“Soldiers who have returned from the wars overseas might not say anything, they may never talk about their experiences, but believe me, they are all hurting,” says Gail Belmont. As an army veteran herself, Gail knows that thousands of soldiers who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan have been wounded not just physically, but psychologically and spiritually as well. To show support and caring to our military men and women, Gail has become a one-woman fighting force herself on behalf of the Quilts of Valor Foundation. A national organization, QOV strives to deliver tangible comfort to our wounded servicemembers.
Gail explains that there are three ways to become involved in QOV:
1. Be a “quilt-topper.” Make a quilt-top with a backing, which will be sent to a “long-armer.”
2. Be a “long-armer.” Supply the batting and stitch a top on a long-arm quilting machine.
3. Be “rear-echelon” support. Donate funds to QOV Foundation to offset costs.
A wounded soldier who received a QOV at the army hospital in Landstuhl, Germany wrote:
“My QOV not only keeps me warm when I’m cold, it keeps my heart warm, too. I’m 24, a husband and a father. This may seem childish, but when I get scared with the memories of war, I curl up in the QOV and everything goes away. It makes me and the hundreds of wounded I’ve seen feel better knowing there are people in the states that care about us and what we do.”
As of April 2009, nearly 5000 American soldiers have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. Many thousands more have been wounded. Total number of QOVs delivered since November 2003: over 20,000.
For more information about the Quilts of Valor Foundation, visit www.qovf.org or e-mail info@QOVF.org. Gail Belmont, the northern California coordinator for QOV, is available to speak to quilt guilds and other organizations (at no cost!). She delivers an effective and inspiring presentation, which I saw yesterday at a meeting in Concord. You may contact her at belmontquilts@comcast.net, or phone (209) 772-2686.
