I’m an avid quilter, having developed my love of the craft as a young girl from my maternal grandmother, who made quilts of necessity from whatever materials were available to her, as so many women did back in those days. But of course, I no longer make quilts of necessity but simply due to my love of the craft and gifting beautiful, handmade quilts to my family and friends. I hope they will cherish them for generations, as I do the ones I received from my grandmother.

I’ve always had great reverence for our military, perhaps because I trace my family’s involvement with the military to before the Revolutionary War. So, when I learned about the Quilts of Valor Foundation (QOVF) and its mission of covering service members and veterans with comforting and healing quilts, I wanted to be a part of that effort. I first learned of and then became involved with the QOVF as the sewing instructor for a local chapter of the National Grange of the Order of Husbandry in 2020. We made quilts for local veterans and awarded them during Veteran’s Day lunch at our local Elks Lodge. I continued my involvement in the QOVF as an individual member when the Grange folded a few years later because I developed a passion for this activity and I continue to make awards during the Elks’ Veterans Day events. It brings me great joy to see the smiles and the tears of joy in their faces when I award a quilt to one of our service members or veterans. And, being registered with the QOVF just makes them seem more special to the recipients, as well as to me.