Last night I dreamed of Life and Liberty.
Who had paid the price to keep me free?
A storm-tossed sea, breaking on the land;
Revealed your boot prints in the sand.
Quilts of Valor Foundation began in 2003 with quite literally a dream. Founder Catherine Roberts’ son Nat was deployed in Iraq and one evening she had a dream as vivid as real life. “I saw a young man sitting on the side of his bed in the middle of the night, hunched over. The permeating feeling was one of utter despair. I could see his war demons clustered around, dragging him down into an emotional gutter.
“Then, as if viewing a movie, I saw him in the next scene wrapped in a quilt. His whole demeanor changed from one of despair to one of hope and well-being. The quilt had made this dramatic change. The message of my dream was quilts equal healing,” says Catherine.
Catherine’s model was simple: have a volunteer team who would donate their time and materials to make a special quilt, a Quilt of Valor.
To date, the foundation has 300 groups nationwide, five groups in other countries, and has awarded over 340,000 quilts to veterans touched by war. There are currently fifteen to twenty groups in Arkansas, including our local chapter, River Valley Stars, which formed in 2018. Since their inception, members have created and awarded over 400 quilts. Each quilt is stitched and includes a personalized label. The all-volunteer group meets twice per month, one day for business, and the other to sew. Everyone pitches in on award days. While most ceremonies are conducted at the local VFW chapter, the group has awarded quilts at veteran’s homes, churches, and during Covid, even through windows.
During the ceremony a speech is given to the veterans, thanking them for their service. The quilt is then draped over the veterans’ shoulders, wrapping them in comfort, and eternal thanks for all they sacrificed.
Any veteran honorably discharged is eligible for a quilt, and nominations can be made on the foundation’s website, Qovf.org. River Valley Stars are always accepting volunteers willing to sew. If you are interested in getting involved or need more information, please contact Sue Anderson, group leader, at rivervalleystarsqov@gmail.com or call 619.701.5569.
