Quilts of Valor presented to Veterans

KATHERINE GROSSMAN PHOTO

Pictured above with Carl and Kathy wrapped in their quilts, are their sons Peter and Doug Johnson, along with Debbie Kemper (middle) who created the quilts. Carl and Kathy will be celebrating their 49th wedding anniversary this year in December.

Bobbin Winders, a quilting group who meet at Beach Country Retreat in Holton, had two special guests on Thursday, January 15. Carl Douglas Johnson Jr., and his wife Kathy Mary Johnson, of Morgantown. Both are retired aircraft crew chiefs of the United States Air Force. Kathy was in the Airforce from 1974 to 1981, and Carl hung up his uniform just a year later in 1982. But… How do they go together?

The Quilts of Valor
Foundation.

A Quilt of Valor is a handmade quilt that is awarded (not gifted!) to a Service Member or Veteran who has been touched by war. Volunteers donate their time and materials to create a quilt, and a Service Member or Veteran gets chosen after being nominated by a friend or family member. This is where Debbie Kemper (Milton, KY) comes in. She has been friends with Carl and Kathy for years, and knew she had to create their quilts. The group Bobbin Winders, which is headed up by Joy Brumback of Versailles, donated resources and money to help Debbie in her endeavors, and it certainly paid off! Debbie created two beautiful quilts for her friends. Brumback said that Kathy had asked about a quilt for her husband, and in return was also gifted with a surprise quilt of her own.

The Quilts of Valor Foundation’s mission is simple: To cover Service Members and Veterans touched by war with comforting Quilts of Valor. Living active Service Member or Veterans with an Honorable or General Discharge status are eligible for a quilt.

If you’d like to nominate a person, or would like to volunteer to create a quilt, see the foundation’s website at https://www.qovf.org for more information.