Hometown quilts honor local veterans

While the sacrifices of veterans may never be fully understood, honoring their courage is something that can always be done.

A local program created to honor veterans has taken shape this past year and is on full display at Cobre Valley Center for the Arts. It features handmade patriotic quilts created by local residents to be gifted to local veterans.

The idea was brainstormed by local resident Lee Ann Powers and brought to fruition by Linda Merlin, veteran advocate at Veterans Affinity.

“Since it’s the 250th anniversary of our country, I wanted to do something special,” Powers said. “I’m combining my love of country, my love of the military, and my love of quilting.”

She said when they did the quilt show at Bullion Plaza Cultural Center & Museum on the Fourth of July, she received a lot of encouragement from the museum director Phil Stewart, and everyone was so grateful and so enthusiastic.

She added, “The veterans and people like me really wanted to do more.”

The Veterans Quilts exhibit began Nov. 1 and there is a public reception Nov. 6 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. during First Friday. Merlin encourages everyone to come look at the quilts and emphasized that there is an elevator at CVCA for disabled veterans or family members.

There are 15 quilt recipients and they were nominated by other veterans, family members and friends. Names also were provided by the Elks Lodge and the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., and some of the quilters made quilts for veteran family members.

Merlin credits this program to Powers.

“Lee Ann Powers is a military brat," she said. "She teaches a quilting class and thought it would be a great idea to do honor quilts for the 250th anniversary of the United States.”

Merlin said, “We said we originally were going to do it for the Fourth of July and decided to do it again for Veterans Day, and probably will be doing it again for the next Fourth of July.”

“I’ve been really honored and humbled for the support I’ve gotten,” Powers said.

In July, they gave away 17 quilts. For the upcoming reception during First Friday, “One of the veterans is so touched that he’s going to come and wear his uniform.”

Even though they were busy this time around, some 4-H kids made quilts for the Fourth of July exhibit at Bullion Plaza, Merlin said, and some won prizes in the Gila County Fair, including Best of Show. It was a great experience for everyone involved.

“It’s a really good program that we want to keep doing as long as we can,“ Merlin said.

She added, “One of our women veterans who lives out in Roosevelt was a 4-H’er and was thrilled to receive a quilt from another 4-H’er. There are two female recipients this time around and we are thrilled about that.”

Nancy Neumann was a recipient of a quilt in July. She is a Navy veteran who served from 1974 to 1978. She said she was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia at the end of the Vietnam War.

“I enrolled during my junior year and started basic training the day after I graduated high school," she said.

Her dad, brother, and sister and all retired Air Force. “I was very proud that I was in the service. It was very good discipline. And I was a handful.”

She said she was nominated by Powers and has the quilt hanging on her wall. She said that she, in turn, nominated James Gallagher.

“He wears his uniform to church on special days like Veterans Day, Memorial Day. So he’s getting one this time,” she said.

Local resident Tania Matthews is one the quilters in the program. She is a member of the quilting class at Gila Community College and said that Powers asked if anyone was interested in making veterans quilts, and she volunteered.

She said she has made three or four now, and decided she should make one for her dad who is a veteran of the Vietnam War. Her dad, Tom Matthews, was part of the Army's military police.

She said she let him pick the quilt panels he wanted, and that it’s red, white and blue with an eagle. Maria Melendez quilted it and Tania said that they included an Army symbol, mountain borders and flag print. She said her dad hasn’t seen it yet, but she’ll take him down to the quilt show to see it.

Tania is “making it for him with great love and was trying to find her grandmother’s handkerchief to include on the quilt,” Powers said.

Tania said she started out sewing when she was a kid. She had moved away and when she came back, her mom got her to come to the Quilting Guild with her.

“It’s kind of a little bond” between them, she said.

To nominate a veteran to receive a quilt, an email may be sent to Linda Merlin at mizzkitty02@gmail.com.

On Nov. 27, the quilts will be taken down and the veterans can pick them up that day from 2 to 3 p.m. Arrangements may also be made for quilts to be dropped off to recipients.