By Mike Finney

DOVER — The Helping Hands of Delaware Quilts of Valor group recently partnered with team members from Mission BBQ for a Sew Day.

It was the perfect pairing between the restaurant renowned for its patriotism and the compassionate sewing group that meets at the Wyoming United Methodist Church once a month.

During the event, Mission BBQ team members took turns learning how to sew a Floating Star.

“Events such as this are held for ‘team building’ and allow employees to spend time with one another as they learn about nonprofit organizations in their area,” said Nancy Thomson, group leader for the Helping Hands of Delaware Quilts of Valor.

“The stars that were sewn will go into making Quilts of Valor lap-sized handmade quilts to bring comfort to military veterans.”

Quilts of Valor was started by Seaford resident Catherine Roberts in 2003, while her son was serving in Iraq. It has since grown to more than 10,000 quilting and supporting members across the United States.

As of May 31, the group has presented a lifetime total of 393,702 quilts to distinguished veterans and service members who have been touched by war.

The first blankets were awarded at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, but now, they are distributed to individuals in their hometowns, usually at a formal ceremony.

“Our members value and cherish the service and sacrifices our veterans and service members give,” Ms. Thomson said. “As we work on our Quilts of Valor, we talk of family and friends who have served and are currently serving.

“We are often thinking of the next quilt we will make or the next veteran we will nominate. To make a Quilt of Valor and then actually see and speak to its recipient brings out a lot of emotion.”

The Helping Hands Quilt Guild of Delaware will hold its next semi-annual Award Ceremonies on Aug. 27 at Wyoming United Methodist Church.

Ms. Thomson said the Helping Hands Quilt Guild is “a place for all quilters and crafters to gather in the same place in the hopes of promoting goodwill towards each other.

“All types of quilts, crafts, and ideas are welcomed in meetings. The group is based in Dover, Delaware, and serves Kent County and surrounding areas. We are an open group for all to visit and enjoy.”

The group, which is always looking for volunteers, meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month — except in December — at Wyoming United Methodist Church at 216 Wyoming Mill Road in Dover.
Doors open at 6 p.m. and the meeting starts at 6:30.

Ms. Thomson said the crafters think of the quilts this way: “The top, with its many colors, shapes and fabrics, represents the community and the many individuals we are. The batting, or the filler, is the center of the quilt, the warmth. It represents our hope that this quilt will bring warmth, comfort, peace and healing to its recipient. The backing is the strength that supports the other layers. It represents the strength of the recipient, the support of his or her family, our communities and our nation.”

To learn more about Quilts of Valor Foundation visit their website www.qovf.org or by contacting Ms. Thomson at 609-827-1218.

Staff writer Mike Finney can be reached at 302-741-8230 or mfinney@iniusa.org.
Follow @MikeFinneyDSN on X.