The five Wisconsin Memorial Quilts visually show the impact Substance Use Disorder (SUD) has made on our Wisconsin families, communities and State. There are just under 1,600 people on the Quilts. I often hear people say these quilts have shattered their perceptions of what someone looks like. The media portrayals of people who struggle with SUD including alcohol are far from accurate. In reality the faces of SUD are our mothers, fathers, siblings, relatives, friends who all had a genetic propensity for SUD and through continued use of illicit drugs and alcohol became hooked. SUD is NOT a choice, however compassion is a choice.

 

The Wisconsin Memorial Quilts are living quilts that travel throughout the State of Wisconsin. The black squares tragically represent those who have lost their lives to SUD...it may not have been their own SUD i.e. there are approximately 2 dozen children ages 4 and under who are on the Quilts who died as a result of negligence/neglect/abuse from a parent or grandparent. There are four police officers who were killed in the line of duty as a result of someone else's SUD, along with a firefighter. 

Anyone can submit a quilt square to be included in the Wisconsin Memorial Quilts. You can create your own 5” x 5” square by following the instructions found on the FB page Wisconsin Memorial Quilts or if you want an image added of your loved one, I can add one for a small donation of $5. Contact: Bev Kelley-Miller, wisconsinmemorialquilts@gmail.com OR bev@megankelleyfoundation.org. We are in the process of collecting squares to make a sixth quilt. 

 

We have collected roughly 1650+ squares. That is only a tiny snapshot of what's happening in Wisconsin. Every single day on our FB page Wisconsin Memorial Quilts, I post who died so people can say their names  to remember our loved ones.