Leadership
The Quilts for Kids, Salt Lake Chapter, was originally founded by Diane Pebley in 2016. She was immediately joined by Sandy Schut literally within weeks of its inception and joyfully accepted Diane’s request to become the Chapter Leader. Now, Sandy performs all duties related to quilts and headquarters logistics, while Diane maintains the website and newsletter. As of the end of 2022, together with less than 600 other Utah volunteers, the Salt Lake Chapter has sewn, quilted, bound, and distributed more than 10,000 quilts to Utah children throughout the entire state.
Sandy Schut, Salt Lake Chapter Leader
Sandy has been sewing most of her life. Her love of sewing began when she was in junior high school. During a summer education class, her sewing instructor came to her home and taught her on her Mom’s White treadle sewing machine. Thus, Sandy started making clothing for herself and her sisters. She continued to use all that experience to sew clothing and other items for her children.
In 1997 Sandy received a simple comfort quilt from a local hospital following the sudden passing of their daughter. Her husband suggested she take a quilting class to give her something new to focus on after their loss. Sandy loved it and has been donating quilts to hospitals for their bereavement and other programs ever since. More than twenty years ago, she saw an advertisement in a quilting
magazine for Quilts for Kids and ordered a kit. She has been sewing and donating comfort quilts to
Quilts for Kids National ever since. Now that there is a local Utah Chapter, she has poured her passion into providing comfort quilts to children in Utah.
She experienced firsthand the comfort and peace that a quilt can provide not only to a child but to the child’s entire family. Her special quilt received many years ago is still a cherished family treasure to this day.
Diane Pebley, Salt Lake Chapter Assistant Leader
Diane began quilting in 2013 with the assistance of her cousin Janiece, a national quilt award winner. As Diane started creating a quilt ministry for Utah children, she was asked by the CEO of Quilts for Kids to lead one of their local chapters. Hallelujah! No more red tape.
So, after being joined by Sandy, Diane quickly saw her skills were far more conducive to leading volunteers while Diane’s skills would far better serve technical communications. It was only natural to ask Sandy to become the Chapter Leader.