Sunday, July 28, 2013

Regional Coordinator Profile



I thought you’d like to know a little bit about the people who “grease the wheels” behind the scenes for the Quilts of Valor Foundation.  These volunteers are the lifeblood of the group and provide invaluable assistance to QOV groups in their Regions.  The profile we feature this post is of Betsy Morris, a Region 8 Coordinator.  Region 8 covers AL, FL, GA, NC, SC and TN.


My name is Betsy Morris. I am honored to be the Regional Coordinator for North Florida.  I live in the very center of the state, in a very small, rural community called Clay Sink, which was pioneered and settled by my father’s family in the mid 1800’s.  Our “hometown” was Dade City, about 35 miles north of Tampa, where we shopped and attended school.
 
My paternal grandmother was a quilter and I am blessed to have one of her quilts.  My mother, who is still with us at 97, is a sewer, not so much a quilter, but a wonderful sewer and loves to piece the quilt tops.  She made our clothes when we were small and as she got older began making quilts for all the family I have always had a love for textiles and for quilts.  I do sew and quilt, however, my quilts would probably be judged as folk art rather than fine art.  It is the process that is as comforting as the end product, for me.

I am a realtor by profession, a part owner of our company, and these days are both very exciting and trying at times in this arena.  I came across the Quilts of Valor program when it aired on the local PBS station and it really spoke to me.  Couldn’t get it out of my mind.  I sent an email asking how to get involved, and here I am.  Quilts of Valor program has impressed me in many ways, but, I think most in that there are so many hands, from beginning to end, from so many different parts of the country, who come together, some never having known each other before, to create a beautiful quilt to send to a soldier they never met.  What a generous spirit.  I am preparing to make my first presentation on Veteran’s Day.  I can’t think of anything more appropriate.

In my personal life, I am wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, niece, closely involved with a huge family.  My husband and children are so impressed with the Quilts of Valor Foundation and think it is a wonderful way to show appreciation to our soldiers.  How could I not participate in such an honorable tribute to the men and women who make this life possible for us?  Our families have been touched by wars over the years, as have many.  We have been blessed to have soldiers return home safely from wars, some bearing scars, both visible and unseen, some with medals of valor that we never knew about, and, we’ve lost some in battles, never to return.  Sadly, our family is not unique in that service or sacrifice.  Quilts of Valor gives us the opportunity, in whatever venue, to share our love and support, not only for the soldier but for our country.

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Recap of 07/19/13 Meeting



We had great fun at our most recent Quilts of Valor meeting.  After the 4th of July, there are often sales at fabric shops on red/white/and blue fabrics and the CT Quilters took advantage!  We received lots of excellent fabrics to make lots more quilts and we thank all of you for thinking of us:



These are some of the quilts that came in finished this month:
 
Loretta holding the Bonnie Hunter 4th of July variation quilt

Ginger holding the Bonnie Hunter 4th of July quilt

Debbie holding a quilt she made from a Fons & Porter Magazine pattern

Debbie's Jelly Roll Quilt

And this is the wonderful stack of quilts that are now finished and waiting in their pillowcase presentation packages to go on their trip to the Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii.  More on that trip in a later post:


Our special event this month was to make a Mock Trip Around the World quilt using the free pattern from this site:
 
And this is the sample made by our own CT Quilter, Linda F. - Linda was the leader for this project (she also had a variation to show made from scraps, but the official photographer missed taking that photo - sorry! - it looked great, too):


As mentioned above, our official photographer got caught up in the festivities of making our MTAtW quilt and forgot to take many pictures, but here’s a few of two of the ladies at work and the design wall while the assembly was in process:
 
Fabrics, strips and blocks in process

Cutting Strips

Making Blocks

Many Trips Around the World Variation in Process     

The assembling on the design wall photo was taken early in the meeting - there are now 4 sections done.  We will finish up a few blocks next meeting and finish sewing the rows.  This one will be stunning!

And also we had a few Show and Tell items this month:
 
Debbie's Cats quilt for a friend

Debbie's Baby quilt for Project Linus

And check out this mini!  It’s just darling and the Southwest fabrics are exquisite:



So, join in the fun next month – Friday, August 16th at 
Crafty Threads Quilt Shop...
 Always something interesting happening at our meetings!

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Meeting Reminder – Friday, July 19th


This Friday, we will be taking a Mock Trip Around the World!
 
 
Photo credit:  Bell Creek Quilts

We will be meeting Friday, Jul 19th,
from 10:00 – 2:00
Click on this link to learn more.

Bring your lunch or a snack
(or there are some local restaurants)
_____________________________________________________

See this link to learn more about the
exciting activity we have planned for this meeting.
-- everyone can participate --
We guarantee fun!
 We love to have new members or you can just drop by
to learn more about the Quilts of Valor mission. We'll
be watching for you to join us ...

Friday, July 12, 2013

July Meeting Notice



July Meeting Date - Friday, July 19th

To continue the celebration of our Nation's birthday, this month’s Quilts of Valor meeting will be a twist on the traditional.  We plan to have a special activity that everyone can participate in – and we’ll take a Mock Trip Around the World!

No matter what your favorite task is – sewing, cutting, pressing, assembling – this month’s meeting will have something for you to enjoy.  We will have unique kits prepared in various stages and you can jump in right away at the meeting.

Barb now has those very excellent design walls in the meeting room, so we'll watch our Trip Around the World grow before our very eyes!  Bring your cutting mats and favorite rotary cutting tools or sewing machine to this meeting.  You will have your choice of projects to work on ...

We will be meeting at the Crafty Threads Quilt Shop on Racetrack Rd on Friday, July 19th from 10:00 – 2:00.  Everyone is invited – no sewing skills required, but bring your machine if you like to sew.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Women in Service


Did you know that 15% of those serving in the US Army are women?  And that many of the Quilts of Valor that we make are awarded to women that have been touched by war?
Find out more about the QOVs awarded to these women at:  http://tinyurl.com/mxkmdnc
Let me introduce you to one of those women – a woman who has worked virtually her entire adult life towards integrating women into the military.  She is Evelyn “Pat” Foote, US Army  Brigadier General, Retired.


Yes, you read that right – Brigadier General !!  There had never been a woman to reach the rank of general when Foote first served in Vietnam in 1967/8 and President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a law that made it theoretically possible.


Foote was born in 1930, during an era when girls were automatically funneled into Home Economics classes and discouraged (and often prevented from) taking math and science classes.  But Foote was rebellious and ended up with a BA from Wake Forest in NC, an ES degree from Shippensburg State in PA and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Wake Forest.

Foote’s US Army career spanned 1959-1989.  When she first served in Vietnam in 1967, she was shocked to discover that women serving there had received no special training for the location and were not armed.  Since that time, she has worked tirelessly fighting to have women properly equipped and trained.


Subsequently, Foote became the first woman to command a brigade in Europe.  She was awarded the rank of general in 1986.  And, she has received the Distinguished Service Medal, a Legion of Merit and a Bronze Star.


Was that career enough for Foote?  Not nearly enough, she now serves on the Advisory Council of the Business and Professional Women’s Foundation.  She continues to champion for women’s advancement in the armed forces and transforming all workplaces for women to those where they can find diversity, equity and work-life balance.

The US Army has since had 55 women generals.  Learn more about Pat Foote and her accomplishments, plus other groundbreaking women’s stories, at this PBS site:

Thursday, July 4, 2013

Happy Independence Day!




As we celebrate, let us remember the men and women
who serve in our Armed Forces and give thanks
that we still live in the Land of the Free …
 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA!