Coffee Creek Quilters

A Brief History. Before the Coffee Creek Correctional Facility opened, Joan Palmateer, the first superintendent, conducted a series of outreach sessions to inform the Wilsonville community about the prison's construction, safety procedures, and rehabilitation programs. She spoke of a philosophy of tough love and a passion to help inmates work toward a better life when they reenter society.

Koko Sutton heard Joan's presentation and had the idea that quilting classes could help the new prison achieve its goals. After presenting her idea to Joan, Koko founded Coffee Creek Quilters and started recruiting volunteers.

In April 2002 we began offering two weekly classes; at that time we had two instructors and six sewing stations for each class of six students. While we expected the program to flourish, we were surprised by its extraordinary growth. So, getting additional instructors, equipment, supplies and becoming a non-profit corporation were next on the agenda. We received donations to acquire additional equipment and supplies to increase the class size. Today we have four different weekly classes, each with 4 to 5 instructors and 15 to 20 students.

Leadership. Our Board of Directors includes instructors and community members. The President, Karen Bell, Past-President, Mary Ann McCammon, and Secretary, Martha Messa are all active instructors. Additional Board members are Bobbie Bebereia, Judy Dunham, Nancy O'Brien, Norma Seely, and Heidi Yorkshire. The Board meets regularly to oversee the planning, organization, operation and auditing functions of the organization. Sadly, our founder Koko Sutton passed away on October 15, 2009.

Our Volunteers. We have a dedicated group of 36 volunteers who teach the classes, assemble quilt kits, and help with administrative tasks. Most have not taught quilting before joining the program, but combine a love of quilting with the desire to make a difference in the lives of our students. Our volunteers bring a wide range of skills, interests and talents to the classes. The instructors meet monthly to talk about common issues that come up in teaching classes to this special population of quilters.

If you're interested in starting a similar program, please read The Coffee Creek Quilters Program: A Guide for Starting Quilting Classes in Correctional Facilities

Our Volunteers