The winners of this year’s quilt raffle from the Ocracoke Preservation Society are David Nestor and Sylvia Arnatt from Spotsylvania, VA. Longtime visitors to the Outer Banks, David and Sylvia always take a trip to Ocracoke. Married for 21 years, they have a blended family of 16 children, including their teenaged granddaughter whom they adopted when she was a toddler. “Fifteen years ago we brought them all with us,” said Sylvia. “Our hearts are on the Outer Banks.” 

Their excitement over winning the quilt was compounded by the fact that this is the second time they have won! Eight years ago, David had purchased five tickets and one of those was the winner. Sylvia said that she treasured the quilt and while she did not use it on a bed, she proudly displayed it in her home. Unfortunately, tragedy struck only two years later when their house caught fire and burned completely. The beloved quilt was gone.

In the years following the loss of the quilt, the family returned to the OPS Museum and for a couple of years Sylvia said that she purchased a hundred dollars worth of tickets. Eventually she gave up hope of winning the quilt again. “You just don’t win twice,” said Sylvia. However, her husband and other family members continued to purchase tickets each year. 

Three years ago was a special visit to the Outer Banks. David and Sylvia brought her parents with them and it was a memorable vacation. David recounted that the elderly parents were like children on their trip. Everything delighted them: the ferry ride to Ocracoke, the beach, and catching and eating fish. David said that his in-laws were just “drinking up the beach life.” 

The following year Sylvia’s mother passed away, followed by her father this past year. The trip this year was bittersweet, thinking about her parents, especially her mother who had fallen in love with Ocracoke. As usual, the family came into the Museum to purchase tickets. 

At the Museum’s annual Wassail Party on Tuesday, Dec. 4, just after 4:30, the unimaginable happened. David Nestor’s winning ticket was drawn once again from the thousands of raffle tickets that had been sold. When OPS director Andrea Powers called to give him the good news, not recognizing the number, David hung up. “I thought it was a spam call,” he said. When she called back a second time, he answered, thinking that  “spammers don’t call back.” He was surprised to get the call and since he was not at home, he asked that she also call his wife.

When Sylvia answered the phone she began screaming with excitement as soon as Andrea identified herself as calling from the Museum. Sylvia had had a difficult day. Her mother was on her mind that morning and she was feeling sad. She was hoping for a sign from her mom that all is okay. “I started the day out in tears,” she said. “But I couldn’t ask for a better gift. I can’t wait to hold this quilt, my mother would have loved it!”

This quilt won’t be just displayed but used. And when they travel to the Outer Banks for this year’s vacation, the quilt will come along too. Sylvia has learned her lesson. “If you don’t enjoy it, you’ve lost it,” she said.

The Ocracoke Quilters meet every Sunday all year long at Deepwater Theater and create beautiful quilts for Ocracoke organizations and on commission. They donate a quilt each year to the OPS Museum; it's one of the most successful fundraisers for OPS.