Grants Program

The Quilts of Valor Program is an ongoing, community outreach that is a national initiative. The Gold Coast Quilters Guild of Boca Raton, Florida chose to take on this project in 2008. The purpose of the program is to encourage guild members to make quilts to be given to veterans who have been touched by war. Each quilt is considered a tribute to the veteran, to recognize his or her service, dedication, and sacrifice made on behalf of our country. In the two and a half years since the guild initiated the project, nearly 400 quilts have been made and donated by guild members.

In 2010, the Gold Coast Quilters Guild was awarded a grant by the NQA to help defray the costs of materials for the Quilts of Valor. This financial support has been vital in the guild's efforts at making Quilts of Valor this year.

Workshops are held several times a year to encourage members to piece a Quilt of Valor (QOV) quilt top. The QOV committee assigns a volunteer long arm quilter to quilt the top. After the top is quilted, it is returned to the person who made the top so that binding and a label can be attached. Matching pillow cases are made to be used as presentation covers for the QOVs. The QOV committee encourages the quilter to include a personal note of appreciation to the veteran. The committee also includes an individual or group photo with the note in a detachable pocket. When all parts of this process are completed, the QOV committee members deliver the quilts to the three South Florida Veterans Administration medical centers for distribution to the veterans.

The video depicts highlights of a special ceremony in which members of the Gold Coast Quilters Guild personally presented Quilts of Valor to veterans. On January 14, 2010 a ceremony was held at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Miami, Florida. Sponsored by the Wounded Warriors Project, veterans fitted with special bicycles according to their need began a bicycle ride from Miami to Key West to promote awareness of our veterans. Prior to the ride, a ceremony was held to thank the vets for their service and sacrifice. A highlight of the ceremony was the presentation of the Quilts of Valor to each of the participants. The video was compiled by guild member Carol Stoltenberg from photos taken by Kathy Cochrane, Jane Gavlick, Sue Glasnapp, Ellen Rosenberg, Stormy Schevis, Cat Thompson, and Joanne Thomson Locke.