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Presentation of five Quilts of Valor brings total to 500
Mt. Pleasant’s Iowa Patriotic Stitchers reached the milestone of presenting 500 Quilts of Valor
MT. PLEASANT — For a small group of women in Mt. Pleasant, quilting is more than a hobby that brings them together. Over the last eight years, they’ve actually used their quilting abilities to give back to those who served their country through the presentation of 500 Quilts of Valor.
The Quilt of Valor Foundation works with groups and individuals like Jane Messer and the Iowa Patriotic Stitchers to present veterans and service members from all branches of the United States Military with quilts as symbols of gratitude for their service.
“I went to a Quilt of Valor presentation in Burlington and I thought this is wonderful,” Messer shared. “I went back to our quilt group and asked them if they wanted to get a group started here in Mt. Pleasant and they were all for it. So, we just got started.”
The Iowa Patriotic Stitchers reached their 500th presentation at a ceremony honoring five veterans receiving their Quilts of Valor at the Mt. Pleasant VFW Sunday, April 21. Those honored Sunday included father and daughter Bryan and Christina Anderson who served in the Navy and Air Force respectively. Additionally, three Army veterans Justin Galaspie, Julie Carpenter, and Jim Mills received their Quilts of Valor.
“A Quilt of Valor is not a charity quilt,” Messer explained. “A quilt of Valor is not a blanket. It is a quilt consisting of three layers. And I'd like to think of those layers in these terms: The top of the quilt with its many colors, shapes, and fabric represents the communities and the many individuals we are. Each stitch in the quilt represents the love and gratitude and sometimes tears of the maker. The batting is the center of the quilt. It's warmth. It represents the hope that this quilt will bring warmth, comfort, peace and healing to the individual who receives it.”
“The backing of the quilt represents strength as it holds the quilt together,” Messer said. “It represents the strength of the recipient, his faith in God, in himself, his family, our community and our nation.”
According to Messer, each serviceman or woman many only receive one Quilt of Valor in their lifetime and it must be awarded not bought, sold, or given as a gift. After presenting the quilts, Messer reports those names to the Foundation.
“It's our foundation equivalent of Purple Heart,” Messer said. “Each quilt has a label that specifically says this quilt of valor belongs to you. May your Quilt of Valor be healing and comforting when you need it, and a continual reminder that we honor and thank you for your service and sacrifices.”
While the quilting group works with Quilts of Valor to provide authentic quilts for servicemen and women, Messer says all the labor and supplies for the quilts they create come directly from her group.
“Our group is all volunteer with the intention of staying that way on purpose,” Messer said.
With quilts taking two to three weeks each and supplies costs coming in at over $300 per quilt, it is not an easy undertaking.
As the Iowa Patriotic Stitchers continue making quilts beyond this milestone, Messer says they always welcome donations and others wishing to join their ranks. Messer hopes to find ways to include more individuals in their group and continue to pass down her love for quilting to younger generations. With the group completing an average of over 60 Quilts of Valor a year for the last eight years, more hands certainly couldn’t hurt.
Even as it stands, though, Messer feels that quilting and serving others is a more than sufficiently rewarding way to spend her retirement. With sentiments of gratitude from veterans like American Legion member Robin Daniel, the rewards appear plentiful.
“It's pretty moving to have ladies that could do this,” American Legion member Robin Daniel said. “I still remember the day I got mine six years ago and I was reduced to tears. I was a wreck. I had never even heard of it before, and those three ladies showed up in my house. I was a disaster. You know, even when these folks got their today, I stood back here crying because those are brothers and sister. Even if we served in the same period or not.”
Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com
