21 years of devoted service, teaching quilting

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - A group of 16 ladies from Benevolent Park, who call themselves the "golden girls", spend Mondays from 10:00 to 12:00 quilting.

Mariette Walliser, who turned 80 this year, was approached in 2001 to give classes at Benovolent Park in patchwork and quilting.

In May that year she started with 10 in her class. Most of the ladies were more than 80 years of age and one man also joined the group.

Most of the work is done by hand and with only three sewing machines, they do quilts of all sizes, tablecloths, knee rugs, bags, aprons and much more.

For 21 years Walliser has served the Benevolent Park residents and she gives these classes for free.

Walliser and her husband moved to Mossel Bay in 1997.

In 2010 they moved to Monte Christo and in 2011 she was widowed. "Although I am 80 years old, I enjoy good health and would like to keep going as long as I can," Walliser said.

Mariette Walliser and her quilting group at Benevolent Park.