Quilts of Valour

Showing appreciation does not come as warm as it does from a quilted hug of support.

The ladies of Quilts of Valour Canada come together every month to volunteer their time and give quilts to wounded veterans across the country.

Janet Bergeron is the Regional Representative for QOVC and has made 13 quilts since she began in late May.

“Our goal is to get as many WWII Veterans as we can while they are still with us,” Bergeron said.

“Then we will focus on the Korean War and Afghanistan, active and retired. Our focus is on any Canadian Armed Forces, as they all deserve quilted hugs.”

Lezley Zwaal started the program in 2006 when she made and delivered three quilts to wounded soldiers in an Edmonton Hospital. It made such an impression, the QOVC officially became a registered charity in 2009. Since then, quilters have made and presented 7,500 quilts to veterans across Canada.

Hoping to reach their 10,000 quilt goal by 2018, local military chaplains and military support groups deliver the quilts to soldiers. Many are still recovering from physical and psychological effects from their service overseas.
The last ceremony was presented at the Essex Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion (Branch 201). Three local veterans were recognized and thanked with a quilted hug from the ladies of QOVC.

Quilts were presented to Maidstone’s Joe McLeod, Essex’s Ed Caza and Tecumseh’s Jeffery Artale on September 8.

 

Jeffery Artale has served five tours. One peacekeeping mission in Haiti and four Afghanistan tours. He was injured during service as a Canadian Special Operations Regiment Operator in Afghanistan. He has returned home with five medals including being awarded the Sacrifice Medal of Canada.

“It is really nice to feel appreciated,” said Artale. “I really want to thank the ladies of Quilt of Valour. It really is an honour that they are given out to us wounded vets.”

 

“It is nice to return home and feel the love and support of the people around you,” said Artale. “It reminds me that my sacrifices are not wasted. That they meant something to people at home. That makes all of it worth the pain I endured overseas.”

Pauline Gaudette quilted all three quilts at the last ceremony in Essex. Being a volunteer, she said her father was a WWII veteran who passed away in 2001. She said her father is her inspiration.

“I really love meeting the veterans,” said Gaudette. “They have amazing stories to tell.”

Quilts can be nominated by other CAF service members. Each one is made to show the appreciation for the soldier’s commitment to Canada and the citizens within it. Each quilt is to let Canadian veterans know that their country thanks them for their years being devoted to protecting each citizen at home.

These quilts are not a badge of honour. They are a hug of comfort during their recovery.

 

(Left to Right) Pauline Gaudette stands with retired veteran, Jeffery Artale, in Essex, Ont. at the Royal Canadian Legion (Branch 201) on September 8. They hold the Quilt of Valour that Gaudette gifted to Artale for his service in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Photograph by Kati Panasiuk