Quilt Created by Kentucky Extension Homemakers

Census 2020: Every Person in Every County Counts

In the spring of 2019, the Census Bureau asked the Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association (KEHA) to consider a special project: creating a quilt including a square from each of Kentucky 120 counties for use in promoting the 2020 Census. The challenge was accepted, and the project was initiated in May.

In four short months, KEHA members across the state designed and created quilt squares representing each Kentucky county. Marlene McComas, KEHA Past President, worked with Grant County homemakers to piece and finish the quilt. Special thanks to Linda Evans who led the quilt top construction and quilt binding, with assistance from Linda Lawrence. The machine quilting was completed by Lillian Thompson.

The quilt block representing Oldham County was created by Barb Lynch. La Grange, the seat of Oldham County, is home to the only street-running railroad on a Main Street in America. As many as 30 trains pass though the county each day. The historic Main Street district in La Grange hosts a Kentucky Proud farmers market. A booklet providing photos and information about each quilt square is now available on the KEHA website and accessible via the quick links menu. The completed quilt made its debut at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah on September 16th. In a dedication ceremony, current KEHA President Karen Hill and past KEHA President Marlene McComas presented the quilt to the Census Bureau.

The quilt is traveling around Kentucky through August 2020 in a partnership between the Census Bureau and the Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives (KDLA). On January 6, the quilt arrived at the Oldham County Public Library in La Grange and will remain on display through January 15. Once the year of travel around the state is complete, the quilt will be displayed in the KDLA Building in Frankfort.

This unique project has provided the 14,000 members of KEHA with an opportunity to showcase the organization’s tenets of education, leadership and service. The quilt block designs and explanations will help viewers learn more about our state while showcasing the creativity of KEHA members. In addition, the quilt reminds viewers that every person in every county counts – a key reminder for the 2020 Census. The project embodied leadership as KEHA members worked to make an idea a reality in less than four months. Service was on display as members volunteered their time and utilized their talent to create this beautiful fiber art. It is more than a quilt – it is an example of teamwork and achieving a common goal. Find more information about Kentucky Extension Homemakers Association online at www.keha.org.

The Census takes place every 10 years, and is mandated in Article 1, Section 2 of the US Constitution. It will happen during a 6-week period between March and May 2020. The 4.5 million Kentucky residents will be counted as part of “the ultimate RSVP.” The Census will help determine how $675 Billion is allocated every year for the next decade in the US. Learn more about the census in Oldham County on Facebook.

Written by Jenn Williams, KEHA Marketing & Publicity, and Lauren Fernandez, Oldham County Extension Program Assistant.