Piece to Peace Quilters thrilled with new space
By Barb Pert Templeton
The Piece to Peace Quilters have a brand-new home after signing a one-year lease agreement with the City of Algonac.
The group will be leasing space at the former Algonac Elementary School now known as the Algonac Activity Center located at 1216 St. Clair Boulevard. The rental agreement calls for $150 per month from Oct. 1, 2025 and ending on Sept. 20, 2026.
Members of the Algonac City Council applaud the approval of a lease agreement with Peace to Piece Quilters at a recent meeting.
The Piece to Peace Quilters is a certified 501 © (3) nonprofit, charitable organization committed to promoting the craft and art of quilts, quilt making, sewing and fiber arts and passing along the tradition to members and the community.
The lease agreement was an agenda item at an Oct. 7 meeting of the Algonac City Council and was unanimously approved by officials.
Jan Evans, with Piece to Peace, gave a brief presentation at the start of the meeting.
An Algonac resident, Evans said she was there to represent the groups 65 plus growing membership, with projects that include sewing, quilting and fiber arts.
Jan Evans, with Piece to Peace Quilters in Algonac, is pictured here working on a project.
She said the group had been meeting at the Algonac Church of Christ for two decades and even though it was a great place, space was limited and stairs to the basement became challenging for some members. As a result, many of those interested in the group couldn’t be accommodated at the church so they missed out, Evans said.
“We needed a handicap accessible safe home, where our members can come together for social connection, skill development, creative inspiration and community service,” Evans said. “A multi-generational place where there’s a sense of belonging and support.”
Evans thanked the city officials for seeing their vision and welcoming them to the new community center. Initially the thought was that the former library at the elementary school would be a good fit for the group but organizers soon found that room wasn’t in the Phase 1 updating plan and there were no funds to fix it up.
“When the community heard our needs, they came to the rescue, along with so many supporting our fundraising efforts the community responded,” Evans said.
She noted that donations of flooring, paint, electric services and furniture all soon came the groups way.
“Funds were donated for all the new LED lighting and others donated to purchase our tables, our chairs, our TV and help with supplies and to help us pay our lease payment, our insurance premium and so, so, much more,” Evans said.
She went on to thank the council for their vision and for not giving up. Evans said strong communities don’t just happen, they happen due to strong leadership.
“We are so excited and just can’t wait for the opportunity to inspire others there,” Evans said.
As a token of their appreciation Evans presented each council member with a stone engraved with the word inspire. She said it takes just one person to cast a stone to create a ripple and that person can then in-turn offer assistance and positivity to the community.
“Thank-you for casting the stone for our activity center, let us and our community now come together in a positive way to be that ripple,” Evans said.
Council shares their delight
As the lease agreement came up as an agenda item, members of the council weighed-in on the plan.
Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Davey said the work that the group has put into the project is something she really hopes the rest of the community will get to see.
“I listen to Jan one day about everything they had going and when she said God will provide, I just listened to all the things and work they’d done and I was tired,” Davey said. “This is a good thing that you guys have done, you guys are awesome.”
“I’m certainly not going to say no to a bunch of women with needles in their hands,” joked Councilman Michael Bembas. “I’ve always appreciated Jan Evans she has always been a very dedicated hard worker and always had the best of Algonac, so congratulations.”
“I saw it the other day through the window and it looks beautiful,” Councilman Jake Skarbek added. “I’m excited for you guys and hope you make lots of memories.” Mayor Rocky Gillis noted that when the city bought the building the quilters group moving in is what officials had hoped would happen.
“It’s going to be a place where the whole community comes together, we can get off social media and see each other face to face,” Gillis said.
The mayor said he envisions all kinds of activities at the building, maybe music in the gym for the winter like they have music in the park during the summer months.
“When you think about the investment and for seven years, we sat there with a vacant eye sore and now tomorrow there’s going to be a whole new set of life in there,” Gillis said. “And if you think about ladies that you want in your activity center making sure no one is getting into mischief I think you guys are the ones we want there.”
