Over the years, the Islip Town-based Great South Bay Quilters has donated to many charitable organizations. This month, they gave away another quilt that was sewn by one member to be raffled off for the Kathleen Roskot Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Joan Dlouhy, who is president of the guild, said as a Bay Shore resident, she knew the Roskot family from the neighborhood. Recently, she received a letter from Julia Roskot, who had started the scholarship in her daughter’s name more than two decades ago.

“She asked if we’d consider making a quilt for [the scholarship fund],” Dlouhy said. “We do quilts for charities throughout the year.” She explained that when a donation is requested, the guild members usually make one together.  However, this time they already had one made.  “That rarely happens,” she added. “It was heaven sent.”

After Roskot attended a guild meeting, all of the members—including its creator, Dottie Christofor of Islip—agreed to the donation.

“I made a lot of quilts during the pandemic,” Christofor said. “I don’t care where they go, as long as someone uses it. I knew someone could use this one. You have to give back.”

Roskot said that she was absolutely thrilled to receive the gift, which will be raffled off at the next fundraiser, a Bay Shore pub crawl on Jan. 7.

“It’s beautiful and it’s such a unique prize,” she added. She noted that the vibrant hues were also perfect because Kathleen loved bright colors.

The cotton, twin-size quilt with block-star pattern, includes an embroidered shamrock whose pedals are made from lacrosse sticks courtesy of another Bay Shore business, MV Sports. It also includes the words, “It’s a great day to get better,” which was Kathleen’s favorite saying.

The 20-year-old died suddenly in February 2000. Kathleen had been a second-year Columbia University student and was an accomplished lacrosse player there and for her team at Bay Shore High School.

The first scholarship, which was started soon after her death, was given to a Bay Shore High School student and lacrosse athlete who would be attending Columbia. “[That student] knew Kathleen, so that was really cool,” Roskot said.

Since that time, Roskot noted that the scholarship has expanded to include other students from Suffolk County who are “academically and athletically on Kathleen’s level.” And they have included incentives for others as well—even elementary school students who show financial need, so they can buy sports equipment and attend summer camps.

The fund has given away upwards of $150,000. “We’ve given money to 185 different people, she added.

In addition to the pub crawl, Roskot runs a Mother’s Day plant sale every May to help fund the scholarship. “There’s a lot of community support behind this,” she remarked.

Raffle tickets for the quilt are $10 or three for $25 and can be purchased by emailing Roskot at: jcaswellroskot@gmail.com.

Dlouhy said her 54-member group, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, donates quilts of all sizes to a number of causes, including nursing homes, veterans’ organizations, and more recently a children’s bereavement group. “We want to make a difference locally,” she added.

For more information on this group, go to the website: www. greatsouthbayquilters.org.