Canton man part of quilting effort to boost veterans

A Canton man was part of an effort to this week to educate and compile pieces for quilts that will go to veterans.

Carl Courtney of Canton is a coordinator in Quilts of Honor, a California-based charitable group that delivers quilts to American service veterans.

The group held an event this week at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., during which they helped members of the public sign quilt blocks that will go into completed quilts.

Thirty-five “demonstrating artists” and six “performing artists” took part in the From Conflict to Creativity exhibit featuring works by veterans, their families and caretakers. Participants demonstrated quilting as part of the event, too.

Quilts of Honor has chapters in 13 states – Ohio, Arizona, California, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. Ohio’s chapter, called Canton QOH, is based in Canton.  

Quilts of Honor is  a non-profit organization “dedicating to providing healing, loving quilts to those who have served in harm’s way protecting our freedoms.”

“We hope you will join us in honoring members of our active military and veterans by showing them how much we appreciate their sacrifice and service with our ‘quilted hugs of gratitude,’” Quilts of Honor says on its website, quiltsofhonor.org. “Our hope is that these quilts will provide comfort, love and healing to those who have given so much.”

Quilts can be requested on the group’s website. Those nominating a recipient will specify the reason the person qualifies for a quilt – Purple Heart recipient; those suffering from post-traumatic stress; those who suffered a traumatic brain injury; those dealing with effects of Agent Orange; or those who have served multiple tours of active duty.