At the end of July, a letter was sent to LCMS World Relief from Trinity Lutheran in Mallard, Iowa. The letter contained a newspaper clipping, picturing Lillian Keerbs, 100 years young.It also contained a check to LCMS World Relief for $100 honoring each year of Lillian's life. The LCMS Foundation and LCMS World Relief are pleased and privileged to be able to participate in honoring Lillian. This is the essence of the letter:
Dear LCMS World Relief workers,
Trinity Lutheran Church at Mallard, Iowa, wishes to honor one of our members, Mrs. Lillian Keerbs, by donating the enclosed check for $100 in honor of Lillian's 100th birthday.
Lillian and her daughters, Velma and Vivian were instrumental in starting our quilting group in 1969. Since its beginning, 8,678 quilts have been sent to * Lutheran World Relief. Our quilting group meets every Monday during the winter months, but the Keerbs family quilts year round.
In 1999, our church nominated the Keerbs family for your 85th Anniversary of "Making a World of Difference" award. We rejoiced when the family was selected. They were very happy, although they never seek attention.
A picture of Lillian from our local newspaper is enclosed. Even though Lillian had to go to our local nursing home just a few months ago, she is still very sharp and still helps there with small quilting projects.
Our quilting group will continue to quilt for the needs of others. We thank God for placing the Keerbs family in our congregation.
* Editor's note: Lutheran World Relief (LWR), Baltimore, Maryland, has gathered quilts, kits, clothing, soap, etc. from U.S. Lutherans since 1945. LWR partners, of which LCMS World Relief is one, identify needs and submit requests for material resources. Containers are loaded onto an ocean freighter and shipped to the place of need, to be met by workers for the LWR partner. The partner conducts an orderly distribution, ensuring that those in the greatest need receive the resources.