It is easy for Terie Hanson to forget that all the teenage boys at Joplin Youth Detention Center in Trabuco Canyon, Calif., have committed felony crimes, or that many are gang members who once brandished weapons in public.

Under her watch, they don't act like troubled teens. They say thank you, they smile — and they quilt.

For nearly three years now, Sister Hanson and other members of the Live Oak Canyon Ward, Santa Margarita California Stake, have visited the teens twice a month taking supplies and teaching them to quilt.

When each resident is released from the Orange County Probation Department facility, they take a handmade quilt with them.

The project started in December of 1997, when Sister Hanson was searching for a community service project for members of her ward. A friend told her about the Joplin Center and the youth who live there.

She learned they don't have many personal belongings and could not purchase even the simplest of things — such as stationery and stamps to write letters to family members. She heard of their heart-breaking circumstances and their crimes. She determined they all needed love and hope.

So the ward sent greeting cards and stamps to the teenage residents. They donated personal hygiene items and books for the school's library. And every other Friday, Relief Society sisters attended the school's math class — teaching the boys how to measure, add and subtract by making quilts.

As the months rolled on the ward sponsored other community service projects, but the women continued to give service at Joplin.

Bishop Steven R. Bangerter said the members of his ward, most of whom have helped with the project in one way or another, grew to love the time they spent at the facility and the teens who live there.

"These are extremely troubled young men," he said. "But you see a softness in them and you develop an appreciation for the talents they are learning and you hope for something better for them."

Jeanne Porter, Joplin principal, said she can't say enough about the Latter-day Saints who are volunteering time at the detention center.

"They are wonderful," she said. "We feel like what they are doing is life-changing for these kids. It is just exciting."

Val Fitzpatrick, the math teacher who oversees the project, agrees, noting the making quilts enhances self-esteem and gives the teens something to look forward to.

"They drive me crazy asking, 'When are the quilting ladies coming?' " she said. "They tell the ladies their story and why they are here. The ladies are great; no judgments are passed."

Sister Hanson said it is enjoyable to spend time with the teens. "We talk about making good choices in life as we quilt," she said. "That is what you do when you quilt, you talk."

She said the women have never felt threatened by the youth, despite their troubled backgrounds and serious crimes. "They are so happy to see us drive up," Sister Hanson said. "They see our cars and you see these big smiles on their faces. It is extremely rewarding."

Soon the teens will begin making quilts to be donated to the Church's Humanitarian Service Center in addition to the quilts they make for themselves. It is a good opportunity, she said, for the young men to give something back.

From the first time she entered the detention facility, Sister Hanson said she felt like members of her ward belonged there. "There was no other organization to help these boys," she said. "There is nobody giving service to them. It is in our backyard. It takes 10 minutes to get here from our houses. There is no reason we shouldn't do it."

Sister Hanson added that the project won't end anytime soon.

The school, in an effort to ensure the quilting classes continue, has started reimbursing the women for some of the materials. And the residents at Joplin Youth Detention Center have asked the Relief Society sisters for one favor that should keep everyone busy for a long time.

"They want to learn how to crochet," Sister Hanson said.

E-mail: sarah@desnews.com