Fundraiser for my parents
Learn about the Raffle!
When the People Who Take Care of Everyone Else Need a Little Help
My parents have spent their lives taking care of everyone else. This summer, they found themselves in a position they never expected: needing a little help themselves.
In June, we lost my grandpa, Carl. His passing wasn't unexpected. He had been in a nursing home since September as his health declined, but losing him was still difficult.
If you remember my recent pattern release for JuneBug Pie, that one was inspired by him. We were at a family gathering, and he got a big scoop of cobbler. He was just saying how delicious it was, when he looked down and saw that a june bug had been baked right into the fruity filling.
Just a few weeks later, while our family was still dealing with funeral arrangements, my dad discovered an infection in his foot. Within 72 hours of being admitted to the hospital, the infection had become so severe that doctors had to amputate.
Dad had been a truck driver for more than 40 years. He loved driving and traveled all over the country, always coming home with stories from the road. He had only recently been forced to retire because of his health, so losing his foot was another huge change in a very short amount of time.
And while Dad was in the hospital, Mom was admitted with a severe sinus infection and pneumonia. For a while, both of my parents were hospitalized at the same time.
Dad spent about two weeks in the hospital and another 10 days in rehab. Mom eventually went home with antibiotics. Meanwhile, my 80-year-old grandma was home alone. She lives right next door to Mom and Dad, and they had actually built their new house last year so Mom could be closer and help care for her parents.
Thankfully, friends and church members stepped in to check on Grandma while everyone was in the hospital.
By the middle of July, Mom and Dad were finally home, and we thought things were beginning to settle down.
Dad has worked hard to regain his independence. He uses a wheelchair now, but that hasn't stopped him from doing what he can. When the grass needed mowing, he got on the lawn mower and mowed it himself! He's also started building model cars again, especially the classic cars from the 1960s. He used to have a workshop, but he can't easily get to it right now, so his dining room table has become his new workbench.
Those little things mean a lot.
Unfortunately, August brought another setback. We had planned a surprise birthday party for Mom, but just days before the party, she was hospitalized again with pneumonia. She's home now, and doctors are considering sinus surgery in hopes of reducing the recurring infections.
Mom has always been the caretaker of our family. She cooked, cleaned, managed the finances, grocery shopped, took everyone to appointments, and somehow always found time to help other people too. She is active in her church's women's group and has spent years helping with fundraisers, making funeral slideshows (weird hobby, right? but thats what she was good at), taking food to people, and simply being someone others can count on.
For most of my childhood, she didn't really have hobbies. Her family was her hobby. She took care of us.
Now, she is trying to manage her own health while still helping care for Grandma and keeping up with everyone's appointments. Things that used to be simple, like cooking and grocery shopping, have become difficult. Both Mom and Dad are over 60 and live on disability, so all of these changes come with expenses they weren't prepared for.
That's why I'm doing this raffle.
I'm three hours away, and my brother is three hours away too. I took several days off work to help when everything happened, but eventually I had to come home. I wanted to stay, but I have my own bills to pay too.
So I'm doing what I know how to do: I'm making a quilt.
I'm raffling Primrose Promenade, a quilt with big red flowers that both Mom and Dad think is beautiful. It was featured in Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting Fall 2026. The one that's in stores right now.
I'm hoping to sell 100 tickets at $10 each and raise $1,000 for them. Every dollar raised will go directly to Mom and Dad. I will not keep any of the proceeds.
The money will help with things like transportation, grocery delivery, housekeeping, increased utility bills, medical appointments, physical therapy, and Dad's future prosthetic foot.
But more than anything, I want this raffle to show my parents how loved they are.
They have spent their lives taking care of their family, friends, church, and community. They aren't helpless, and they aren't giving up. They're simply dealing with a lot of difficult things all at once.
I can't fix everything from three hours away. But I can make a quilt. That's not really that much!
And maybe, together, we can show Mom and Dad that the people they've spent their lives helping are ready to help them, too.
And mom, I know you're reading this, and I can already see those tears. I love you. You've dedicated your entire life to mine, and I feel this the least I can do for you. Get a tissue, wipe those eyes, and share this post on Facebook. Tell everyone how proud you are, and lets get some tickets sold!
Quilt Raffle
Tickets: $10 each
Goal: $1,000
Drawing: October 31, 2026
Thank you for helping me show my parents just how much they mean to the people around them.
Special thanks to Benartex (for the fabric), Belle Brunner (for designing the fabric), and Charity (For quilting it!)
Contact
tiffany@tialynndesign.com
© 2012-2026. All rights reserved.
