Hi, everyone!
First of all, THANKS to everyone for your thoughts, prayers, phone calls, e-mail messages
and cards for Mom (Doris Foster Custer). She continues to defy the "odds" and
is FINALLY out of the hospital (at least for now) resting at home with her new pacemaker.
She is STILL in CRITICAL condition but maintains her POSITIVE attitude - as she has ALWAYS
done... Your continued thoughts and prayers are appreciated!
Now, for those of you who do NOT yet know, the CAOA Quilt WAS completed prior to the CAOA
Reunion and is BEAUTIFUL. However, it is HUGE! Brenda and I tried taking a photo with my
digital camera for the CAOA Reunion program but the focus just wasn't that clear... I
was standing on Mom's roof after exhausting all other possibilities!
However, through the efforts of my company (Aerojet) photography department, we were able
to make some GREAT photos of the quilt. I have forwarded electronic copies (.jpg files)
to Patricia Caster which will (hopefully) be put on our CAOA web site for viewing and
downloading. The master photos were saved as TIFF files (VERY LARGE) and I am in the
process of getting some "professional" copies made.
I will have enough copies made for every individual who made a quilt square. I plan to
(snail) mail them to the appropriate people as OUR (Mom, Brenda and yours truly) personal
"thank-you" gift to the contributors for helping make this project such a HUGE
(literally) success.
As a part of the photo (on the back or as a separate sheet), we are preparing a brief
history of the Association and the story behind the quilt - including the names of the
individuals and the square(s) they contributed. Anyone else who is interested in a
(photo) copy of the quilt, please contact me (PRIVATELY) letting me know what size
you'd prefer. I will check with the publishing company for prices plus shipping and
handling costs.
We have been able to identify ALL but two of the squares (#35 & #37) - the two were
submitted by the same person and are appliqués of a red barn and field (#35)... a similar
2nd square print with yellow sunflowers (#37). Part of the instructions Mom sent out
suggested the contributor identify their square(s) by including their name and/or
initials... which these two squares do not have.
We are hoping that the individual who contributed the two squares might have e-mail and is
a subscriber to our Castor Listserv. Furthermore, if anyone has ANY clue or idea who
contributed these two squares - PLEASE contact me PRIVATELY. If we do not identify the
individual, we will just list the contributor as "unknown".
Plans are also underway to make the quilt available for loan (by our members for display
purposes at a library, historical society, etc.) through the CAOA Lending Library.
Minimum requirements are 10 ft. ceilings - obviously inside and protected from the weather
and vandals. There will be more information coming out at a later date.
Again, THANKS to everyone who helped with this project!
Sincerely,
Ken Custer, Immediate Past President
The Castor Association Of America (CAOA)
"CUSTER" Family Pod Leader
Keeping the Spirit Alive!