Table Rock Quilts of Honor to give quilts to veterans at upcoming presentations
Table Rock Quilts of Honor volunteers have presented more than 750 veterans with “Quilted Hugs of Gratitude.”
Kadee Brosseau DeCourley
The Table Rock Quilts of Honor organization will present veterans throughout the area with unique quilts over the next few weeks.
“It’s our way of honoring our veterans who have made sacrifices for our freedom, for our rights. It’s as simple as that. We want to honor those people who have defended our freedom,” Sewer with Table Rock Quilts of Honor Betty Thomas said.
The quilts, which they call “Quilted Hugs of Gratitude,” are made by volunteers as their way of saying “thank you” to those who have served our country. Quilts of Honor is a national organization, but the local chapter is called “Table Rock Quilts of Honor.” It comprises about 20 to 25 sewers who lovingly craft the gifts to honor the veterans’ service and sacrifice. Each quilt has a label on the back that states information like who contributed to making it, who received it, and the military branch they served.
“For some of [the veterans], it’s finally recognition for what they did for this country. We had one gentleman who said, ‘I never let anybody know that I was even in Vietnam for over seven years. For our guys who are coming back from Afghanistan now and all the craziness that’s going on, a lot of them can’t even talk about what went on,” Thomas said.
While the group presents veterans with quilts throughout the year, they have several presentations coming up in the next several weeks that they invite people to attend.
Schedule of presentations:
Saturday, Oct. 16 at 2 p.m., Veterans of the Ozarks (VOTO) group at Stone Castle off of Green Mountain Road in Branson.
Friday, Oct. 22 at a private presentation in Monett.
Thursday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. at the Kimberling City Baptist Church, East Campus.
Thursday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m., Branson Veterans of America (BVA) group at the Golden Corral in Branson.
Monday, Nov. 4 at 9 a.m. at the Mid-Town Café in Reeds Spring. This will be the seventh time Jeff Barnhart, café owner, has hosted a Quilt of Honor presentation at his location.
Thursday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. at the start of the Veteran’s Day Parade in downtown Branson.
“A quilt represents a thing of comfort. So, just to be able to wrap that around them and for them to think ‘Oh, someone remembered. Someone was thoughtful enough.’ We have several of our gentlemen say, ‘Oh, no, I won’t use it. I want to hang it up and look at it.’” Thomas said. “Some people are even teary-eyed when they receive their quilt. It can be a very emotional thing.”
Since its inception, Table Rock Quilts of Honor volunteers have presented more than 750 veterans with “Quilted Hugs of Gratitude.”
“Our goal this year is to reach 800,” Thomas said. “I think we are well on track to do that.”
Table Rock Quilts of Honor invites anyone to attend the public presentations to show their appreciation to veterans simply by being there.
“A lot of people like to see our veterans being honored,” Thomas said. “They can also give the veteran a hug, pat on the back, clap their hands, shout ‘Good job.’”
The Table Rock Quilts of Honor organization will present veterans throughout the area with unique quilts over the next few weeks.
“It’s our way of honoring our veterans who have made sacrifices for our freedom, for our rights. It’s as simple as that. We want to honor those people who have defended our freedom,” Sewer with Table Rock Quilts of Honor Betty Thomas said.
The quilts, which they call “Quilted Hugs of Gratitude,” are made by volunteers as their way of saying “thank you” to those who have served our country. Quilts of Honor is a national organization, but the local chapter is called “Table Rock Quilts of Honor.” It comprises about 20 to 25 sewers who lovingly craft the gifts to honor the veterans’ service and sacrifice. Each quilt has a label on the back that states information like who contributed to making it, who received it, and the military branch they served.
“For some of [the veterans], it’s finally recognition for what they did for this country. We had one gentleman who said, ‘I never let anybody know that I was even in Vietnam for over seven years. For our guys who are coming back from Afghanistan now and all the craziness that’s going on, a lot of them can’t even talk about what went on,” Thomas said.
While the group presents veterans with quilts throughout the year, they have several presentations coming up in the next several weeks that they invite people to attend.
Schedule of presentations:
Saturday, Oct. 16 at 2 p.m., Veterans of the Ozarks (VOTO) group at Stone Castle off of Green Mountain Road in Branson.
Friday, Oct. 22 at a private presentation in Monett.
Thursday, Oct. 25 at 6 p.m. at the Kimberling City Baptist Church, East Campus.
Thursday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m., Branson Veterans of America (BVA) group at the Golden Corral in Branson.
Monday, Nov. 4 at 9 a.m. at the Mid-Town Café in Reeds Spring. This will be the seventh time Jeff Barnhart, café owner, has hosted a Quilt of Honor presentation at his location.
Thursday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. at the start of the Veteran’s Day Parade in downtown Branson.
“A quilt represents a thing of comfort. So, just to be able to wrap that around them and for them to think ‘Oh, someone remembered. Someone was thoughtful enough.’ We have several of our gentlemen say, ‘Oh, no, I won’t use it. I want to hang it up and look at it.’” Thomas said. “Some people are even teary-eyed when they receive their quilt. It can be a very emotional thing.”
Since its inception, Table Rock Quilts of Honor volunteers have presented more than 750 veterans with “Quilted Hugs of Gratitude.”
“Our goal this year is to reach 800,” Thomas said. “I think we are well on track to do that.”
Table Rock Quilts of Honor invites anyone to attend the public presentations to show their appreciation to veterans simply by being there.
“A lot of people like to see our veterans being honored,” Thomas said. “They can also give the veteran a hug, pat on the back, clap their hands, shout ‘Good job.’”