Saturday, May 5, 2012

Where Do Quilts From The CT Quilters – QOV Group Go?

The Quilts of Valor Foundation awards quilts at many different levels:  they may go to military hospitals where Chaplains award them to service members; they may be included in a presentation to an entire service unit returning from combat deployment; they may be awarded at VA Centers or they may be presented individually. 

The local group may elect to send its quilts to the National QOV Program for distribution or may award its quilts locally to recipients such as the active-duty military wounded at a local US Dept of Veterans Affairs hospital or to eligible individuals that meet the Foundation’s requirements.

Our group has elected to donate quilts to patients at the Poly-Trauma unit of the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital located in Tampa, FL.  This hospital addresses the medical needs of veterans and wounded service personnel from all around the Tampa Bay area.  It is the busiest of four poly-trauma facilities in the Nation and houses between 20-30 wounded at a time.  Quilts donated to these active-duty military personnel are handled through communications with the Volunteer Services of the Hospital.  As the recipients are on active-duty, they are not identified for national security reasons.
After a quilt has been bound, washed, labeled and wrapped in a presentation case, it is ready to be awarded.  The presentation cases are the “gift wrap” for the quilts.  The QOV website suggests two alternatives that are easily assembled by volunteers.   The first is a pillowcase and the second is a tote-bag.  These are made in patriotic colors, as are the quilts.  The CT Quilters make fabulous pillowcases to accompany their quilts.

A selection of pillowcases ready for finished quilts
If a volunteer, whether a quilter, organizer or benefactor, has a special request to have one of the Quilts of Valor donated to a specific individual, that request is welcomed and will be reviewed as a deserving potential recipient.

The Quilts of Valor Foundation is notified of all awards of quilts for them to maintain an accurate record.  The CT Quilters first notification of awards will be made in May 2012.

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