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William Reese Hoyt, United States Air Force. — Submitted photo

Gerald Van Den Elsen, United States Army — Submitted photo

Larry Nixon, United States Navy — Submitted photo

Robert Neal, United States Army — Submitted photo

Jerry Lambert, United States Marine Corps – Submitted photo

Curtis Clarkson Graham, United States Army – Submitted photo

William Howell, United States Army – Submitted photo

Larry D Gaines, Sr., United States Navy – Submitted photo

Dewey Barringer, United States Navy – Submitted photo

John Kessler, United States Navy – Submitted photo

Carl Alexander, United States Navy – Submitted photo

Benjamin Erese, United States Navy – Submitted photo

Albert Wallace, United States Army – Submitted photo

Thirteen veterans were honored with special quilts during a Quilts of Valor presentation on Nov. 19 during the veterans meeting at the Christiana Lutheran Church in Salisbury.

The quilts were made by members of the Freedom Piecemakers Guild and presented along with a certificate.

It was noted prior to the start of the ceremony that approximately 25 volunteers make these special quilts.

As each veteran’s name was called, they were encouraged to come to the front and stand beside their quilt as a volunteer shared information about each including their name, branch they served in, their particular duties and where they were stationed.

The quilt was then folded and presented to them with the concluding words of “please accept this quilt from the Freedom Piecemakers.”

Those honored with quilts during the event were William Reese Hoyt, United States Air Force; Jerry Lambert, United States Marine Corps; Gerald Van Den Elsen, Robert Neal, Curtis Clarkson Graham, William Howell and Albert Wallace, all in the United States Army; Carl Alexander, Dewey Barringer, Benjamin Erese, Larry D. Gaines, Sr., John Kessler and Larry Nixon, all in the United States Navy.

The Quilts of Valor Foundation, as noted on its website, was started in 2003 by Catherine Roberts, whose son was deployed in Iraq. 

Her journey began with a dream, literally, it said, as she saw a young man in the middle of the night sitting on the side of his bed in despair with the ravages of war all around him. The dream continued and she next saw him wrapped in a quilt and his attitude and appearance changed to one of hope.

Therefore, she notes, “the message of my dream was quilts equal healing.”

On the Quilts of Valor Freedom Piecemakers’ website, it said that the group meets on the second Monday of each month at Christiana Lutheran Church, 6190 US-52, Salisbury, to make quilts for veterans of Rowan County, and all levels of sewing are welcome.