked area residents, “What’s your secret?”

by Mary Jo David

Secret #1: Dip into your heart to help others

SafeHouse Center donation quilt sewn by Ann Kehn and Grace Boxer.

Laura Jarvis was looking for a way to fill her time and, at the same time, accomplish something meaningful during the pandemic shutdown, before the state began opening back up. As the owner of KootsiQuilting at 120 E. Main St. in Stockbridge, she decided to capitalize on her quilting know-how and ready access to her long-arm quilting machine. Jarvis reached out to the Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild (GAAQG) and offered long-arm quilting services, at no charge, to volunteers of the Guild who were making quilts to donate to SafeHouse Center.

SafeHouse Center provides support for those impacted by domestic violence and sexual assault in Washtenaw County and the surrounding areas. They serve over 5,000 survivors and their children each year. A volunteer-made quilt is gifted to every SafeHouse client upon arrival—something they can keep with them throughout their time at SafeHouse and when they leave.

“It’s a labor of love. You want to do something, so you dip into your heart to see what you can come up with,” Jarvis explained.

Auction quilt sewn by Glenna Schweitzer and Marilyn Knepp to raise money for SafeHouse. Both quilts were quilted by Laura Jarvis at KootsiQuilting in Stockbridge.

She knew that many of those volunteers working on quilts would feel timid about leaving their homes during the pandemic, so in addition to doing the quilting, she also provided regular porch pick-ups and drop-offs. All in all, her efforts resulted in finish-quilting for approximately 70 donated quilts.

“Funny how I reflected just these past couple of days about being truly thankful I was in a position to be able to offer this as it made my heart happy and also gave me a purpose every day to get up and go into my shop. Or go pick up quilts.”

As the pandemic shutdown restrictions have loosened, Jarvis continues to quilt SafeHouse quilts for free when volunteers also bring in a personal quilt for quilting; otherwise she charges $40 for SafeHouse quilting, which is a discount of 50% from her standard charges.

In addition to providing SafeHouse clients with quilts, the GAAQG sponsors a non-juried quilt show every other year to earn money for SafeHouse. This year, that show is being held online and is titled, “Celebrate the Quilt From Home 2020.” To learn more about the show and to access a link to it, go to safehousecenter.org/2020gaaqg

NOTE: If you’re considering donating your quilt-making skills, be sure to consult with the organization you’ll be working with for size guidelines.

Secret #2: Tell people what you’re up to.

Colleen Redfield of Stockbridge is pictured with her father, Glen Burgess, a 96-year-old WWII veteran and long-time resident of Grass Lake who recently moved to Dansville.

Since moving her 96-year-old father, Glen Burgess, to an assisted living facility in Dansville in January, Colleen Redfield of Stockbridge knew she had a big job ahead: Emptying the Grass Lake home that her father, a WWII veteran, had lived in for 25 years. Then she needed to put it on the market.

Redfield recently retired from her job in the after-school program in Stockbridge. Before retiring, she found herself with time on her hands when the district closed schools this spring due to the coronavirus.

With help from her brother and sister, she sorted, donated, and purged. “I did a little bit every day,” Redfield noted. Her original plan was to have an estate sale, but the pandemic caused her to rethink that plan. “We took twelve carloads to Goodwill, and Habitat for Humanity was a big help with emptying out the garage.” It warms her heart to know that “Dad’s tools may be used to build homes for people who need them, or maybe they’ll be sold to earn money to support Habitat’s home-building efforts.

Redfield recalls that, years back, when they were helping her Dad make decisions about his estate, “I always said I would do this for him.” She just had no idea at the time how big the job would be. “But I’ve learned you just need to tell people what you’re up to and you’ll hear how they can help you out.”

Secret #3: Don’t laugh until you try it!

Gary Hicks of Gregory solved his wood-stacking conundrum by building a Holzhaufen stack (German for “wood house”).

After Michigan began relaxing some of its COVID-19 restrictions, Gregory resident Gary Hicks contracted with a tree-cutting company to take down five trees on his property. They made easy work of taking the trees down, but for Hicks, splitting and stacking what was left turned into a major undertaking and a good pandemic diversion. Stacking the wood in a simple row was not going to do the trick as he soon learned when he was about three face cords into the job and the row collapsed. Contemplating what to try next, he looked at some online videos.

“I remember laughing as I watched a video of a man who bragged that he wasn’t good at much but he was good at stacking wood,” recalled Hicks. Not expecting much, he nonetheless continued watching the video. By the end of the lesson, Hicks was convinced the man in the video was a wood-stacking genius, and he was determined to put the lesson to good use. Across many days and with the help of neighbor Keith Sanders—and a gas-powered wood splitter—a lion’s share of the wood was piled into what is known as a Holzhaufen stack (German for “wood house”). Since its completion, Hicks notes that the unusual shape of the woodpile has been quite the conversation piece to casual observers.

Secret #4: COVID-19 is for the birds

The birds in Gregory are living it up, thanks to Tim Bair and crew. From bird condominiums to outhouses, Bair and family found a way to use wood and the early days of the pandemic as an outlet for their creativity.

As an appliance installer at Big George’s Appliances in Ann Arbor, Tim Bair of Gregory found himself with time on his hands when the appliance store temporarily reduced staff for a month or so in the early days of the coronavirus. While he was off, his mom, Penny Kunzelman, asked if he’d make her a birdhouse. That idea set Bair’s creative juices into gear. He began crafting birdhouses to bide the long days of the pandemic.

Penny’s husband, Gordie, and Bair’s teenagers, Max and Kaylee, also got into the birdhouse-building action. Friends and family were the lucky recipients of many of the finished pieces. Although the designs are creative, all of the birdhouses are built to be functional.

“I always liked art classes and sculpting, and in Boy Scouts we did a lot of woodworking,” explained Bair. “Plus I’ve had ten years of previous experience as a rough framer carpenter.” His artistry and skill are evident in many of the birdhouses.  A recent tour of Penny and Gordie Kunzelman’s property showcased a number of the unique birdhouses, some perched on fence posts and others put to good use among ornamental grasses.

All totaled, Bair guesses they made close to 50 birdhouses, which just goes to show, COVID-19 is for the birds!

We’d love to hear how you’ve filled your time during the pandemic. Email your feedback, with your contact information, to Attn: Mary Jo at stockbridgecommunitynews@gmail.com  or mail it to P.O. Box 83, Gregory, MI 48137. Don’t forget to send pictures!