Gloria J. Faine, professor of education, sits in her office adorned with family photos, educational degrees and piles of paperwork. She is dressed in a red business suit and wears a diamond elephant necklace. She is smiling. She is telling the story of how she started quilting.

“I’ve been quilting for about 12 years, but my first little quilting adventure was with my great-grandmother. She would sit in her chair when we visited in the summer and she would give me little pieces of fabric and I would sew them together,” she said.

Faine started taking classes when she moved to Joplin in 1999 and has been quilting ever since. “I enjoy quilting in my spare time. I am always making quilts,” said Faine.

Faine made two of the quilts showcased during the MLK breakfast Monday morning. Both quilts were made from T-shirts Fain had been collecting over the years. One included primarily Martin Luther King T-shirts and the other was made of T-shirts depicting famous African-American women who made contributions to society.

“I wanted to commemorate what he did for our society. He is one of my heroes,” said Faine.

Faine has been on the MLK Committee for 15 years and has participated in many activities that enhance diversity on campus. She said the quilts were her way of showing gratitude to Martin Luther King Jr. and keeping the dream alive.

 “I feel that quilting is a gift from God. I’m a very creative person and this gives me an avenue for my creativity,” she said.