QUILTS OF VALOR SEWS COMFORT ON BEHALF OF A GRATEFUL NATION
STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 33
Sarah Wheatley, Dwayne Foster, Barbara Foster
An award, not a gift
QUILTS OF VALOR SEWS COMFORT ON BEHALF OF A GRATEFUL NATION
AQuilt of Valor is a quality, handmade quilt that is machine or hand quilted. It is awarded to a service member or veteran who has been affected by war. To use the term " Quilt of Valor," the quilt must be a specific size, have a label with required information, must be awarded( it is not a gift) and it must be recorded. The objective is to bring healing to service members and living veterans through gratitude and a belief that QOV quilts bring a tangible comfort to those they award.
QOV was founded in 2003 by Catherine Roberts whose son was active duty in Iraq at the time. The first Quilt of Valor was awarded in November that same year to a young soldier from Minnesota at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. As of August 2025, more than 400,000 service members and veterans have been comforted by these beautiful quilts. My grandfather received a Quilt of Valor quilt several years ago and it is a gift we will always cherish.
Over the past 20 years, this nonprofit organization has grown to over 10,000 volunteer members across 600 groups in all 50 States. The Quilts of Valor Foundation has published multiple books, established and participated in various fundraising marathons, and partnered with national nonprofits including American Gold Star Mothers and Wreaths Across America.
Oklahoma has several QOV groups, including Cimarron Valley Quilt Guild right here in Stillwater. Their main goal is to reach service members throughout the Payne County area and make themselves available to other QOV groups in
STILLWATER OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE / 33