The Farmersville Quilt Guild will host a special post-Veterans Day presentation by honoring local veterans at its annual Quilts of Valor ceremony.

This year, they will award quilts to seven veterans at the Veterans Day presentation at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 14, at the Collin College Farmersville Campus Library.

A Quilt of Valor (QOV) is a quality, handmade quilt that is awarded to a service member or veteran who has been touched by war.

Veterans being highlighted for their service are Alan B.- Navy, Robert S.- Navy, Kyle B. – Air Force, Jonathan A. – Army, Danny S.- Air Force, Kenneth M. – Air Force, Isias M.- Army.

“This year is exciting for our guild as we can bring back our Veteran’s Day presentation to the Farmersville area,” said quilt guild president Kathy Wingo. “Collin College Farmersville Campus has graciously agreed to partner with us to celebrate our wonderful veterans. The public is invited and encouraged to attend our event.”

Aside from awarding service members during Veterans Day, the guild also awards three veterans on Audie Murphy Day every year.

Most recently, Wingo said the Farmersville guild sent 10 quilts to the San Antonio area to alleviate some of “backlog” in the region. According to Wingo, there are around 200 veterans that are waiting for to be awarded a quilt in the Texas region. She added that the guild does “whatever it takes” to give a veteran his or her quilt.

“When we have a veteran, we go through what we have,” said Wingo. “Depending on his or her branch of service, we will choose something that is appropriate for them.”

Since joining the QOV initiative in 2016, the Farmersville Quilt Guild has given over 100 quilts to service members. Each quilt is made from all cotton fabric and thread, said Wingo, so they “last a long time.”

As for the pattern, each one is unique, so no two quilts are the same. Additionally, each quilt costs $300 to make and donations are accepted by the guild.

“Nobody in the guild takes compensation for making the quilt,” Wingo said. “Sometimes the person quilting provides the fabric, so any donations are gladly accepted.”

The Farmersville Quilt Guild currently has 34 members, 18 who participate in the Quilts of Valor program. As of Sunday, Sept. 30, 359,727 quilts have been awarded since the foundation began in 2003. 

To nominate a veteran or learn more, visit qovf.org.

By Norishka Pachot

For more stories about the Farmersville community see the next print or digital edition of The Farmersville Times. Subscribe today and support local journalism.