Blooming Prairie group gives quilts to 12 vets

The numbers keep rolling upward as 12 more Quilts of Valor were given out at a special ceremony on Saturday, Veterans Day, at the Blooming Prairie Servicemen’s Club.

Chris Butler, the founder of this program for Blooming Prairie, and Joyce Johns, the master of ceremonies for the presentation, said the Forest Lake Quilts of Valor group has now given to away 250 quilts since it started on Nov. 11, 2014.

“Remember our veterans,” Johns challenged Blooming Prairie citizens.

The Fisher family claimed seven of those precious Quilts of Valor that reward men and women for their military service.

Johns said that during her time of emceeing the Quilts of Valor program, she has seen a lot of smiles placed on the faces of veterans.

“It’s a wonderful feeling to give someone a ‘thank you’ that they have never received,” Johns said.

The presentation is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our veterans, she said.

Johns introduced the veterans and their families by groups and explained the mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation.

According to its website, the nonprofit works to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing.

The Quilts of Valor Foundation began in 2003 with a dream of founder Catherine Roberts. Her son, Nat, was deployed in Iraq at the time. The first quilt was given to a Minnesota soldier who lost his leg in military combat.

The message of Roberts’ dream was “Quilts = Healing”.

The quilts were presented by the seamstresses. Each takes around 20 hours to make, Butler said.

As each quilt was given at the Servicemen’s Club, VFW Auxiliary President Joyce Johns offered these powerful words: “Thank you for your service, sacrifice, and valor in serving our nation.”

She also said, “Remember this: May this quilt keep you safe from harm, may it be your good luck charm, what you hold in your arms is a quilter’s embrace.”

Here’s the list of Quilt of Valor recipients:

• Lee Robbins’ quilt was pieced by Diane Anderson and quilted by Chris Butler.
• Dustin Kremer’s quilt was pieced by Diane Anderson and quilted by Chris Butler.
• Stan Olson reflected on his military experiences and received a quilt pieced by Diane Anderson and quilted by Chris Butler.
• Steve Moe received a quilt pieced by Carol Gatlin and quilted by Pat Mitchell.
• David Boyd was given a quilt pieced Bev Hoveland and quilted by Bev Wacek.
• Dennis Fisher accepted a quilt pieced by Carol Gatlin and quilted by Pat Mitchell.
• Jeff Fisher’s quilt was pieced by Chris Butler and quilted by Chris Butler.
• Lisa Boyd was presented a quilt pieced by Diane Anderson and quilted by Chris Butler.
• Gary Radke’s wife accepted his quilt, which was pieced by Diane Anderson and quilted by Chris Butler.
• Larry Kruger was given a Quilt of Valor pieced by Carol Gatlin and quilted by Pat Mitchell.
• Bill Fewerda was given a quilt pieced by Diane Anderson and quilted by Chris Butler.
• David Haukom was emotionally touched by a quilt he received. It was pieced by Chris Butler and quilted by Chris Butler.