10 more quilts created, 10 more veterans honored by Floyd County Quilts of Valor

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

Ten veterans were thanked for their service and had their shoulders draped in the comfort of a handmade Quilt of Valor at a ceremony Tuesday evening at the Charles City VFW.

Mary Williams, group leader of the local Quilts of Valor, said all the quilts were made by members of Floyd County Quilts of Valor and all are given to Floyd County veterans and occasionally vets from others areas who have a family connection to Floyd County.

The veterans honored Tuesday evening and the members of the Floyd County Quilts of Valor who created their quilts and presented them were:

• Ben Chatfield, Charles City, served in the Air Force from 2001 to 2022. His quilt was pieced by Wyona Stewart, quilted by Lisa Gebel and presented and draped around his shoulders by Stewart and Gebel.
• Luke Chatfield, Floyd, served in the Army from 2002 to 2015. His quilt was pieced by Mary Jo Lacour, quilted by Lacour and presented and draped by Jan Tjaden and Mary Augustin.
• Staci Ackerson, Charles City, served in the Navy from 1988 to 1992. Her quilt was pieced by Miriam Leaman, quilted by Joyce Laffe and presented and draped by Leaman and Jan Tjaden.
• John Loomer, Charles City, served in the Army from 1986 to 2015. His quilt was pieced by Jane Grober, quilted by Teresa Landt and presented and draped by Jen Burton and Becky Lindaman.
• Ricky Burton, Charles City, served in the Navy from 1965 to 1969. His quilt was pieced by Jen Burton, quilted by Burton and presented and draped by Burton and Mary Augustin.
• David Hill, Rockford, served in the Air Force from 1966 to 1970. His quilt was pieced by Wyona Stewart, quilted by Teresa Landt and presented and draped by Stewart and Miriam Leaman.
• Dennis Vance, Charles City, served in the Air Force from 1966 to 1970. His quilt was pieced by Wyona Stewart, quilted by Teresa Landt and presented and draped by Stewart and Lisa Gebel.
• Calvin Shultz, Charles City, served in the Army from 1969 to 1975. His quilt was pieced by Lisa Gebel, quilted by Gebel and presented and draped by Gebel and Miriam Leaman.
• Dennis Leitch, Urbandale, Iowa, served in the Army from 1971 to 2010. His quilt was pieced by Bonnie Huber, quilted by Lori Clark and presented and draped by Huber and Becky Lindaman.
• Craig Harrington, Charles City, served in the Army from 1973 to 1976 and 1981 to 1998. His quilt was pieced by Mary Williams, quilted by Teresa Landt and presented and draped by Jen Burton and Mary Augustin.

The Floyd County Quilts of Valor group, part of the national Quilts of Valor organization, will provide a handmade quilt free of charge to any honorably discharged Floyd County veteran or current service member, Williams said.

She noted the Quilts of Valor Foundation was started in 2003 and has about 11,000 members nationally. Since its inception, members have made and presented more than 43,000 Quilts of Valor in the United States and overseas.

The Floyd County Quilts of Valor has about 30 members, and since being started in 2019 has awarded 191 quilts to Floyd County veterans, she said.

The quilts, she said, represent a heartfelt thank-you to the veterans and their families, and are meant as a healing and comforting gesture, “a tangible thing that a veteran can wrap around themselves and know that someone thought about them with love and caring.”

Six of the veterans at the ceremony were also presented with Vietnam Veteran Lapel Pins.

Al Williams presented the pins to Burton, Hill, Vance, Schultz, Leitch and Harrington.

“You maybe remember when you came home, you maybe weren’t welcomed. Big time. And now, we want to tell you, thank you. It’s late coming, but it’s coming. We thank you much,” he said.

The pins are available to any veteran who served during the time period of the Vietnam War, regardless of location, Al Williams said.

If any veteran from Floyd County or a family member or friend would like to have a veteran honored, contact Al Williams at 641-330-9709. Any community member in Floyd County who would like to be part of the county Quilt of Valor group and sew quilts for veteran presentations should call Mary Williams at 641-330-1709.