The New Beginnings Quilt Guild presented the Blue Star Mothers of Morgan County with 37 stockings for local troops. On hand for the presentation are, from left, Roberta Stephens, guild vice president Gail Hale, Jana Roberts, guild president Janis Temples, Liisa Horton, Barbara Larsen and Blue Star Mothers president Sheila Nelson. | Brent Maze

The New Beginnings Quilt Guild teamed up with the Blue Star Mothers of Morgan County for the fourth consecutive year to help make Christmas brighter for local troops on active duty.

During a meeting Tuesday night, the guild presented 37 handmade stockings for the Blue Star Mothers to stuff full of goodies for the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and coast guardsmen who are from Morgan County.

Sheila Nelson, president of the local chapter of Blue Star Mothers, said she appreciated the guild’s support over the past four years.

“We will take the stockings and stuff them for our local troops for Christmas,” Nelson said. “It’s so important that we don’t forget about our troops, especially over the holidays. It’s difficult for them to be away from their families at this important time of the year, and many of them don’t get anything for Christmas.”

Nelson said they currently have at least 23 local troops who are either deployed or on active duty and away from home.

“That’s all that we know of at this time,” Nelson said. “If anyone knows any other troops from Morgan County, we’d love to find out and add them to our list.”

Janis Temples, president of the New Beginnings Quilt Guild, said they have donated more than 300 stockings since they got involved with the program four years ago.

“This is something that we are glad to be a part of each year,” Temples said. “We have all kinds of stocking designs for the troops.”

Nelson said that many of the troops have kept their stockings ever since they received them.

In addition to the stockings, Temples said that they also make lap quilts for seniors in nursing homes.

The guild meets on the second Thursday of each month at the Farm Service Agency office on Alabama 36 west of downtown Hartselle.

Temples added that they will have a quilt show Nov. 2-3 in the Hartselle Gymnastics building. Admission is free. She also added that they will have their donation quilts up for a silent auction at the event. The quilts are designed with Alabama and Auburn themes.