Two great organizations, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 136 and the Quilts of Valor Foundation, joined in planning and executing an evening that honored nine local veterans for their contribution of serving our nation.
The membership of the American Legion Auxiliary is comprised of ¾ million wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, granddaughters and descendants of veterans who served our great country during times of war. Locally, ALA units are busy in a multitude of activities donating time and energy to better our communities. For example, the ALA at any given time might be donating clothing, food and other necessities to homeless veterans, or providing support to the Charleston Fisher House.
The Quilts of Valor (QOV) Foundation is an organization that makes quilts (hand-made and personalized) for veterans. The foundation began in 2003 with a dream - literally a dream. Founder Catherine Roberts’ son Nat was deployed in Iraq.
"The dream was 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 wellbeing. The quilt had made this dramatic change."
The first QOV was awarded in November 2003 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) to a young soldier from Minnesota who had lost his leg in Iraq.
Today, the Quilts of Valor Foundation has hand-made and presented over 210,000 quilts to military men and women, active and veterans.
This week, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 136 in Mount Pleasant planned a dinner and invited 15 veterans. Due to illness and prior commitments, five were unable to attend.
The Quilts of Valor Foundation had quilts on hand to present to those nine who did attend (one veteran received a QOV previously.) The nine attending received a standing ovation from nearly 60 guests who attended.
WWII veterans who received quilts are Kenneth Anderson (previously presented with a quilt), Robert Coffman, Nelson Durand, Wesley Greavu and David Taylor. The Korean War veterans receiving quilts were Betty Dawson, Legrand Guerry, and Eugene Lenga. Roy Jenkins, a Vietnam War veteran, also received a quilt.
We thank GOD for Americans as great as these veterans.
