"Keep 'em coming" is the word from the Relief Society general presidency concerning quilts for Kosovo.

Because they aren't just for Kosovo any more.A total of 77,391 quilts have been donated to the Latter-day Saint Humanitarian Center as of Oct. 12. Some 30,000 of those have already been sent to Kosovo, the Church is now sending quilts to other places, including some 30,000 to Turkey and about 2,500 to Mexico, as well as to many other areas throughout the world where there is a need.

"It's been absolutely fabulous," Relief Society Gen. Pres. Mary Ellen W. Smoot told the Church News concerning the response of members in making and donating quilts. "We say keep them coming. We keep having floods, tornadoes and earthquakes, one right after the other. The quilts will be used."

Sister Smoot related how her daughter-in-law delivered a load of quilts to the humanitarian center recently. She later told her mother-in-law, "There were five cars ahead of me. By the time I got up to the front [of the line], there were eight cars behind me."

"When I went out there last week," Sister Smoot said, "there was a van from Hagerman, Idaho, unloading quilts. There was another load in a Winnebago. When [humanitarian center officials] took me inside, I was thrilled. I met six women from Bosnia, refugees living here. They were boxing quilts for Kosovo."

Rampant are accounts of those who have responded to the call of the Church to send quilts. And they are not all Relief Society sisters. "We have girls in Primary bringing quilts," Sister Smoot said. There have also been Scouts using the quilts for Scout projects, young women making quilts for Laurel projects, wards and families working together. Following are several such accounts of members donating quilts and other relief items for the needy:

Hemet, Calif.: Fourteen-year-old Jeremiah Herterich of the Hemet (Calif.) 2nd Ward learned to sew when he was 10. So when he decided to help gather quilts for Kosovo this fall for part of his Eagle Scout project, he not only took donations, but also made quilts himself. He even got others in his Boy Scout troop sewing alongside him.

By the time they were done, they had about 70 quilts ready for delivery to the humanitarian center in Salt Lake City. Early this month, he and his mother, Kimberly, loaded the quilts in their car and drove them to Utah. Some of his quilts are now on their way to Kosovo, while others may be sent to Turkey.

Burley, Idaho: Sister Smoot told of the efforts of the Burley Idaho Stake Relief Society in making and donating quilts. "They displayed their quilts [before the General Relief Society Meeting Sept. 25]. They did rooms with displays and had a dinner. . . . They had time to finish [the quilts that weren't finished] before the meeting. They said they had the best turnout for the General Relief Society Meeting they've ever had."

Cwmbran, Wales: Young women of the Cardiff Wales Stake combined efforts in gathering relief supplies for stricken people of Bosnia and Kosovo. Directed by Sue Peters, Young Women president of the Cwmbran Ward, young women of the Cwmbran, Cardiff and Newport wards donated 150 sacks of clothing, blankets and footwear; hundreds of pounds of pasta, rice, flour and salt; boxes of canned food; and toiletries. Throughout the year, the young women have donated items to four convoys to stricken areas.

"The young women appreciate more what they have and how fortunate they are and want to serve," Sister Peters wrote in correspondence to the Church News. "We would like to add our voice to the cause and hope to inspire other UK/European Saints."

Everett, Wash.: Some 232 youth of the Everett Washington Stake sent more than 3,000 homemade items and kits to the Latter-day Saint Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake City in August. For their youth conference on Aug. 13, they made 548 school kits, 6,000 children's blocks, 521 hygiene kits, 240 hand puppets, 267 cloth balls, 41 first-aid kits, 59 wall hangings (for children in orphanages needing visual stimulation), 108 extra blackboards and erasers (aside from those in the school kits), 37 receiving blankets, 56 toy wooden cars, 15 medical kits, 33 pairs of booties, 12 pairs of slippers, 30 pairs of mittens, 45 fleece hats, and other miscellaneous items. A moving van company donated space for shipment to Utah.

At a later testimony meeting, Julie Shoop of the Harbour Pointe Ward and president of the youth council that organized the activity said, "This experience has been one of the most unforgettable experiences I've ever had, and I hope that it has not only blessed the lives of those whom we made the items for but also each one who has spent their time working on this project."

Sandy, Utah: Some 500 quilts were made by women inmates of the Timpanogos Branch (Sandy Utah Alta View Stake) at the Utah State Prison. Some of the women worked several days on the projects.

Woodburn, Ore.: Youth here assembled hygiene, newborn and medical kits recently for their youth conference. They sought the help of local businesses and other churches. They got the idea after seeing news reports of the crisis in Kosovo.