Quilts of Valor stitches up special surprise for Anderson's "Rainbow Gang,' see photos

Ken Ruinard, Anderson Independent Mail

Kim Price, leader of the Quilts of Valor group, saw peeking heads and smiles from Rainbow Gang Special Population members, curious to see what she was doing on a recent visit.

Members of the Rainbow Gang Special Population, an adult daycare group in Anderson County, were busy in nearby rooms in the former McCants Middle School building, which dates to 1935. Nearly two dozen adults with intellectual disabilities participate in recreational activities through Area 14 Special Olympics and the "Rainbow Gang."

Kim Price gives members of the Rainbow Gang Special Population day care a quilt presented by the Quilts of Valor Foundation in Anderson, S.C., Monday, August 12, 2024. The group made colorful squares as an art project, which Kim Price secretly made into a quilt which she surprised them, and posed for a group photo with.
Kim Price gives members of the Rainbow Gang Special Population day care a quilt presented by the Quilts of Valor Foundation in Anderson, S.C., Monday, August 12, 2024. The group made colorful squares as an art project, which Kim Price secretly made into a quilt which she surprised them, and posed for a group photo with.

Kathy Schofield, the program coordinator for the Rainbow Gang Special Population daycare, enthusiastically responded when quilter Kim Price suggested an art activity in which the participants could pick shapes to make colorful squares. Once the squares were made, Price started assembling a "secret" quilt, which on Monday was presented as a surprise for the Rainbow Gang group to display on the wall of their activity room.

"It opens up a creative outlet. Some of them have seen the quilting process, so they understand what our friends across the hall are doing. It takes them a step further with the presentation of the quilts and helps them to understand why Quilts of Valor (exists) and what they do with the quilts, which is honor our heroes," Schofield said.

Kim Price, State Coordinator and Regional Coordinator Quilts of Valor Foundation, walks in the room where many quilts are made for veterans, Monday, August 12, 2024.
Kim Price, State Coordinator and Regional Coordinator Quilts of Valor Foundation, walks in the room where many quilts are made for veterans, Monday, August 12, 2024.

"Do you guys remember the blocks you did months ago?" Price asked the group as they had lunch.

Then she and fellow quilter Anne Medlin raised the large quilt. The campers collectively let out an "ooooh" and "weeee" as they saw their designs in the unique square panels crafted first with paper and later replicated in cloth as a quilt.

Kim Price, State Coordinator and Regional Coordinator Quilts of Valor Foundation made a special quilt for the Rainbow Gang day care across the hall from her, which holds recreational activities for Anderson County Special Population in Anderson, S.C., Monday, August 12, 2024.
Kim Price, State Coordinator and Regional Coordinator Quilts of Valor Foundation made a special quilt for the Rainbow Gang day care across the hall from her, which holds recreational activities for Anderson County Special Population in Anderson, S.C., Monday, August 12, 2024.

Price said, "Yeah, that's yours!" to Brad Hammond, in the front row, pointing to his square. Hammond stood up and hugged Price.

"OK, so it has a label on it. And usually, we give our quilts to veterans, right? But this is not going to a veteran. This was made by the Rainbow People," she said. "Isn't that cool?"

The crowd applauded and more hugs ensued.

"Y'all did a great job," said Medlin, a quilter who spent 30 years working with vocational rehabilitation, praising the Rainbow Gang's interest in the art.

Kim Price, State Coordinator and Regional Coordinator Quilts of Valor Foundation shows a photo of Rainbow Gang day care participants, making shapes which secretly would become a special quilt for the group across the hall from her. The county building on South Fant Street, which holds recreational activities for Anderson County Special Population, was where she presented them the quilt in Anderson, S.C., Monday, August 12, 2024.
Brad Hammond, middle, smiles as Kim Price and the Quilts of Valor Foundation made a special quilt for the Rainbow Gang day care in Anderson, S.C., Monday, August 12, 2024. The quilt group, with three rooms in the same hallway of the former McCants Middle School building run by Anderson County, holds recreational activities for Anderson County Special Population.
Brad Hammond, right, a member of the Rainbow Gang Special Population day care, hugs Anne Medlin a volunteer for Quilts of Valor Foundation, after Kim Price and the group presented a special quilt in Anderson, S.C., Monday, August 12, 2024. The Rainbow Gang group made colorful squares as an art project, which Price secretly made into a quilt which she surprised them with Monday.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Quilts of Valor honors Anderson's 'Rainbow Gang' with surprise, photos

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