Delta County Quilts of Valor recently celebrated ten years of providing homemade quilts to veterans and active duty service members. The local chapter is part of the national organization Quilts of Valor, created in 2003 by Catherine Roberts, whose son was deployed to Iraq.
Betsy Krager serves as the group leader for the Delta County organization, which began in 2015. She leads a group of twenty nine dedicated quilters who meet twice a month at the True Life Church in Cedaredge, where each quilt is made with love and compassion.
"There's eleven thousand quilters across the nation making quilts for veterans and active service members. The mission of Quilts of Valor is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing," said Krager.
Like many of the quilters, Krager became involved because her husband is a veteran of the Vietnam War.
"Most of our quilters have family members that have been in the service. And that's why they do it as well. You know, a lot of our veterans never get recognition, especially the Vietnam vets, Korean vets as well. So, it's a just a good way to recognize their service and say "thank you," you know, for serving,"Krager said.
There is a formal process for families requesting a quilt of valor for a loved one or a friend, regardless of where they live. Families can connect with the national website, to nominate a veteran or active service member or they can reach out to the local Delta chapter on their Delta County Quilts of Valor Facebook page.
Delta County Quilts of Valor often hand deliver the quilts to veterans at their homes or meet with recipients at various locations, including parks, churches, and award ceremonies.
While the patterns of quilts vary, the color scheme remains consistent with the traditional 'red, white, and blue American theme."
Three local veterans were awarded their quilts of valor during the group's tenth anniversary this month.
"One of them was a Vietnam vet. We usually ask them,' What would they like to share about their service time?' And this Vietnam vet said, you know, he was not appreciated when he came back from his service. And this this quilt just meant everything to him," Krager said.
That veteran was Joseph Luna, who enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1965 after graduating from Cedaredge High School. Following boot camp training in San Diego, the young man was shipped out to fight in Vietnam.
"I was wounded to the extent that eventually, this was several months later, I had to have open heart surgery," Luna recalled.
Luna was given only a one in one hundred percent chance of surviving the critical operation. His mother traveled from Cedaredge to be with him, where the surgery lasted for seven long grueling hours.
"When the surgeons came out. She saw the long look on her face and thought the worst. And he said, 'No, I'm just tired. Your son is doing fine.' I was wounded on August 12,1966 My birthday is August 14th. On August 14, 1966 there was a Marine Corps general that presented me with my Purple Heart. "
The Purple Heart recipient became emotional as he recalled how it felt to receive a quilt of valor.
"I was honored. When I came back from Vietnam my fellow Marines and myself were not well received. We were baby killers. We were spit on. We simply weren't appreciated. So for me, for the number of women that worked on that project is touching and very, very much appreciated," said Luna choking back emotion.
After hearing about Delta County Quilts of Valor, I spoke to Mr. Luna over the phone.
"Tell me a little bit about the the quilt and where you have it now. Do you have it displayed on a wall? Is it on your bed? You know, where is it? And and how often are you in like, contact with that quilt? "
"It is on my bed when I take a nap, I'm underneath that quilt when I'm sleeping. The quilt is on top of the bed cover, but it's my companion. When I wake up in the morning, it's my companion when I go to bed at night," said the grateful veteran.
