Freedom QOV quilters 'cover' military veterans in gratitude
For those touched by war, each stitch is a reminder "that someone cares."
BY TAMMARA GREEN
Contributing writer
Jennifer Tincher is certain of one thing: military veterans are deserving of love and comfort when they return home from their service.
That is the premise of Quilts of Valor Foundation, which started with one small group on the East Coast that decided to make quilts for veterans — to give them both a figurative and literal hug.
The foundation began in 2003 with a dream by Catherine Roberts, a Delaware resident whose son Nat was deployed with U.S. military forces in Iraq. In her dream, Roberts saw a young man sitting on the side of bed in the night, haunted by the demons of war. Roberts then envisioned the man, wrapped in a quilt, transition from despair to hope.
“The message of my dream was, ‘Quilts equal Healing,’” Roberts later recounted. That spurred her to organize volunteers who would donate their time and materials to create special “quilts of valor.”
“Catherine Roberts was a Blue Star Mother,” said Tincher. “She wanted to tell other service members that she cared about them. Quilts of Valor began as a way to express gratitude for today’s modern, all-volunteer military.”
“Today, we have over 12,000 groups in the United States that volunteer their time to supporting our heroes with handmade quilts,” she said.
As of July 31, a total of 450,000 quilts have been awarded since the program’s inception.
Tincher and other local volunteers have contributed to that number. In 2024, she organized a local Freedom QOV chapter largely dedicated to Grant County and the central Columbia Basin. Tincher has since moved to Oregon, but returns for monthly meetings held at the Soap Lake Senior/Community Center with eight to 12 other volunteers, plus other related activities.
She calls her continued involvement “a labor of love.” The group has awarded quilts to a number of area veterans, most recently during a “cover” ceremony conducted last month at Grace Harvest Church in Moses Lake.
The Quilts of Valor mission is to “cover” military service members and living veterans of U.S. Armed Forces who have been “touched by war.” That may include those directly engaged in combat, serving in harm’s way in support roles during conflicts, caring for casualties, providing assistance to families of the fallen, or providing support to those struggling with the memories of war.
Quilts are not awarded posthumously, or to families of service members.
The local group makes quilts “from start to finish” by choosing fabrics and patriotic-themed patterns in red, white, and blue — some from the Quilts of Valor Foundation’s own pattern library, some from other designers, said Tincher. She is a long-arm quilter by trade, using a specialized sewing machine mounted on a large frame used to stitch together a quilt top, batting, and backing.
On Sunday, members gathered to finalize their plans for a booth at the Grant County Fair, which opened Tuesday and continues through Saturday, Aug. 22. Located in the fairgrounds’ Home Economics Building, the booth has quilt displays, information about the program, and will accept donations for their continued support.
Monetary contributions can be made through the Quilts of Valor website and the local group’s designated ID number - 104520. Nominations of qualifying service members are also made online under the menu heading “Nominations and Awards.”
Once nominated, a form is sent to the Washington state coordinator, who forwards it to the appropriate local chapter.
“My group contacts the nominee and we proceed to set a date with the veteran for an award time,” said Tincher. The award ceremonies can be “very emotional” for the recipients, their families, and the quilters themselves, she said. “A quilt can feel like a hug, and make them feel a bit more at peace.”
Fellow member Kathy Lemargie of Soap Lake agreed, saying she keeps a tissue handy in case she tears up. Lemargie said the group is continuing to add to a current stockpile of 28 quilts. Another ceremony is planned this fall and nominations "are beginning to pour in,” she said.
During the July 20 presentations in Moses Lake, Tincher told the assembled veterans and their families that it was “a privilege to gather together to recognize the courage, sacrifice, and service of the men and women who have worn our nation’s uniform.”
Many will admire the colors, patterns, and stitching of each quilt, which represent “countless hours” of planning, cutting, piecing, binding, and “praying” by the volunteers. Each stitch, said Tincher, is a reminder “that someone cares.”
She said the families of veterans also deserve recognition — by waiting through deployments, enduring uncertainty, and providing strength to their loved ones.
“Today is about more than quilts,” she continued. “It is about gratitude. It is about remembrance … As we place these quilts around your shoulders today … we are wrapping you in the appreciation of an entire community. Thank you for your service.”
Note: GCJ.news editor Randy Bracht contributed to this article.
