‘A piece of something bigger’: Makers help raise fabric of community with Union Station quilt project

Uniting Talents to Support Local Health Initiative

On June 7, 2024, Kansas City witnessed an inspiring spectacle. A trio of local maker businesses, Ampersand Design Studio, Tia Curtis Quilts, and Collective EX, combined their respective talents, raising a towering expression of hope and healing in Union Station. These city businesses spent the previous three weeks crafting a vibrant quilt and exhibit for RaisingKC – a new public health initiative focused on fostering safe, stable, nurturing relationships, which form the crux of preventing toxic stress in children.

RaisingKC – Towards a nurturing community

The Raised with Love and Limits Foundation, founded by Barb and Bob Unell, organized this campaign. The RaisingKC quilt portrays the crucial moments and people fostering a supportive and nurturing community. This initiative aims at rooting out toxic stress, now recognized as a primary cause of immediate mental, medical, and behavioral health crises, according to the Raised with Love and Limits Foundation.

Collective EX Raises the Family Quilt at Union Station

An imposing quilt, designed with care and love, now graces Union Station, visible to all until June 16. Collective EX, the team behind this display, couldn’t be more proud, and co-founder Johnny Dawbarn called this an honor. “You feel like you’re a part of something bigger. It’s humbling,” Dawbarn stated.

Support from city officials

KCMO Mayor Quinton Lucas, KCK Mayor Tyrone Garner, and Johnson County Commission Board Chair Mike Kelly have shown their support and declared June as RaisingKC month within their respective Kansas City regions.

Celebrating the Unveiling

George Guastello, President and CEO of Union Station, along with Kelly, the Unells, Kansas City Councilwoman Melissa Robinson, and board member Bob Regnier joined the artists and makers for the unveiling ceremony. While praising the effort, Guastello linked the quilt to the fabric of the community. He said, “Each piece tells a story, and when you wrap a quilt, it keeps you warm and comfortable.”

Tia Curtis – The Hands Behind the Quilt

Quilter Tia Curtis, who spent three weeks crafting the quilt based on designs from Ampersand’s Carrie Kiefer and Morgan Georgie, was thrilled with the unveiling. It was the first time she saw her work in its entirety. She beautifully summed up her experience saying, “It’s really amazing. Everything just fell together perfectly.”