Mar

2

Honoring Warriors

Filed Under American Patriotism, Events, PTSD, Quilts of Valor 

by Janet & Tony Seahorn

Veterans

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Janet Seahorn

At first it appeared to be an ordinary Thursday evening in mid-February.  The soldiers of battles-past gathered at the new Fort Collins Vet Center for their weekly group meeting with the professional VA Staff.

They draw together to heal wounds that occurred long ago in a land far from home.  Wounds acquired from serving in Vietnam – a war where few were honored for their personal sacrifice for their country.  The veterans meet to try and understand why their scars linger and are still so painful after so many years.  And they meet to try and find a sense of recognition of what each has experienced in life – both past and present.

It was on this night that several Fort Collins community members presented a “Quilt of Valor” to those warriors who gave much and were given little in return. Through their generous donations, the community was able to acquire a special hand-made quilt for the presentation.

The quilt was one small way of saying “Thank you for your service and sacrifice”.  And, maybe, the quilt would become a symbol of comfort, hope, and honor.  This particular comforter was carefully crafted by Donna Roche and the Quilters of Rogers, Arkansas.  Her group has assembled and mailed over 700 similar quilts to wounded warriors in hospitals in Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany and the United States.  Ms. Roche and her group explain the Quilt of Valor in this manner:

“The Quilt of Valor is our wounded warrior award for service, sacrifice and valor in the line of duty. It is our way of saying “Thank you for your service – you have not been forgotten.” Many caring souls are involved in making the quilts; from contributing quilt blocks, finishing the tops, and integrating each section into the final product. Each special quilt receives a “Quilt of Valor” label thanking the injured warrior for his/her dedication and sacrifice. The label contains the name of those involved in the making of each caring blanket.”

The Quilt of Valor is in fact a symbol of renewal.  It transforms the hands of war’s destruction through the caring quilter’s fingers of each blanket’s construction.  It shifts the heart from the darkness of combat to the light of a kinder future.  And, hopefully it moves the experiences of combat trauma to a quieter sense of peace.

On this Thursday evening, warriors who were never honored finally have their Quilt of Valor.  The gratitude in their teary eyes, said it all.  Perhaps, after all these years, others do care.  Perhaps, there is now a sense of acknowledgement of what these warriors gave without hesitation.  You see, it is never too late to say thank you, and the heart is never too old to feel the warmth of such a genuine gesture.

Comments

One Response to “Honoring Warriors”

  1. Sarah N. Mess on March 11th, 2010 2:15 am

    MAY YOU ALL FEEL THE WARMTH OF A FEW SMALL WORDS THAT EXPLAIN A HEART FILLED WITH GRATITUDE…THANK YOU…and WELCOME HOME.

    To the lovely people who made the quilts, thank you for recognizing the sacrifice, all these years later. Beautiful.