![]() "My major number one responsibility is to locate quilters throughout the state to make Quilts of Valor for our Alabama service members. "I go from quilt show to quilt show, from state fair to county fair, to everything where quilters will listen to our story and, possibly, volunteer their time and their talent to make a quilt for an Alabama veteran," Mathews said. Since taking on her state coordinator role, Mathews, with the help of her co-coordinator and daughter Kristy Cantrell, has traveled the state to recruit quilters and to present Quilts of Valor to veterans. All the quilts I make, I make in the memory of my father."īecause of her father, Mathews felt driven to show Alabama's appreciation for its veterans through Quilts of Valor. His generation is truly the greatest generation of all time. He lied about his age to get into World War II. After he retired, he taught at the ordnance school at Redstone Arsenal from 1966 to 1976, and I grew up in Huntsville. William Flynn, was a World War II and Korean War veteran. "Once I heard about it, I knew it was a mission I had to take on. The movement went statewide three years ago when Elizabeth Mathews took over the responsibilities of Alabama's regional coordinator representing Quilts of Valor. In Alabama, the Quilts of Valor movement started with a group of quilters in the Enterprise Quilt Guild, many connected to the Soldiers stationed at nearby Fort Rucker. 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." Quilts are awarded at many different levels: they may go to military hospitals where chaplains award them to service members they may be awarded to entire service units returning from deployments they may be awarded at veterans homes or they may be awarded individually. To date, more than 106,000 patriotic quilts - representing the prayers, healing thoughts and gratefulness of their makers, have been presented to veterans who have fought for the nation in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm/Shield, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and other conflicts around the world. Wrapped in their very own Quilt of Valor, veterans across the nation have been receiving tangible gifts of love and appreciation from quilters since this nationwide grassroots program started in 2003. ![]() And all carry the Quilts of Valor label.īut these quilts are most remembered for the combat veterans they honor. ![]() Many feature patriotic images, such as a Bald Eagle, U.S. They often showcase a traditional pattern - Ohio Star, Fence Rail, Churn Dash and Log Cabin, to name a few. They reflect the nation's patriotic colors. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL 4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL 3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. They are, from left, Edward Erb, a retired Ranger who deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom four times as a contractor World War II veteran Bill Amberson and Vietnam War vet. ![]() Three veterans received Quilts of Valor at the Lakeside Quilters quilt show. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL 2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – ![]() 1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. ![]()
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