Quilts for Veterans

•  We didn't rest for very long!  January found us happily working with a local elementary school to decorate quilt blocks for the National Guard homecomings.  It  was extra special for these wonderful children as some of them had been writing to these soldiers.  We were able to decorate over 900 squares, enough to make more than half of the number we were asked to provide for the 1-221-Cav unit alone!
• February 12th, we were graciously hosted by the Green Valley Library for the "I Love Veterans" quilt square decorating event.  Patrons, many home-schooled children, and 5 willing volunteers from B Co 422nd ESB (National Guard) all had fun.  These brave volunteers answered the plea from another unit to please come.  One of them came even though it was his birthday!  They helped decorate a few squares with the children before being presented with their own quilts.  They were indeed suprised and glad they came.  We decorated enough quilt blocks for another 87 quilts.  Thank you everyone !
• February 13th, we were pleased to honor a few of our Vietnam Veterans at theVietnam Veterans of America, Ch 17 hall.  Abigail & Mikel were happy to receive all those bear hugs and handshakes as they gave a long overdue thank you to these great veterans.  Chapter 17 had some fun too as they made Irena & Tami cry with a donation check and a beautiful plaque.  Thank you for believing in us and for all of your support and friendship.
• The 20th, we had a small "paint party" with a cute little group from a church group.  With the moms and children, we had enough quilt blocks to make an additional 23 quilts.  We had a lot of fun and hope you did too.  Thank you also for the donations of fabric and funds that day ladies!
• February 27th found Abigail, Sarah, & Tami in the snow , in Tonopah as invited guests to speak and present quilts at the Nevada State Vietnam Veterans of America Meeting.  Wall hangings and "vet quilts" were presented and yet again, the VVA got Tami emotional as a check was once again presented to help us fulfill our obligations for the National Guard homecomings.  Thanks you guys!  Your support and faith in us is truly appreciated.
• March found us working with 3 additional elementary schools, through the art teachers.  Enough artwork was acculmulated that we had enough for the next  few events.  Some of these students actually had moms and dads coming home in these units this Spring. 
• March 13th we decorated quilt blocks with a church group of teenagers.  They provided some beautiful pieces that went immediately into quilt tops with some of the younger children's art.  ( We are trying to keep up with an eighty-year-old seamstress that calls every few days when she's out of squares to sew!) 
• A small, but fun group invited us to Sandy Valley for their "Young Women's" activity for the 16th.  Much to my suprise, these few in number made as many quilt squares as the previous group.  Brad even came with us and drew a few.  Thank you for the fabric and for inviting us to join you for a fun evening.
• Set back in August, a special day at the Green Valley Library was finally here.  March is National Quilt month.  We were invited to be the activity on March 20th to decorate  (Yep!) quilt squares and demonstrate how to sew them together.  A wall hanging was presented to the children's department.  Several families came and had a great time.  Foothill High School's National Honor Society even had a few volunteers on hand to help. (These students have been rounding up battings and fabrics to help us throughout Spring.  We were glad they got to see what they had been supporting, in action)  One of the library's volunteers is a WWII veteran.  He was very touched when he was presented his own "vet quilt". 
• April 1st was no joke for us or several families filled with anticipation!  We were so grateful to help welcome home members of the National Guard's 1864th.  Seamstresses, child artists and letter writers, grown up artists & letter writers, donors, and all other volunteers made it possible to have 6 adults backing up the 8 children that presented 177 "vet quilts" to our returning  protectors.  One returning soldier even found two of his boys and a nephew helping to hand out the quilts and letters.  The photographs we took will be posted, just please be patient with us.  A special thank you to the members of the National Guard for not only serving our country, but for supporting our community's efforts to thank them for their services and sacrifices.  Thank you General,  for your gift of a challenge coin to our main child presentor, Abigail when you accepted your quilt from her. 

        As we don't have an office yet,we would love to hear from you whether by e-mail or regular mail.  We need the community to be involved on so many levels.  We need your cotton quilting fabrics.  We need your groups and events.  We are a non-profit organization that is relatively young.  We would appreciate your donations to help us express thanks and gratitude to our veterans.  We may run out of fabrics or able volunteers, but we will never run out of veterans and heroes.

Moms Love Quilts

P.O. Box 91883

Henderson NV 89009-1883

Gift cards, checks and money orders should be made to:

Moms Love Quilts

We will issue receipts for all donations for your records.

PLEASE, WE NEED YOU TO JOIN US AND CONTINUE THIS EFFORT OF LOVE AND APPRECIATION. WE CANNOT DO IT ALONE!!!

To honor our first recipients and mark our first anniversary, we will be sending another 15 vet quilts to the veterans'  home in Batavia, New York. 

We will be at our favorite Henderson library for a paint party  Friday, April 30,  from 3-4:30pm.  This is open to the public and requires no registration through the library.  Children and adults of all ages may participate.  Don't worry about the name of "paint party",  at this event, there will only be fabric markers and muslin squares for canvas.  We have vet quilts to distribute throughout the rest of the year so help us get ready.  Feel free to bring any quilting appropriate cotton fabrics, gift cards to Hancock's or JoAnn's, etc. Who knows? There might even be a few members of the Wounded Warriors on hand for you to help thank for their sacrifices on your behalf. (At least that's the plan!)

This beautiful piece was painted by a local young artist for the Buffalo Soldiers.  We will be presenting this, along with vet quilts to their members that have served in the military on May 1st.  You might want to check their website for a history lesson and learn something new.                                                                                                

In May we will be presenting a wall hanging to the WOMACK Hospital in Ft. Bragg, N.C.  50 to 75 or so vet quilts will also be going to the men and women of the Green Beret at the Hospital.  This will be done with the invaluable help of Judy Hendley and the Ladies of Chapter 51 Ladies Auxiliary of the Special Forces Association, who will be transporting and presenting them on our behalf.  Without Judy and these wonderful ladies this would not have been possible.  These ladies have even donated fabric to facilitate our filling of their request.  This is our first "joint venture".

 
 This wall hanging is waiting for the 1-221-Cav  presentation.  We were asked to wait until June to give these heroes their vet quilts.  We're so excited  and can't wait!

We would be thrilled to add your school, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, church group or organization to our calendar.  This is a project worthy of your time and participation.  It is a wonderful and simple way to educate your children and families on the importance of thanking those who have protected them, and have insured their freedoms.  Nobody said community or humanitarian service couldn't be fun.