Ceremony honors Veterans with Quilts of Valor

CRESCO - The recent Quilts of Valor community ceremony opened with a homage to our Nation and God as Nathan Thorson led the gathering in prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by the whole crowd singing the National Anthem together. The atmosphere was one of pride and gratitude as the event turned to the stories behind the Quilts of Valor and the service members receiving them.

Sandy Thorson spoke about the beginnings of the Quilts of Valor Foundation, which started in 2003 when Catherine Roberts, a mother with a son deployed to Iraq, had a dream of a soldier sitting hunched over, broken and depressed. In a second dream, that same soldier was wrapped in a quilt, this time at peace. Inspired by this vision, Roberts began a movement that has since seen more than 400,000 quilts presented to veterans and active-duty military across the nation. Sandy explained that these quilts are much more than fabric and thread—they are made of three layers, each holding meaning. The top layer, pieced together from many shapes and colors, represents the communities and individuals who make the quilts, with each stitch symbolizing love and gratitude. The middle layer provides warmth, reflecting the hope that each quilt will bring comfort and peace to its recipient. The backing holds the quilt together, representing the strength of the service member and their faith in God, family, community, and nation.

Nathan Thorson added his own heartfelt words, telling those gathered, "I wanted to tell all here that these quilts being represented today to our American heroes come from the hearts, minds, and hands of our American brothers, fathers, sisters, grandmothers, grandfathers, American ladies and gentlemen honoring those who have served and are serving. All the quilt makers ask for in return is a hug."

This year marked a special new partnership, as the Howard County 4-H Club joined in with the Quilts of Valor. Howard County Youth 4H Director Camilla Schlosser explained that three girls from 4-H club created quilts as part of the program, with their work also displayed at the Howard County Fair in June. Two of the quilts advanced on to the State Fair, and the partnership is expected to continue in the future. "The 4-H club is about citizenship and giving back, so it's fun and appropriate to be partnering with the Quilts of Valor program," Schlosser said.

4-H member and Crestwood High School senior, Briana Burke, presented the first quilt she had ever made to her uncle, Tom Burke of Harmony, Minnesota. Tom, who served in the Army and was deployed to Iraq in 2010, had not yet received a Quilt of Valor. Briana decided to take on the project herself, and she said she not only enjoyed making the quilt but hopes to create more in the future.

The ceremony also honored Charlotte Stinson-Larson, an active-duty Army aviation mechanic who works on helicopters. Charlotte has served tours in Poland, Germany, and Latvia and is currently stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, where she lives with her husband and young daughter. She was home on leave and able to accept her quilt in person, a recognition that underscored both her service abroad and the strength of military families at home.

Another recipient was Loel Reinhart, who served in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1969 to 1979 before joining the Army National Guard from 1979 to 1981. Speaking about his years of service, he simply stated, "I'm proud of being in the service and I enjoyed my time there."

The ceremony closed with a reminder of the deeper mission behind the quilts—that they are not only tokens of thanks, but also symbols of warmth, comfort, strength, and unity. With each presentation, the Quilts of Valor program stitched together another chapter in a nationwide effort to honor America's heroes, one quilt at a time.

Quilts of Valor Recipients:

• Lon Murphy - US Air Force

•Lee Pierce - US Army

• Dennis Rice - US Army National Guard / Quilt made and presented by 4H member Brynn Brannon

• Thomas Burke -  US Army / Quilt made and presented by 4H member Briana Burke

• Dodd Franklin - US Army / Quilt made and presented by 4H member Avery Church

• Loel Reinhart - US Coast Guard and US Army Reserves

• Charlotte Stinson-Larson - US Army