Kay Dejno and Susie Kurelic, members of the Quilts of Valor Committee for South Central Georgia and Lake Oconee Quilt Guild, awarded Army Reserve veteran Lisa Stojanowski, Army Reserve veteran Sherri Kent, and former Major Michael Satterwhite of the United States Army with Quilts of Valor, May 18.
The Quilts of Valor Foundation began in 2003 when founder Catherine Roberts’ son Nat was deployed in Iraq. Fearing for the war her son was to face, Roberts wanted to spread a dream and message. According to the foundation website, that message was that quilts equal healing.
According to Dejno, Roberts got together with a small group of sewers to award the first quilt at the Walter Reed Hospital as a way to show someone cared. By May of 2014, over 100,000 quilts had been awarded at the hospital. Today over 250,000 quilts have been awarded to veterans across the country.
“We are privileged to award quilts to many service members from wartime veterans to people that support our servicemen,” said Dejno.
During the short ceremony, Stojanowski, Kent and Satterwhite were each awarded their very own quilt.
Stojanowski served on active duty for over 25 years in support of the Army Reserve until retiring in April of 2011 at the rank of sergeant first class. She continued her service, after retirement, through her involvement with the American Legion and the Civic Woman’s Club of Milledgeville.
Kent served from 1998-2008 in different conflicts and positions. She was mobilized directly after 9/11 with the Army 3D Medical Command and was a part of a team who trained and processed medical personnel before each was deployed to Kuwait, Iraq or Afghanistan. After her mobilization ended, Kent became an instructor for the subject of Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical warfare and taught classes in Missouri, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.
Satterwhite is a graduate of Georgia Military College and Georgia College. He was commissioned as 2LT in the Medical Service Corporation in 1972, when he worked at an Army medical facility twice and commanded a field medical unit. Satterwhite retired at the rank of major in 1992.
“These quilts that we present to each of these veterans have a three-part message; honor, thank you and comfort,” said Dejno before the quilts were presented.
Honor for service and willingness to stand in harm’s way for freedom. A thank you on behalf of all Americans for the freedoms that others are able to enjoy from those sacrifices. Comfort for memory of home and to battle the dark memories when in need of a hug. These are the reasons that Dejno explained to the audience that these quilts are made.
“A Quilt of Valor is not a charity quilt or a blanket. If you are a quilter, you know a quilt consists of three layers held together by its quilting stitches and each layer is meaningful,” said Kurelic.
For Quilts of Valor, the top of the quilt represents community and the many individuals living there, the batting represents hope, comfort, warmth, and peace to the individual who receives it and the backing represents the receiver and the support of their family, community, and nation.
“Quilts still have the ability to offer comfort and we hope that when you experience these dark memories and need a hug, you will let these quilts wrap around you and provide you that comfort,” said Kurelic.