Sharond Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 My husband sent me an e-mail with an article talking about Quilts of Valor for the VA, interesting article. www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/120325859.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o2b Quilting Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 Very interesting. Still sounds like there is a need for the QOV. Just have to get them into the hands of the agencies who need them...like the local veterans homes, homeless veterans, etc. I have always liked the idea that these quilts go to people in the USA (not to mention it being a soldier) and stay here. The work of our church ladies who make quilts for missions overseas is very commendable but we have many here in the US in need of the warmth also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 I'm going to ask hubby if our VA hospital is still accepting donations. He works for the VA. I can see the specific hospital saying no more donations but I'd sure hate to see the efforts stopped if not all hospitals have stopped accepting them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 I searched the QoVF home page, and found no mention of this situation, so I emailed asking about it. We've a friend that lives not far from there and they've heard nothing about it. It really sounds awful if it is true, so I pray it's not. Seems like the TV would love to pick up on something like this. New York City is supposedly having a real battle with bedbugs, seems like they would put a halt to new quilts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 This is the reply I received from Quilts of Valor Federation.. "We have heard from Minnesota QOVers that this is true. We have received no information from other VA facilities." This was a very fast reply for such a busy org... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-Jane Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 The VA in Madison, Wi is begging for them - It sounds like we need to be sure they are washed, dried and clean!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 I read the full article. It states that their is no place to store more, sounds like they will open up for more donations in a few months. It just gives a chance to send to other locations where they have room/need for more. sounds to me like they are being responsible with the giftings, not hoarding them all but giving a chance to let the givers share with others too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 I just read the article. And this is was my first impression... I think it was short-sighted, narrow minded and down right rude for that hospital not to have the vision of solving the over-abundance issue. Rather than say "STOP!" instead they should have said "Let's make some calls and find a solution and another place that needs these." Of course, another perspective: The author of the story might not have gotten all of the facts inserted... (and folks, that happens a lot in the news...more than you think!) and the author might have missed that itty bitty very important piece of info. Saying "Stop!" to a good deed? This is very sad! Good deeds are made with the best heart felt intentions, and should never be turned away. Instead, pass that good deed forward to some place else. Sheesh! Sometimes I just wish people that run places like this hospital would think of a solution, rather than create a problem. Life would be so much easier! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 I have hesitated to post this because of the "heart and soul" that goes into QOV and other military donations for quilts for wounded warriors, but here goes.... A co-worker daughter enlisted, went to Iraq and was seriously injured within in 6 weeks of deployment. She landed on the East Coast when evacuated and was given FOUR quilts when she was released to come back to her home state. They had "so many" they were handing them out like popcorn. When she landed back at Madigan here in Washington to finish her recovery and re-hab, she was given TWO more quilts. I think the heartfelt and charitable work done by piecers and quilters for this very good cause is difficult to uphold at the distribution end and perhaps not respected as we would hope. I fit three of these in my charity contribution for the year and I know I am thinking of the potential recipient as I work on them. She treasures her quilts, but gave away two of them to friends as she doesn't have room for them all. She is well, back to school, and raising a cute 3 year old daughter today, just so you know she is now well and happy. I thought I would share--when lots of people are involved in such a big project, sometimes you just have to hope for the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-Jane Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 We love the QOV program - we have heard of some areas that have more than needed. That is when we found out about the VA hospitals that are in dire need for the love the quilts bring. Our quilts are given to the VA in Madison WI, to the injured, and to the vets that are nearing the end of their life - any vet WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Somalia, etc. The chaplain tells of the tears, love and appreciation that is shared when he gives the quilts. So please do not stop the quilts, just find where the need may be. Usually a VA home or Hospital away from the major bases or posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne from Guam Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 Instead of sending these quilts to 'a program', personally deliver your quilt to a person in need and then visit with them, find out their story! There are so many lonely people in the world, just waiting for someone to reach out. I don't like the thought of places with more quilts than they need handing out multiple quilts to one person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaR Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 We have two very pleasant gentlemen who work in the garden dept. of a Walmart. They both were wounded in the Korean and Vietnam wars. I think we or someone needs to contact the DAV or DAVA orgs when there is an overload of quilts, and present a bunch to Viet Nam vets in particular, since they received a particularly nasty bundle of hate and uglyness when they were deployed and when they returned. ( made me sick) Here at Fort Brag I seriously doubt there is an overly large pile of quilts in reserve. Rita. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandmaLKB Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 We have no trouble finding homes for our charity quilts here in our little community. There is a lady who runs a home for "challenged" adults and always in need of donated items like that. Our local fire department and Sheriff's department have aske for quilts to carry in their vehicles for when they come upon an accident to wrap an injured person in, we have a "county home" which is a nursing home for people with no one to look after them.....no families, etc. We made twin size quilts and pillow cases for them last Christmas..........40 ! We do for Birthright, Crisis Intervention, Hospice, Habitat for Humanity. We've made many little quilts for the Children's Hospital in Iowa City at the University of Iowa. I had a friend who's little boy spent most of his 7 years in and out of there and was asked if my group could make quilts for the kids to cuddle or lay on while receiving their treatments. There are lots of places for quilts. We have also made quilts for a lady here in Iowa who founded Freedom Quilts. She started during 9/11 and has continued with the military since then. Over 6500 quilts have been donated by her organization. Most of our quilts are made from donated fabric or some we buy very cheap off the sale tables. We don't have much invested other than our time, but we love getting together once a month and sewing all day. Sometimes we take things home to work on and bring back to the next meeting. My Mom can't attend the sewing days, so I take her a bag of squares and she pieces them together for us. Some we just tie and others we machine quilt. 4 of us have long arm machines and don't mind the "practice" of quilting them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judy Ingram Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 I just took this quilt off my frame yesterday. It is for a young US Marine who stepped on a landmine in Afghanistan earlier this year. The top contains 48 blocks pieced by 47 of his grandmother's quilter friends. All of these ladies are in one of the quilt groups I am part of in Florida. The women are from across the US and Canada. One of the quilters made two blocks--one to honor her husband who stepped on a landmine in Viet Nam and lost both legs from the knees down. The young soldier's grandfather was moved to tears when he saw the completed top. I am grateful to have had this experience first hand and let me add; I am HONORED to be a part of this project. Please keep up your good work. It is truly appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandmaLKB Posted April 22, 2011 Report Share Posted April 22, 2011 Beautiful!!! How big is it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judy Ingram Posted April 23, 2011 Report Share Posted April 23, 2011 Thanks Linda. I thought the ladies did a great job. The quilt is approximately 72" X 92". I'm sorry the photo turned out so big. I'll try to shrink them more in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lnieland Posted April 23, 2011 Report Share Posted April 23, 2011 I usually like to keep my donations local, but I make a big exception for QOVs. All of the ones I've worked on (I just do the quilting - someone else makes the tops) have been directed to a specific facility or person by QOVF. Recently, one went to Kandehar and another is being sent to a Marine somewhere in the States. In the latter case, QOVF had received a request from someone that this Marine be given a quilt. There's a link on the QOVF site that allows you to request a destination. I'm wondering how many quilts the VA in Minneapolis is handing out and how they're making the determination as to who to give them to. I've visited the local VA with my husband, and I can't begin to imagine how many vets come through that facility each day. Even though all the ones I see are outpatient and usually ambulatory, I'll bet there are a lot of them who would love a quilt. I know the staff at these facilities is busy and may not have the time to pass out quilt, but wouldn't it be a good job for volunteers? I hope the VA in Mpls reconsiders and finds a way to use all they've been given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.