By Adam Pack
The Quilts of Valor Foundation presented handmade Quilts of Valor to Greenbrier County veterans on Thursday, Nov. 11, in a ceremony at the Greenbrier County Visitor’s Center. There were a total of eight veterans presented with quilts made by members of the Alderson Quilters and Crafters Association.
The Quilts of Valor Foundation has, since its inception in 2003, awarded 286,178 quilts to veterans of various wars. Each quilt is given alongside a certificate of authenticity which reads “the Quilts of Valor foundation wishes to recognize you for your service to our nation; we consider it our privilege to do so. While we may never know the extent of your sacrifice to protect and defend the United States of America, we award you this quilt of valor as an expression of gratitude from a grateful nation.”
Each quilt must be made up of the colors red, white, and blue, and patterns can be sourced from the foundation, or they can be designed from scratch. At the ceremony, the presenter and a family member drape each veteran in their quilt, representing the honor and prestige which drapes a veteran’s shoulders as a result of his service.
The following local veterans were honored on Nov. 11:
- Lee Johnson, Army, 1952-54, Korea
- Charles Humphreys, Army, 1966-67, Vietnam
- Jack Nelson, Army, 1966-68, Vietnam
- Jackson Gadd, Navy, 1962-90, Vietnam/Middle East
- John Critzer, Army/Air Force, 1971-78, Vietnam
- Milton Renick, Army, 1968-70, Vietnam
- Paul Flippin, Jr., Army, 1968-70, Vietnam
Lewisburg Mayor Beverly White prepared a poem for the occasion, and distributed it to all the awardees and their families:
In honor and in memory of our veterans,
Today we salute you for the service you gave,
We also honor you for being so very brave
We thank you for being willing to fight for our freedom each day
We thank you for the sacrifices that you made along the way
We thank you for giving up your time with your families
We thank you for showing us what commitment really means
Our hearts are grateful for those of you who gave your life for us
We thank God for your life and in Him we will continue to trust
We ask God to always watch over you
We ask God to continue to bless all that you do
Thank you, thank you, thank you
For a job well done!
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