By Stacey Tucker (Contact / Staff Bio)
June 27, 2009 - 10:56 a.m. EST

CASS CITY — The Thumb National Bank Relay for Life team has cooked up something new to help raise money for cancer research.

Assistant vice president of the bank Barb Irrer took up quilting not too long ago and, after seeing what beautiful work she had been designing, her co-workers thought it would be a brilliant idea to auction one off for Relay for Life. Irrer agreed and she was off and running.

“We asked her the first part of June and it’s done already,” said Cindy Kruse, vice president and branch manager. “She went with a friend and picked out material, and she decided to go with tans, beiges and greens to keep it neutral.”

The quilt uses six different kinds of fabrics and is made up of many different squares. It is on display at the bank and tickets will be available for $5 each and will be sold at all five Thumb National Bank locations.

Over the past few years, Thumb National Bank in Cass City as well as the four other branches located in Caseville, Bay City and Pigeon, have raised over $35,000 for Relay for Life.

“We just think it’s something different,” Kruse said. “We’ve done cookbooks, strawberry shortcake in the lobby and had bake sales.

“This is something fun and new.”

Kruse said they have close to $300 in the quilt, and are hoping to raise at least $1,000 for cancer research.

The tickets will be available up until the Tuscola County Relay for Life event on Sept. 13, when the winning ticket will be drawn. The winner of the quilt will not have to be present to win.