DAR QUILTS OF VALOR

DAR QUILTS OF VALOR – In keeping with the Daughters of the American Revolution’s objectives of Historic Preservation, Education and Patriotism, Kerin Hatch presented the program “Quilts of Valor” to the Elizabeth Carey Chapter members. Mrs. Hatch and her husband, Ron, displayed patriotic quilts that she had pieced and quilted to send to deployed military men and women. Mrs. Hatch began making patriotic quilts when she was approached and asked to help make quilts for a local troop that was being deployed to Iraq. She was told they needed 153 quilts. The group ended up making over 450 quilts—enough quilts for their unit and enough quilts for another unit and one for a soldier wanting to send one to a wounded friend. Instead of “Quilts of Valor”, she likes to call them “quilted hugs”.

Mrs. Hatch says she makes quilts for active duty, retired, wounded and for anyone asking for a quilt for a military buddy. She has even been known to take the shirt off a patient’s back! She had been actively looking for an eagle to incorporate into a quilt when a patient came in wearing just what she needed—a tee shirt with a beautiful eagle on the back. She tried to talk him out of the shirt but he left still wearing it. The patient, Greg, later returned with his wife and the shirt. He said his father was career Air Force and he himself was in the Air Force Reserve. The quilt made with his shirt was later taken to Andrews Air Base where it hung for a time.

She told the group that making quilts for soldiers actually dated back to the Civil War era. Most of the men were without adequate clothing to keep them warm. The women took scraps, often clothing, and made quilts for the soldiers.