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AUnique Welcome Home
magine a young 4-H member whispering “Welcome home” into the ears of well-deserving veterans as they are wrapped in a quilt 4-H’ers spent weeks making by hand. As 4-H alumni and supporters can tell you, the century-old organization is known for its ability to instill a sense of patriotism and passion for service in its members, said Cathy Allen, senior specialist for OSU Extension. The partnerships between Oklahoma 4-H clubs and the Quilts of Valor® Foundation provide evidence of “hands to greater service,” she said. The Quilts of Valor Foundation is a nationwide organization that presents handmade quilts to service members and veterans who have been impacted by war while serving their country. Catherine Roberts, founder of the foundation, believes quilts equal healing, according to Quilts of Valor.
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When Roberts founded the Quilts of Valor Foundation, she set high-quality standards for the organization, according to the foundation. “A Quilt of Valor had to be quilted, not tied, which meant hand or machine quilting,” according to Quilts of Valor. “It would be awarded, not just passed out like magazines or videos, and would say unequivocally, ‘Thank you for your service, sacrifice and valor in serving our nation.’” The Training, Leadership, and Community 4-H Club of Rogers County, Oklahoma, has partnered with the Quilts of Valor Foundation for multiple years. The TLC Club 4-H members have made and awarded more than 32 quilts to local service members and veterans, said Donna Daley, the TLC Club volunteer leader. The 4-H’ers enjoy thanking veterans
for their service through this project, said Katie Parks, first grade member of the TLC 4-H Club. They also enjoy the process of making the quilts, which includes selecting fabric, designing, sewing, ironing and more, she added. 4-H members of all ages — from 5-year-old Cloverbuds to high school seniors — participate in this project, Daley said. Members choose to participate because they are passionate about service and genuinely want to recognize and honor the service members and veterans who served their country, Daley said. “To be eligible for a Quilt of Valor, a service member or veteran must be touched by war,” said Allison Fentriss, assistant executive director of the Quilts of Valor Foundation. “Only the service member or veteran can make that determination.”
