18 Mar Quilts of Valor
It has been a busy, busy time for our Quilts of Valor group! We had a presentation at Vet Court on February 23, and a presentation on February 12 at a church in Spring Hill. We’ve been so busy, we ran completely out of batting but got more ordered and delivered. Pam also selected some new backing fabrics as we were getting very low. I ordered more new folders for the certificates and bought more bags to put the quilts in for you guys to work on. Pam has done a great job of putting together kits for piecing, and I have made some pillowcase kits since we were also getting low on those.
Recognizing our vets can be time-consuming but it always pays off in the long run. I have been presenting quilts to the veterans at American Legion Post 215. Our first one was a Vet Fest, and Eileen and Joyce wrapped Willie Gentry in his quilt. Later I went to present to some of the other members, after they posted the newspaper article on Willie’s presentation and everybody had been told about our guild. Five vets were homebound and Greg Hoover (one of the vets who has become a friend) really wanted to get them recognized. So I met up with Greg and two other members who wanted to take part in the presentation. We went to each of the homebound vets’ houses and the American Legion guys wrapped the men in their quilts. Last week I got a card from Greg that I want to share with you:
“Dear Pat, American Legion member, James Prince, age 99 passed away on Feb. 21, 2026. He was the oldest living African American WWII veteran. At his funeral, I smiled and breathed a prayer of thanks that we presented James with a quilt in his home, 4 or 5 years ago. James was homebound, mainly caring for his wife Elizabeth. Blessings to you and the Quilts of Valor.”
If you ever think our guild doesn’t have community involvement, remember this card. We present more than 100 quilts every year and every veteran is so appreciative of the recognition. In fact, several of our presentations have resulted in donations from veterans so that our work can continue. The veterans want to make sure that other veterans can share this great experience. I have another presentation tomorrow at the veteran’s home – his wife, kids and grandkids will be there for it. You ladies make such an amazing contribution to our veterans, and it is so appreciated.
Pat McMahon