![]() ![]() She got busy putting her new embroidery machine to good use and learned to piece quilts from the other members of the group, but it was her first award ceremony that really sealed her commitment. She says she joined initially because she had some time on her hands and a father who was a veteran of the Korean War. ![]() ![]() Sheila Gordon is the State Coordinator for Quilts of Valor in Arkansas. Seventeen groups and 291 members are active in the state of Arkansas. The quilt shops not only act as a hub for volunteers to work together and find supplies specific to the program, they also often sponsor groups in their communities and host special events. There are also 123 quilt shops that are certified as part of the network. Nationally, there are 560 official groups of Quilt of Valor volunteers consisting of 10,449 members. To date, according to their website, Quilts of Valor has awarded 232,502 quilts. They are also presented to veterans who have been home for many years, but the time that has passed between their combat experiences and presentation does not diminish the impact of the gift. The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is “to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.” The basic premise of the organization centers around volunteer quilt makers creating handmade quilts that are then presented to service members as a way to provide healing when they return home from combat missions. In the next scene, he was wrapped in a quilt, and “his whole demeanor changed.” Catherine woke from her dream and went to work, founding Quilts of Valor Foundation. In the dream, which she describes as being as real as if she were “viewing a movie,” Catherine saw a soldier who looked as if he’d lost hope, hunched over on the side of his bed. Army deployed in Iraq when, in 2003, she had a dream that would change her life. I saw the name for this special quilt: it was Quilt of Valor, a QOV.Catherine Roberts was the mother of a soldier in the U.S. One person would piece the top and the other would quilt it. The model appeared simple: have a volunteer team who would donate their time and materials to make a quilt. The message of my dream was: Quilts = Healing. His whole demeanor changed from one of despair to one of hope and well-being. Then, as if viewing a movie, I saw him in the next scene wrapped in a quilt. I could see his war demons clustered around, dragging him down into an emotional gutter. The permeating feeling was one of utter despair. I saw a young man sitting on the side of his bed in the middle of the night, hunched over. Founder Catherine Roberts’ son Nat was deployed in Iraq. Quilts of Valor Foundation began in 2003 with a dream, literally a dream. How it all Began - Catherine Roberts’ Dream To use the term Quilt of Valor, Quilts of Valor or QOV, the quilt must be a specific size, must have a lable with required information, it must be awarded (it is not a gift) and it must be recorded. ![]() The Quilt says unequivocally, "Than you for your service and sacrifice in serving our nation." It is awarded to a Service Member or Veteran who has been touched by war. VERONA AMERICAN LEGION VETERANS FOUNDATIONĪ Quilt of Valor (QOV) is a quality, handmade quilt that is machine or hand quilted.DAN SEEHAFER, CANDIDATE FOR NATIONAL COMMANDER.AMERICANISM & GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIP TEST.Mason-Lindsay Post 385, The American Legion ![]()
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