Club Honors Veterans with Quilts of Valor
During a moving ceremony, Central Texas Republican Women honored eight veterans during a Quilts of Valor (QOV) presentation at the November 12 annual members meeting at the Harris Community Center in Belton. More than 80 members attended to witness this special recognition event.
Primary members who are veterans receiving a QOV were Constable Patricia Duffield and Petra Wagner - Army. Associate member veterans receiving a QOV were Richard Briggs - Army Airborne; Herb Cowan - Army, Vietnam Veteran; Justice of the Peace Theodore “Ted” Duffield - Army; District Judge Wade Faulkner - Army; Melburne F. Pierson - Navy Seabee and Vietnam Veteran; Robert Dale Whitesell - Army Airborne, Vietnam Veteran.
Central Texas Republican Women supports the community, especially veterans. Early on in the two-year cycle, we collaborated with Quilts of Valor to recognize our primary and associate members with a very special “Tribute to our Veterans.” Over the span of recognizing our local Central Texas veterans, 33 quilts have been given. We had representation from all branches of service and veterans from World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraqi War and Afghanistan War.
Central Texas Republican Women offers to thank and honor each veteran for their sacrifice and service to our country..
Quilts of Valor representative and Central Texas RW member Laura Winckel is a transformation speaker who conducts seminars and workshops at the Global Quilt Connection. She leads the Central Texas organization Quilters with a Heart, assisting military personnel and veterans in memorializing loved ones and coping with trauma. An award-winning heirloom quilter based in Harker Heights, she owns Quality Quilts by Laura. With decades of experience, Laura is known for custom quilts, including “Hugs from Heaven” memory quilts that help individuals through grief. She has won numerous awards and has been featured in publications like Tex Appeal and the Killeen Daily Herald. Inspired by her husband’s active duty in Ukraine, she began quilting to cope with her emotions and has earned the nickname “The Quilt Angel” for her philanthropic efforts in helping others honor their loved ones.
A single Quilt of Valor can take 3-6 months to design and finish. A Purple Heart and Medical of Honor Quilt of Valor can take up to a year or more. Quilts of Valor takes every opportunity to individualize a quilt for the recipient. For instance, in the motorcycle design - our veterans were asked who rode a motorcycle, and the recipient, Melburne F. Pierson, shared a story of riding his motorcycle across the United States as healing following the Vietnam War. What is remarkable with each Quilt of Valor Ceremony is the visible change after the Veteran receives the quilt - healing.
Central Texas Republican Women gave an honorarium of $200 to the local Quilts of Valor chapter, Quilters with a Heart, so they can continue their patriotic and healing work for Veterans across America.