messages from Afghanistan

We have been really busy this summer which is always interesting. People wanting to garden and vacation usually put quilting on the back burner. This year it seems more people are realizing that the need for quilts doesn’t diminish at any time of year. We are thrilled to be keeping up with demand, with help from all of you.

Our wonderful volunteers keep AHQ’s going, we are so grateful. We know that you do it on faith. Faith that the quilt will get to the person that needs the quilt, faith that it will get there at all and faith that the recipients will understand the love and gratitude you put into every quilt. Recently we have gotten messages from two members of the expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. We posted the letter from the Lt. Colonel on our letters section of the website. Her beautifully written message is so nice to have and lets us know that all of you whether you are donors, piecers, quilters or hand sewers that what you are doing is  appreciated. Her closing line is “you bless us and you bless all our patients.” This tells us we are doing what we set out to do. You are all rock stars.

We also heard from a Capt. of the same unit indicating that they had put two quilt on warriors who were making their last journey home. She said that they wanted the families to know that folks at home appreciate what their family member had sacrificed. While it hurts to hear we have lost two service members I am glad they made the decision to do that.  It  is a small way of letting the families know how grateful we are for their warrior.

Last Friday and Saturday five quilt guild members from Forsythe Montana came to help in any way they could to help get the quilts done. The weather here has been very warm but they just worked so hard. I do know they liked doing the hand work outside, I admit our gardens are pretty peaceful areas. They cut what looked like hundreds of yards of fabric and put kits together to go to machine quilters. Now all we need is more machine quilters!

If you haven’t heard yet about the book called Flags Across America by Dale Baskin and Karen Robins, please look it up. It has been number one for a while on Amazon. It is truly a beautiful book with pictures of flags and groups all over America. I am excited to report that there is a chapter about American Hero Quilts in there. In that chapter is the most wonderful picture of Adele Ewert’s hands sewing on a label. It is one of those pictures you never forget, there is so much emotion in it.

Thank you all for all your hard work. Whether you are working alone, in a group or guild what beautiful quilts you made to honor our heroes.. We have been doing this since 2004. Many of you have stuck with us for all this time. Thanks for those who just keep helping. We couldn’t do it without you and you are all wonderful.