'It's not much, but it's something': 100-year-old B.C. woman still quilting for charity

Walking might be getting tougher, but even at 100 years old, Anne Schaefer’s hands have not failed her.

“I think my fingers … that’s the best thing that’s working on me,” she said with a laugh.

The Chilliwack resident and great-grandmother, who lived on her own until last year, still volunteers her time to make quilts for charity.

It’s something she’s been doing for about 60 years.

“I’m getting old, so it’s nice to know that you’re still able to do something. It’s not much, but it’s something,” said Schaefer.

Along with other quilters who meet in the basement of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Schaefer estimates she’s probably helped make more than 1,000 quilts.

“I’m always racing to get it finished to see what it looks like,” she said.

Family friend Donna Little said when the quilters began their work decades ago, material was in short supply and quilts were made from used clothing. Sometimes, that clothing came right out of Schaefer’s closet.

“They would unpick it and save all the threads because they were very thrifty, and they would save all the buttons,” explained Little, who joined the quilting group a number of years ago.

“She taught us a lot,” said Little of Schaefer. “And she keeps us in stitches.”

Schaefer’s niece also caught the quilting fever.

"It’s been fantastic. I’ve enjoyed my time," said Patty Reimer, who said her aunt’s continued volunteer service is inspiring.

“Oh wow. What can I say? It’s fantastic. It’s just, ‘Oh wow,’” Reimer said.

Schaefer likes to joke that over the years, she’s mostly gotten her way, leading the quilting group.

“Like I said, I’m bossy,” she said with a laugh.

Schaefer admits she’s slowed down, but she has no plans to quit quilting anytime soon.