UDC scholarship has Pike County ties (go back »)

Pattern Fabric Family is most important to Evalean Howell.So, when her niece, Gail

McCullough, received a scholarship from the United Daughters of the Confederacy, she wanted

to do something to show her appreciation. But what?Her idea was to raise enough money for

the Pike County UDC to be able to purchase one of the matching-fund scholarships offered

through the United Daughters of the Confederacy to be given to a student at Troy

University."My idea was to make a quilt that could be raffled off to get the money

necessary for the match," Howell said. "I have made a lot of quilts and given some of them

to be used as fund raisers and they have raised a lot of money."Howell took three quilts

that she had made to the Pioneer Museum of Alabama and asked the quilters there to choose

the pattern for the scholarship quilt."Most members of the Pike County UDC are members of

my family - the Richards and Berrys," Howell said. "Our roots are deep in Pike County, and

I wanted the quilt to have complete ties to Pike County, so I wanted the quilters at the

museum to be a part of it."Howell made the quilt top, but for the quilt to be completed in

time for the opportunity to purchase a UDC matching fund scholarship, she needed help with

the quilting. Time was of the essence."I asked the quilters at the museum for their help,

and they agreed," she said. "And when we were finished, it was a beautiful quilt. A lot of

people wanted it, but only one name would be drawn."I call the quilt the Joy Quilt because

making it brought me so much joy. To think that it will help with a young person's

education is a joyful thought."The quilt was especially meaningful for members of the UDC

because it was made from reproduction fabric from the Civil War period. Some of the pattern

designs were also from that period.    When the quilt was raffled, it brought enough match

money to purchase a one-year tuition scholarship at Troy University.The scholarship will be

awarded in the 2008-09 school year.To qualify, a student must have documented proof as a

descendant of a Civil War veteran. The recipient of the scholarship will be determined by a

review committee, and grade-point average will be the determining factor if there are

several applicants."I've been asked if this scholarship is going to be a one-time thing,"

Howell said. "But if I can get the help I need with the quilting, I would really like to

make it an annual scholarship, because not only is the scholarship a help to some young

person, it's also a way to get more people involved in the UDC."The Pike County UDC has 11

members and several junior members."To become a member of the UDC, you need only to show

proof of being a descendant of a Civil War veteran," Howell said. "And it takes only one."