ORLANDO, Fla. – A quilting group in Orlando on Tuesday handed out donated quilts to the first responders in the Pulse nightclub shooting.
The Orlando Modern Quilting Guild brought 150 quilts to the Orlando Police Department, and let officers who responded to Pulse pick out the ones they liked best.
The group said it has collected 1,700 quilts from all 50 states, and 23 countries.
"Here we are, six months later almost, and knowing that we are still in people's hearts and minds," Orlando police Officer Tyler Olson said. "Knowing that everyone is still thinking about us is special to us."
Orlando police Chief John Mina said his officers don't typically expect to hear a thank-you, so the donation of the quilts with a message helps them to heal from the Pulse massacre.
"They know that our first responders are out there every night protecting them, and unfortunately, have to see some of the worst things in society like they did that night," Mina said. "Our officers -- they know they have a job to do, and many of them, they don't want thanks. They just want to go out there and do their job and help their community."
News 6 awarded the president of the Orlando Modern Quilting Guild a "Getting Results" award in September while the group was still making and collecting the quilts.
"It's fun to see everyone get excited," said Michelle Lancaster, one of the founders of the group. "We were at the fire department down the street, and just to see the big tall firefighters just cuddling their quilts and saying, 'Oh, these are so great.'"
Mina said he plans to display his quilt inside the new Orlando Police Headquarters.
Another 200 quilts will be given to the city of Orlando next Tuesday.