| Quilters Junction • The Friendliest Shoppe in Town! • 1728 South Gold Street, Centralia WA 98531 • (360) 807-1255 • Monday - Saturday 10am - 5:30pm |
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On Monday December 3, 2007 an exceptionally powerful storm hit the Northwest hard. Twenty inches of rain fell in the Chehalis river valley west of Centralia, and hurricane force winds were recorded. The Chehalis river crested at six feet above flood stage, and river dikes either lost integrity or were breached in several places. The flood that followed, surpassed the devastating hundred-year flood of 1996 and was the worst recorded in local history. We were devastated to find our beautiful new store (of three months) hit by floodwaters. Approximately 18" of water rushed in the store and toppled tables and racks in it's path. What was not tossed around in the sudden rush, was soaked with the dirty muddy water. The area of town that the new shoppe is located in, has never flooded, and would not have flooded if the dike had not failed. In the spirit of true quilters, our friends and customers came to our rescue. Within a couple of hours of the water receding and us being allowed back in the store, help came from far and wide. Our friends and customers came and took our undamaged inventory to safe, dry locations (often garages and spare bedrooms!) to store and prevent being damaged. Other customers took our quilts and wet bolted fabric home to marathon laundry sessions in their washers and dryers and helped us to salvage a great deal that would have been lost otherwise. Still more friends and customers helped clean up the mud and muck that coated everything from the ground to about 18" up. We will be forever grateful to everyone for their help and assistance. The compassion of so many will never be forgotten. The washed and dried bolted fabric was sold at a great discount. Carrying on in the spirit of true quilters, Quilters Junction sponsored the "Great Flood Challenge" quilt contest. Participants were asked to use 1 yard of fabric on the front of a quilt that was purchased from our washed/cleaned/salvaged flood fabric and commemorate their interpretation of the 2007 flood. Participation in the contest was high, and the Mayor of Centralia judged the quilts in July 2008. The winner was awarded a $100 gift certificate, and The Chronicle (our local newspaper) featured the story with photos as well. |
| Click on photos below for larger images of the flood damage in the store: | ||
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| Our Shop-Hop block 2008: | ||
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