QUILTS OF VALOR

By ESTHER NUNLEY

Original Publish Date: October 25, 2022

A Quilts of Valor (QOV), display at the McMinn County Living Heritage Museum is part of the quilt show “Celebrating 40 Years of History.”

The quilts are created by quilters who belong to the Starr Mountain Quilts of Valor Quilters. All the quilts in this display have a patriotic theme with two earmarked to be presented to veterans who have served in the military. Some of the Heritage Guild quilters are members of the Starr Mountain group creating an overlap of the two organizations.

The Starr Mountain group is a chapter of the Quilts of Valor Foundation which began through a dream that its founder, Catherine Roberts of Seaford, Del., had while her son was serving in Iraq. In her dream she saw a quilt wrapped around a soldier bringing him comfort from the war demons that plagued him. She created the foundation based on her dream, to help promote comfort and healing through the gifted quilt. The first quilt was presented at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D. C., to a young soldier from Minnesota. The giving of quilts to veterans spread rapidly across the country with many local quilters forming chapters through the foundation.

The quilts are given to all veterans including those who may have never seen combat. It is the feeling of our local chapter that anyone who enlists to serve is willing to serve in any capacity placing them in harm’s way. They are only given at ceremonies; they are not dispersed through the mail; each veteran has their quilt draped over their shoulders during a ceremony.

One retired veteran is getting a commemorative quilt directly from the heart of her mother, Janet Meeks. Meeks created the quilt from the many different Army uniforms that her daughter wore during 24 years of service. She spent 4 years at West Point and then another 20 years serving in the U. S. Army. She had deployments to Iraq and excelled with many promotions eventually retiring as a Lt. Colonel.

Meeks and her daughter talked about what could be done with the multitude of uniforms she had collected over the years. Finally, in June of this year Meeks went home with a bag full of uniforms hoping to find a design that would be pleasing once the quilt was on a bed. Her daughter, who lives out of the area, has not yet seen the quilt which Meeks plans to present to her at Thanksgiving time.

Each block has a part of a uniform that represents each step of her military career—from start to finish. An interpretive list in a framed podium identifies each promotion when she received a different uniform. The color scheme was not hard to pick out. West Point colors are black and gold, dress uniforms are blue with a yellow stripe down the leg and then there is the Army green. Each block is framed by the special colors that represent all the different changes in uniform depending on where her daughter was at the time. You will see her name “Meeks” and later on her married name “Simmons” also captured by the time capsule effect of the quilt. At some point, the military stopped using the typical sewn on patch and went to a Velcro style. It is very stiff and not something she wanted on the quilt top so she made two pillows, also a part of the display, to include those patches and compliment the quilt. She has a label that will be attached to the back of the quilt that will include photos and the interpretive list. Meeks also has the quilt “Oh My Stars” in the display that will be presented to her nephew who served in the Marines.

Also, in the QOV display is a World War II Commemorative Sampler created by Marti Blount and quilted by Dedee Morales. In this quilt you will find varied blocks, some of propellers, others of a plane, stars and stripes, a skyrocket and more. All symbolize meaningful events all connected to the war and the men and women who served in it. Included is President Roosevelt’s necktie. Each block tells the story of World War II through symbolizing meaningful events connected to people during that time. An interpretive list takes you to each block and explains the meaning of the symbol giving a little bit of history block by block.

The exhibit includes several more beautiful quilts made using different techniques, fabrics and a mix of the patriotic red, white, and blue colors. The show continues through the month of October and draws people from`. It is sponsored by Denso Manufacturing, the Tennessee Arts Commission McMinn County and the City of Athens. While you enjoy the show you can also be your own judge by voting for the quilt in the Viewer’s Choice category. Museum members tour free while non-members pay a $5 entrance fee. Seniors (over 60) and students are discounted to $3.