Perry Piecemakers to award nine quilts to veterans Friday

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Nu Alpha Gamma member Pat Mundy, left, and Nu Alpha Gamma Vice President Marlene Johnson show one of the quilts to be presented on Veterans Day. Photo courtesy Nu Alpha Gamma

With Veterans Day on Friday, Pat Mundy’s presentation on Quilts of Valor at a recent Nu Alpha Gamma meeting was truly timely.

The Perry Piecemakers will be awarding two quilts at the Veterans Day assembly at the Perry Performing Arts Center Friday at 11 a.m. The quilting guild will also award seven quilts at a special ceremony at the Hotel Pattee at 2 p.m.

Mundy’s presentation began with a short history of quilting in general and then progressed to 2003, when Carolyn Roberts, whose son was deployed in Iraq, had a dream that inspired her to create quilts to spread a message of hope to vets everywhere. The first Quilt of Valor was awarded in 2003, and 325,000 quilts have been awarded to date.

Mundy discussed the requirements for a quilt to be a true Quilt of Valor. It must be made of 100% cotton material and measure at least 60 inches by 80 inches. It does not have to be red, white and blue, although most contain those colors.

Full flag designs are not allowed, and it must have a label on the back that tells the name and service information of the recipient and who constructed it, Mundy said. The quilt is also registered with the national organization and cannot be sold. If it is no longer wanted or needed, it must be passed down to a family member or returned to the quilting group.

Certain standards for the awarding of the quilt must also be followed, Mundy said. After the person to be honored is introduced and information about his or her background is given, the quilt is shown to the audience. At that point it is wrapped around the recipient, sometimes by a family member, sometimes by a quilter, while the presenter says, “ A grateful nation welcomes you home.”

Mundy is a member of the Quilts of Valor group in Winterset because Perry does not yet have a registered group. The Perry Piecemakers group is in the process of becoming registered and then will be able to do fundraising for Quilts of Valor. In the meantime, donations to help purchase materials for the quilts may be placed in jars at Ben’s Five and Dime or the Hotel Pattee.

If you know of a veteran who should be honored with a Quilt of Valor or a Perry Piecemakes quilt, contact Barb Hansen at 515-290-2140. Nu Alpha Gamma is a chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, a society of women educators. Nu Alpha Gamma members are teachers who teach or live in Dallas County.

Sue Leslie is the secretary of the Nu Alpha Gamma Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International.

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