Lincoln woman raffling off quilt to raise money for river fish ladders

By JON BAKER

LINCOLN  —  It was one cold day last December when the idea — call it a whim, really — came to local environmentalist Judy Hadley.

As a member of the Blackstone River Watershed Council’s Board of Directors, she decided she wanted to help raise funds for the estuary’s Fish Ladder Project, which has been at least three years in the planning and developmental stages.
It’s unusual, for sure, but Hadley proudly exhibited on Thursday a 90-inch x 66-inch quilt depicting life on the Blackstone, one she created herself, at the Ryco Creative Sewing Center, located at 25 Carrington St.
“First, I like quilting, and, second, I had made a small quilt a number of years ago for the Watershed Council just for a general fundraiser,” said Hadley, who lives in town with her husband, George. “It took me maybe 30 hours to make. I cut and pieced 357 cotton squares in the pattern I wanted, which is called ‘Around the World” — I call this ‘Around the Blackstone,’ and sewed those pieces together, but the actual quilting stitches was done professionally. That just means the stitching holds the layers together.
“Actually, I wanted to use that pattern because it was one I hadn’t tried before,” she added. “It was pretty easy, so I started making it, and I decided halfway through the process, back in February or so, that I wanted to donate it to as a raffle item to the Watershed Council.”
The quilt, which Hadley admitted was an “off-again, on-again” task, will be raffled off on Thursday, Sept. 24 during the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council’s annual meeting, slated for Twin River.
When Hadley approached Pat Ryan, Ryco owner, about two weeks ago, requesting to display the bed/sofa covering at her store, Ryan jumped at the chance.
“The river runs right behind our building, so it was a natural to have this quilt here so people can view it,” Ryan stated. “We’re also hoping that customers will buy a ticket (for $2 each) to help pay for a portion of the fish ladders to be placed on our beautiful river.
“Honestly, I think it represents Judy,” she continued. “She’s always getting involved in causes for the Blackstone, or any other environmental issue in town. She’s done so much already. I remember when there was an island in the river with a lot of old machinery on it, and she got the state to dispose of it as she considered it an eyesore. Another time, she found some drips of oil near the river shore and contacted the appropriate officials. They discovered underground oil tanks that had leaked.
“When she showed me this quilt, I wasn’t surprised. That’s just Judy. We were talking one day, and I thought I had the perfect place for her to display it. I have a lot of customers who really appreciate quilting, so it just made sense. I’m really tickled that someone would spend that much time and energy to make something and choose to raffle it off. It’s a great thing for anyone to do.”

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When Hadley showed Watershed Council President Frank Matta her creation, he was amazed and thrilled. Then again, so was Fish Ladder Project Manager and Cumberland resident Frank Geary — and for good reason.
Through 30 years of hard work, citizens, grass-roots organizations and local governments — aided by federal and state agencies — all have made great strides in cleaning up the Blackstone, a website for the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program (NBEP) indicated. A river once littered with textile dyes and mill waste has become a favorite regional destination and source of economic revitalization.
Cyclists ride on the nearby bike paths, ecotourism boats cruise its waters and communities restore forgotten waterfronts. In 1986, Congress recognized the Blackstone’s importance, designating it one of 14 American Heritage Rivers nationwide.
Nevertheless, there’s a big piece missing from the estuary’s renaissance. Before industrialization, the Blackstone supported annual spawning runs of migratory fish — including herring, shad and salmon — that swam upstream from Narragansett Bay each spring, far into smaller rivers and ponds, but that possibility changed with dam construction for industry and water supplies.
In 2002, a group of stakeholders and scientists, led by NBEP officials, developed a fisheries restoration study for the lower Blackstone. That study indicated that fish passage restoration — at the first four dams — would produce average returns of more than a million herring and over 20,000 American shad annually.
In essence, such fish ladders would improve fresh-water, recreational fisheries by increasing forage for game fish such as large- and small-mouth bass, trout and pickerel; benefit watershed wildlife by providing food for herons, ospreys, otters, etc.; aid recreational and commercial fisheries in Narragansett Bay by boosting saltwater herring schools and other sporting fish; and help the region’s economy-recreational fisheries generate an estimated $75 million annually in Rhode Island alone.
Over the past year, the project has gained momentum with the efforts of stakeholders, among them the Watershed and Tourism councils; Blackstone River Watershed Association and Slater Mill, Inc. Federal and state agencies are providing critical funding and resources, including Natural Resources Conservation Service; R.I. Department of Environmental Management; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; and Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.
The entire restoration is expected to cost $3.5-4 million, though roughly $2.5 million has been earmarked by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service under the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP), deemed an excellent fit for the collaborative approach.

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Hadley admitted roughly $1 million in match funding will be necessary to complete the fish ladder project, one that officials hope to complete (in the lower Blackstone) by 2010.
“Some of the squares depict philodendron plants, and some consist of salamanders and lizards, with others — the charcoal/dark-green squares — showing apples,” Hadley pointed out. “I find quilting relaxing, and that’s another reason I decided to do this. I didn’t feel any pressure; instead, I got lost in it.
“It’s a very long process that requires a lot of money and permitting, and collaboration between local, state and federal agencies, and the stakeholders,” she added. “This, I hope, will provide a small amount to the Watershed Council in its quest ... I do have a price tag in mind, and it’s $1,000. The way I look at it, every little bit helps. So far, I’ve raised over $400 in ticket sales, but we’re not there yet.”
When asked why she didn’t choose to keep it herself, she grinned and remarked, “I’m absolutely happy with my creation, and it’s because of the work I put into it. I think it’s beautiful, but it’s going for a good cause. This project is so important.”
Anyone interested in purchasing a $2 raffle ticket (or more) may do so by stopping by RYCO, 25 Carrington St.