American Legion 15 hosts Quilts of Valor ceremony

Last Sunday, tucked away in the American Legion Post 15 in Palmer, 13 hero veterans, including my husband, were quietly honored in a simple ceremony in which the recipients received an unpretentious gesture that means so much to the people who received it, as well as those who made it-a handmade quilt.

“This is a real honor for Quilts of Valor and the Forget Me Knot Quilters of Alaska,” said Kenda Thurmond, the state coordinator for Quilts of Valor as the ceremony opened. She explained that the American Legion hosts the quilting ceremonies once a month.

The journey for my husband’s quilt was rather simple-I filled out a form back during the Veteran’s Fair in November at the Menard Center. We were surprised at how quickly the process moved to the ceremony at the end of January.

The idea behind Quilts of Valor started as a dream when a Blue Star mother, Catherine Roberts, whose son was stationed in Iraq, as Thurmond told the audience the story.

“In her dream, there was a soldier sitting on a cot, struggling with his war games. He reached around and he grabbed a quilt and put it around his shoulders, and he seemed comforted,” Thurmond said.

She told us that Catherine had the idea of comforting veterans with quilts during the time her own son had been deployed in Iraq, so she approached a chaplain at Walter Reed Medical Center with her idea. While the chaplain expressed uncertainty with her idea, he went along with it, setting up a meeting with a young soldier.

“Catherine went in and spoke with the soldier for a few minutes, then presented him with a quilt. He’d lost his leg in Iraq,” Thurmond told the solemn crowd.

Later that afternoon, the chaplain returned, telling Catherine, “You know, I think you may have something here. That was the first time that young man has smiled since he’s been here.”

That took place over 20 years ago, and now there are over 10,000 national members for Quilts of Valor, with groups in all 50 states.

“Sometime this year, we will have presented over 350,000 quilts. In Alaska, we’ve presented over 3,000 quilts to Alaska’s veterans and service members.”

The quilts they presented to us this day were made in Alaska, by Alaskans, for Alaskans.

“The quilts being presented here today were made by the Forget Me Knot Quilters of Alaska, here in the Mat-Su valley. These quilts represent hundreds of hours of work. Truly a labor of love.”

Thurmond told us that the quilters have women cutting the strips into squares and triangles, piecing them together into beautiful blocks. From there, they material goes to a long-armer, who stiches the top with the batting in an intricate design of swirls, holding it all together, before going back to the quilter, where it is bound, and labeled.

“As Quilts of Valor members, some of us our veterans. Many are spouses, and parents, and siblings of veterans. All of us are grateful for your service.”

The presenters this day were all veterans and/or quilters, including a US Army veteran Jerry Killian, and he’s also a quilter for Quilts of Valor.

On this particular Sunday, there were veterans, young and old, from the Vietnam War to Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom, to those who had just recently served, from all branches of service. A father and son who both served in the Navy; 2 brothers, one who served in the Navy and the other who served in the Marine Corps; and then there was a husband and wife, he served in the Army and she served in the Navy, to name a few of the recipients.

Emotions ran from humility to pride to gratitude as the veterans were called up and wrapped in a quilt made specifically for them, much like that young soldier all those years ago in Catherine’s dream.

Each veteran was also presented a certificate, which in part read:

“Though we may never know the extent of your sacrifice and service to protect and defend the United States of America, as an expression of gratitude, we award you this Quilt of Valor.”

One additional presentation took place this day as well, a chance to thank the Vietnam Vets, who often did not get the welcome they deserved as people had a hard time separating the war from the warrior. And while the symbol, a lapel pin, was simple, for the 3 veterans who received the pins, it carried a heavy meaning.

From the beginning, Catherine Roberts had definite ideas about standards of excellence for Quilts of Valor:

I knew a Quilt of Valor had to be a quality-made quilt, not a “charity quilt.” A Quilt of Valor had to be quilted, not tied, which meant hand or machine quilting. It would be “awarded,” not just passed out like magazines or videos, and would say unequivocally, “Thank you for your service, sacrifice and valor in serving our nation.”

For more information, or to nominate a veteran for their own Quilt of Valor, please visit www.qovf.org Or visit the Quilts of Valor-Alaska Facebook page.