Wrapped in Valor
What could be more patriotic than supporting a combat veteran?
This Fourth of July, the 40 members of the River's Bend Quilt Guild of Chicora have been creating red-white-and-blue quilts that will be presented to veterans this fall.
Members began working on the quilts in January as part of the nationwide Quilts of Valor program, whose mission is to provide veterans touched by war with a comforting quilt.
Pam Mildren, guild president, said the group picks a different organization to receive its quilts every year. In the past, the quilters have given their handiwork to Haven, VOICe and the American Red Cross.
Mildren said, at the suggestion of member Joyce Mong, the group has made the Quilts of Valor Foundation the beneficiary of some of its members' quilts since 2018.
The Quilts of Valor Foundation is a national organization founded in 2003 by Blue Star mother Catherine Roberts, who had a son deployed in Iraq. When her son was deployed, she had the idea of comforting veterans with quilts.
To receive a Quilt of Valor, the veteran has to have been a combat veteran. No posthumous quilts are awarded.
Quilts are usually, but not always, crafted in red, white and blue colors and patterns that include stars, eagles and other patriotic symbols, according to Mildren.
“It is to thank them for the service they have provided to our country to protect our freedom,” she said.
The message is a personal one for Mildren, whose brother died while in the military.
“In 2018, I attended a presentation about Quilts of Valor given by Georgette Temme, a member of the North Pittsburgh Quilts of Valor,” Mong said. “Afterward, I was inspired to make a quilt as a way of honoring my father, who served in the Navy in World War II.
“Since he was already deceased, he couldn't receive a quilt,” she said. “I thought it would be nice if someone in our community was awarded the quilt for their service.”
Mong, who retired as a teacher at Chicora Elementary School, knew the school had an annual Veterans Day program.
“The principal, Mr. Shane Spack, was very interested to include a Quilt of Valor presentation into the program,” she said.
Mong said in 2018 quilts were given to two World War II veterans. Last year, three more were awarded to Korean War veterans.
This November, with the help of Chicora American Legion Post 642, quilts will be presented to Vietnam War veterans.
<h3>Hometown hero</h3>Paul McDevitt of Karns City is an Army veteran, both of World War II and the Korean War. He received his quilt on Veterans Day 2019.McDevitt said he arrived too late to fight in World War II. He was in the Army Reserves when the Korean War broke out, and he “automatically” signed up again.While serving in the 24th Infantry Division, he was wounded Oct. 19, 1951.“We were making an assault on a hill. We were just about to the top when we stopped to reorganize,” McDevitt said.“That's when a guy in a spider hole opened up with an automatic weapon. It hit my rifle twice and then my right leg,” he said.McDevitt was discharged in 1953 and after working for Western Auto in Butler, spent 26 years as a rural mail carrier in the Karns City area.He said he was surprised to be invited to the elementary school for the presentation.“This is the first thing I got as an award besides the Purple Heart,” McDevitt said of his quilt.He keeps it draped on the back of his couch, and he wants it kept in the family.In his will, McDevitt bequeaths it to his granddaughter, Ashley Leiton, a member of the U.S. Air Force Reserves who's about to go back on active duty.
<h3>Finding a focus </h3>The Quilts of Valor project is providing a unifying theme for the quilt guild members during the pandemic.One founding member, Betty Carlson, said the Rivers' Bend Quilt Guild was started with seven members and has now grown to 40. The guild used to meet monthly until this year.“We meet the first Monday of the month at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Chicora,” Mildren said. “With the COVID-19, we have not met since February.”She said members are making the quilts at home.“We have a mixture of different methods,” Mildren said. “We have hand piecers, hand appliqué, and longarm quilting.”Mildren, who runs a quilting business from her home, said she has been quilting since she was 12.“I love the design work, working with fabric and color. I find it very relaxing. People are very loving and generous in the quilting world.”
<h3>Those who serve</h3>Chicora veterans are working with the guild to find recipients for this year's quilts.Bob Ripper, service officer and past commander, and Ron Huff, member of American Legion Post 642, as well as a representative of Pennsylvania Moose Association for Veterans, are two of the four post members compiling a list of potential quilt recipients.“We will organize a list of all the ones (Vietnam veterans) we know. We will leave it up to the ladies to choose the individuals,” Ripper said.More than 140,000 quilts have been awarded in the United States, and in Germany, Iraq and Afghanistan.Temme of the North Pittsburgh Quilts of Valor said her group itself has given 1,000 quilts to veterans since it was formed in 2010.Ripper said, of the quilt program, “One person doesn't deserve it more than another but needs it more than someone else.”“It is said that the greatest tragedy of war is being forgotten. We are trying to make sure that doesn't happen,” Mong said.
