Quilts of Valor, local schools honor local veterans

Veterans Ron Grasmick and Manuel Gonzales, Sr. at one of the recent Quilts of Valor presentations at local schools

Eighteen Prowers County veterans were presented with beautiful, hand-sewn quilts recently during Veterans Day celebrations at four local schools.  The first presentation was November 11 at Wiley School, where three veterans were honored during a presentation at the Wiley School.  Lamar High School honored nine veterans during a program at Lamar High School.  The following day, November 12, both Granada and Holly schools held their programs, each honoring three veterans.

The quilts were made by a group of more than 20 quilters from Baca County, who have been providing quilts for 8 years to schools in Walsh, Vilas, Springfield, Campo, Pritchett and Kim for their school Veterans Day presentations.  This is the first year that Prowers County schools have participated in the program.

Tina Dunn spoke with me recently about the quilts and the Quilts of Valor Foundation that the quilting group has been associated with over the years.  The Baca County quilters are “very dedicated to our veterans”, she told me.  The Veterans Day school programs not only allow the group to say thank you to and honor our local veterans, but serve as a way to give students a chance to hear the histories of these veterans and listen to their stories.  “They are all around us”, Dunn said, speaking of veterans.  “Our area is rich with them and this is nothing more than a way to say thank you and bring education of who they are into our schools”.  It is a way for younger students to hear firsthand about our nation’s history and to instill a sense of patriotism in them.

While Dunn and the other quilters supply the quilts for the programs, each participating school is allowed to “put their own spin” on how they want to structure their presentation to the veterans.  She said the students get very excited about the chance to learn about the veterans they will be honoring while interviewing them, as well as being allowed a voice in how to structure their school’s presentations.

The quilts are not only hand-sewn, but in most cases specifically designed for each individual veteran.  They are frequently designed to honor the veteran’s branch of service as well as any personal touches the quilter decides to incorporate.  As an example, a local veteran recently honored received a western-themed quilt in addition to featuring his branch of service.  Quilts can take “anywhere from two to three days to a week” to make, which speaks to the talents of the Baca quilters.  A common size for a quilt is 60 by 80 inches but can be made shorter or longer, depending on the veteran they are designed for, said Dunn.

Any veteran who has been honorably discharged is eligible to receive a quilt.  Veterans from all branches of service, including the National Guard, can have their service recognized publicly in one of the group’s Veterans Day programs.  Dunn said she is “always on a search mission” to locate veterans to honor with quilts.  She attends parades, parking herself  where the veterans’ floats finish the parade, in order to speak with them and ask if they would be interested in a quilt.  She also makes it a point to speak to anyone she sees who is wearing a veterans hat.  She said that Gary Harbert, Prowers County Veterans Service Officer has been a huge help in providing information about local veterans, as has Doug Harbour with the Tri-State 9/11 Memorial Foundation.  She is hoping that Prowers County schools continue to participate in coming years, allowing more of our local veterans to be honored and share their stories with students who have an opportunity to learn about our country’s history first-hand from someone who has served it faithfully. Thank you to all our veterans and thank you to Dunn and her fellow quilters for their patriotism and hard work!

By: Barbara Crimond