One Stitch at a Time

Nona Walton lives in Novato, but her heart is in San Francisco.

“My sister stayed at Family House in the late 1980’s when her daughter was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor at UCSF. I saw how well-cared-for they were, and wanted to find my own way to give back to those less fortunate.” In honor of her niece, Nona has sewn countless beautiful quilts for 18 years and donated them to children’s cancer organizations, including Family House, the San Francisco Ronald McDonald House, and The Doll Project at Lucille Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford.

“It takes about 15-20 hours to make each quilt, and I just love it. I have been sewing since I was nine years old - my sister and I got a $10 a month clothing allowance (mind you that was in the late 50's!) but my mom said if we made our clothes, she would pay for everything. That's when my passion began. I have done many other crafts (beading, crochet, knitting, weaving), but my main hobby is sewing. It’s what I like to do to relax when I come home from work.”

During the day, Nona works in the finance department of a retirement community in Marin County. She loves to spend time her son and his family in San Francisco; she is part of a hiking group; volunteers at the Marin Food Bank; gardens; does yoga; and of course, loves to play with her dog. She’s donated nearly 70 quilts to Family House families, and each one represents comfort and caring in the special way that only a blanket made with love can. “It’s so important so share with families in need, and I just want to ‘give back’ to kids who are not as fortunate as my two sons were.”

Thank you, Nona, for sharing your talents and love with our families!

Learn more about how you can get involved with Family House: http://www.familyhouseinc.org/volunteer.html