Vets Finding Vets has been very fortunate to have discovered the fine national organization of Quilts of Valor (QOV) several years ago. The dedicated ladies of “WNY Quilters For A Cause” have impressed me numerous times when they have driven down from Hamburg to award a quilt to one veteran or several quilts to several veterans. They have come despite worrisome weather predictions and made house calls for veterans who don’t have a way to come to them, veterans in nursing homes, and veterans in a group event. The QOV Ceremony is always patriotic and heartfelt and the quilts are always handmade and red, white, and blue patchwork. A quote from the ceremony is this thought, “Any veteran, whether active, discharged, retired, or reserve is someone who, at one point of their life wrote a blank check to the United States of America for an amount ‘up to and including their life.’”
Chautauqua County has many active quilters, and now there are some who have begun to lend their skills and the red, white, and blue fabrics in their own stashes toward the long list of veteran quilts needed.
Quilter’s Haven Fabric and Yarn Shop, located at 135 Fairmount Avenue in Lakewood can be contacted if there are those who would like to help sew, donate good quality cotton fabrics, or help with the price of batting, etc. Ask for Jan at 716-763-0342.
We will be having the next Quilts of Valor event on April 15, when eleven Veterans will be honored.
