Local environmentalists avert family crisis (maybe)

May 31, 2012

Photo:  Ron, Linda (in her volunteer duties at the KGH ICU), the freshly-washed quilt, and a member of the family retrieving the quilt before their mother returned from her trip.

Ron Hipfner, while cleaning Bedford Road last week, happened along an unusual item – what seemed to be a tiny quilt. This is his regular haunt. Whether on foot or bicycle, he’s out several times a week picking up the trash.

The quilt was a bit dirty, but unharmed. He returned home and his wife, Linda Hughes, saw, neatly pinned to it, a small white paper square with a handwritten name. She decided to see if she could find the name in the phone book. She found the name, called, and was amazed to hear the story of the quilt.

A son of the quilt’s maker, who shall remain anonymous (!) decided to go canoeing in South Frontenac. But, to protect his car roof, (and lacking the appropriate gear) he selected the padded quilt, one that his mother had made and may have been prepared to donate for a charity auction (an assumption as Mom was not available for comment). His mother was on a trip out west and didn’t have the opportunity to disabuse him of his choice.

The quilt performed its adopted function until nearly reaching Frontenac Outfitters, then apparently, flew away and lay on the roadside for Ron to find.

Most of the roadside debris would not be welcomed by the ‘donor’, but in this case the son was most anxious to regain the quilt. Linda told him she would wash the quilt, re-pin his mother’s name-tag to it and made arrangements for pick-up during her weekend ICU shift.

Ron and Linda are members of the South Frontenac Natural Environment Committee. Ron also serves on the Frontenac County ICSP Advisory Board.