Great-grandfather honored at assembly
FOXBURG, Clarion County — Students at Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District typically celebrate Veterans Day with an assembly, but this year, the school gave two students the opportunity to reach out to their great-grandfather, a World War II veteran.
On Friday morning, the entire district gathered for an assembly during which 9-year-old Kolton and 12-year-old Devin Rodgers gave a Quilt of Valor to William H. Shoup Jr., of Winfield Township. Shoup, 89, served in the United States Army Air Force from 1944 to 1947 in Mississippi, Arizona and New Mexico.
The Quilt of Valor Foundation is a national organization that provides quilts to people who have served in the armed forces. According to Kimberly Brink, the granddaughter of Shoup and mother to the two boys, the quilt is meant to provide comfort and healing for veterans who have suffered.
Brink said she first had the idea to gift a quilt to her grandfather after her grandmother passed away November 2015. Brink's grandmother was an avid quilter, and when she was figuring out what to do with all of the quilting material left behind, Brink came across the foundation and knew it was something tangible she could do for her grandfather.
“I was really close with both my grandparents. Losing my grandma ... it still bothers me,” Brink said. “This was my way of giving my grandfather back a piece of my grandma.”
However, when Brink requested the quilt recently, she was not aware that it can take up to a year to find a quilt to donate. Because of that, she did not expect her plan for Veterans Day to work out.
But in six weeks, the foundation had found her the perfect quilt with a story of its own.
“When I received the confirmation, I was totally surprised,” Brink said.
The quilt Shoup received Friday from his great-grandsons came from a quilting shop in Allentown, the Allentown Sewing Machine Outlet.
Owner Bill Shopik had lost his wife to cancer, and he was in the process of downsizing the shop, according to Helen Hanton with the foundation.
When Shopik realized he could donate the quilt, he felt it should go to Shoup because Shopik's father also had served in World War II.
“(Shopik) said he felt like this quilt needed to go to my grandfather,” Brink said. “They make these quilts to be used, not to be a showpiece.”
Quilts of valor are made specifically to be used and washed, Brink said.
Shoup was emotional when he was surprised with the quilt, saying the gesture means so much to him, especially coming from his granddaughter and great-grandsons, who he is quite close with.
“I was really surprised,” Shoup said. “I really felt good about it. It's great to have something like this. I never expected it.”
Brink said Shoup has always been private about his time in the service, but Shoup said it's not something that he struggles to deal with today.
Aside from feeling honored, Shoup said he feels proud of his family, something Brink said as well.
Devin and Kolton both agree: doing something like this was emotional but necessary.
“To me, it feels pretty good,” Devin Rodgers said. “I'm glad we did this.”
For more information about requesting or donating a quilt of valor, visit www.qovf.org.
