Let Freedom Ring Quilters honor local veterans

Let Freedom Ring Quilters, Arkansas Chapter No. 83653 of the Quilts of Valor Foundation, honored eight local veterans on Jan. 22 in a ceremony held in Benton City Hall, as guests of Benton Mayor Tom Farmer.

Veterans honored were father and son, Hubert Spann and Greg Spann, Jeff Brown, Joshua Davis, Bobby Dugger, Dennis Condry, John Bradshaw, and Russell Steed.

The ceremony was opened with the presentation of the flag, conducted by Commander Russell Steed of American Legion Post 19, who also lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Michaela Drummond, Youth Pastor, Abundant Life Church in Benton, lead the audience in singing the national anthem. The invocation was given by Pastor Greg Spann of Cross Bar C Cowboy Church.

Teresa Moreno, group leader of Let Freedom

Ring Quilters, gave the introductory welcome and the history of Quilts of Valor Foundation.

She also introduced Mayor Farmer who introduced the honorees who received a QOV quilt that had been made by members of Let Freedom Ring Quilters.

Member quilters exhibited each quilt and draped t the honoree with their special Quilt of Valor.

Let Freedom Ring Quilters are volunteers who spend many hours piecing together and sewing quilts to honor service members and veterans in a special way. One Quilt of Valor can cost as much as $300 to make.

Quilts of Valor Foundation began in 2003 with a dream of founder Catherine Roberts when her son was deployed in Iraq. The mission of Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.

The first QOV was awarded in November 2003 at Walter Reed Medical Center to a young soldier who lost his leg in Iraq. To date, over 350,000 quilts have been awarded to veterans across the nation. QOV Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with approximately 10,000 volunteers in over 600 individual groups in all 50 states.

Volunteers are always welcome by Quilts of

Valor Foundation. You do not have to sew to volunteer. Extra hands are needed for making quilt block kits, pressing fabric, awarding quilts, making quilt tops and fundraising. You may also sew individually for QOV.

For more information about Quilts of Valor, contact Teresa Moreno at 501-909-0538 or by email at moreno2009@att.net.

Gail Nickerson / The saline courier Quilt of Valor recipients included, (from left) ussell Steed, John Bradshaw, Dennis Condry, Bobby Dugger, Joshua Davis, Jeff Brown, Greg Spann, Hubert Spann.