At the General Federation of Women’s Clubs/Nebraska Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC/NFWC) State Convention held in Seward Saturday, April 20, George and Elizabeth Ketner of Stella were both awarded a Quilt of Valor honoring their service in the Armed Forces.
The Nebraska branch of the Quilts of Valor Foundation contacted the Nebraska Federated Woman’s Club state office, inquiring if any members were past military members. An inquiry was sent to the clubs of Nebraska and the Stella Research Club nominated their club member Elizabeth Ketner. Both Elizabeth and her husband, George, were each awarded a beautiful patriotic themed quilt at a special ceremony during the convention. George and Elizabeth served in the Army for years and both worked in a unit trying to find ways to quickly detect if a soldier had been exposed to a chemical warfare agent. Who is eligible to be awarded a Quilt of Valor? Active duty service members and living veterans of Armed Forces who served in the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard during declared war, conflicts, police actions, peacekeeping missions, counter terrorism operations and/or times of peace. Only veterans with an Honorable or General Discharge status are eligible .
The Quilts of Valor Foundation began in 2003 with a dream, literally a dream. Founder Catherine Roberts’ son Nat was deployed in Iraq. According to Catherine: The dream was as vivid as real life. I saw a young man sitting on the side of his bed in the middle of the night, hunched over. The permeating feeling was one of utter despair. I could see his war demons clustered around, dragging him down into an emotional gutter. Then, as if viewing a movie, I saw him in the next scene wrapped in a quilt. His whole demeanor changed from one of despair to one of hope and well-being. The quilt had made this dramatic change. Since the foundation was started, there have been 375,337 Quilts of Valor awarded nationwide, according to the official website. The recommended size of a Quilt of Valor is 60” x 80”; it must be a minimum of 55” x 65” and maximum of 72” x 90”. The Quilt consists of a top, batting, and backing. It must be machine or hand quilted. A tied quilt is not acceptable for a Quilt of Valor.
