November 2024 Update

Dear All, Happy November! I hope you have been well and are preparing for the upcoming holiday festivities. As we all know, they will be here before you know it! What's New We remain thrilled that the Coby Foundation has awarded us $20,000 to begin work on the panels next spring. This has given the project much needed momentum for "lift off!" It was an honor to speak with some of you at the EGA Carolinas Fall Retreat this month. I hope it provided some inspiration and energy to bring the project to the Carolinas Region. We have received word that William & Mary will debut the 13 panels in July 2026 at their insitution's renowned Muscarelle Art Museum in Williamsburg, Virginia. The Muscarelle is one of the South's most prominent art museums featuring over 7,000 works of art collected over the course of 300 years. Their current multi-million dollar expansion will triple the size of the museum and will beautifully present America's Tapestry to the world. November Showcase - Georgia As we are quickly approaching 2025, we will be featuring different states in our newsletter to present their progress thus far. This month is the state of Georgia. The Georgia Panel depicts the Chasseurs Volontaires de Saint-Domingue, the Creole militia unit that participated in the Battle of Savannah in 1779. The unit was made up of both enslaved and free blacks from Saint-Domingue who fought either for income or for their freedom. The Battle of Savannah was one of the most diverse battles of the Revolution, featuring French, Creole, Native American, English, Scottish, and Colonial forces. This panel was designed in collaboration with the Coastal Heritage Society of Savannah. The Georgia Panel will be stitched at the Atlanta History Center, a premier museum and research center of the South. The Museum holds one of the largest archives of Civil War artifacts in the U.S. Stitchers will work in the museum's state-of-the-art rotunda, allowing all visitors to engage with both the panel's history as well as the stitchers to learn about their organization. Our Georgia Director is Deborah Berger, EGA National Director of Education. Deborah is mobilizing stitchers from all needlework organizations in the greater Atlanta area to work on the project. Timeline We anticipate for a minimum of three states to begin stitching in January, with the remaining 10 to begin later in spring 2025. What's Next? We are busy finalizing designs for each state. Next month we will feature New Jersey and the role of the Ladies of Trenton, who fundraised an astounding $15,000 for the Patriot Cause. ATTENTION - Stitchers Needed! That's right - we are still seeking talented stitchers from the following states. Think you know the right person or organization? Send them our info! Rhode Island North & South Carolina New Hampshire Need to Get in Touch? We want to hear from YOU! Contact us here.