Hugs for Our Heroes

“Like a mother's loving arms, this quilt is our hug for our hero—a gift of thanks for protecting America. It expresses our gratitude, love, respect, and honor to forever hold and comfort you."

This is the greeting sewn on the back of the quilt that Staff Sergeant Logan Ballew received upon arriving at the Bethesda Military Hospital in August of 2006.

Disarming a roadside bomb in Iraq, Logan received the impact of the bomb when it exploded. The local military hospital personnel feared Logan might die. They waited three days to notify Logan’s parents, not knowing whether they would be sending him back home in a body bag or to a hospital.

Logan arrived two days later in Bethesda where a quilt made by a Quilts of Valor volunteer welcomed him. Arnold and Joan Ballew flew from Edmond, Oklahoma to Bethesda to keep bedside vigil.

Marine Mom Joan had made many quilts through Quilts for Injured Soldiers. “We created these quilts as ‘Hugs for Our Heroes’ to give them hope and peace for their road ahead. A little piece of me goes out with each quilt I make,” Joan explained. Joan’s reward for her many hours of volunteer work comes from the Thank Yous received from wounded soldiers like this one: “When I get scared with the memories of war, I curl up in my quilt and the nightmares go away. It makes me proud to be a soldier, knowing Americans really care. There’s so much love and a prayer in every stitch.”

One of the first questions Joan asked Logan was if he had received a quilt. When Joan asked what he thought of the gift, Logan expressed how humbled, honored, and encouraged he felt to receive such a treasure. “ It was a source of strength and comfort that lifted my spirits and warmed my heart. I knew my service was appreciated and not in vain.”

Joan excitedly unfolded Logan’s bright quilt and caressed the stitches of comfort some volunteer quilter had lovingly taken. When Joan emailed the quilt guild to thank them, she instantly bonded with the woman who made Logan’s quilt. “She became my new buddy when I most needed a friend to share my feelings of loneliness and fear while sitting at my son’s bedside.”

After fourteen months of painful physical therapy, progressing from wheel chair to walker to cane, Logan now walks with a slight limp with the help of a concealed leg brace. Permanent nerve damage in his leg shattered Logan’s career dreams of spending his life in the Marines. When he gets discouraged, Logan finds comfort and hope for his future by snuggling up in his quilted hug. Logan is now adjusting well to civilian life with his part-time job in cabinetry in Norman, Oklahoma.

Joan’s 22” portrait quilt of her marine son using the zipper, fabric and buttons from his uniform, won a blue ribbon in Buckboard Quilts' God Bless America Quilt Exhibit which is touring the U.S. for four years with all profits going to provide more of these healing quilts for soldiers. ###

As the nation celebrated Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veteran’s Day with bands and parades, modern day Betsy Rosses were busy creating quilts for wounded troops. Quilts of Valor has awarded over 16,000 quilts stitched with love and gratitude to soldiers at the Walter Reed and seventy other Hospitals. See www.QOVF.org for details and to find a chapter near you.

All profits from the God Bless America Quilt Exhibits and book "Thanking Our Troops—God Bless America Touring Quilts" go to groups like Quilts of Valor, Home of the Brave Quilt Project, Marine Quilts, Operation Kid Comfort, and local guilds and churches that provide quilts for wounded troops and families of the fallen. Judy Howard is challenging children and adults to express their patriotism by creating 22” quilts for the exhibits that are touring the U.S. for four years. “With your help, we can blanket America with love of God and Country to help mend our torn nation and thank our troops,” Judy said.

These 22” quilts honor our American Heroes and Troops, depicting “Liberty and Justice for All” and expressing flag-waving loyalty to our “One Nation Under God.”
It’s not too late to enter. Mail to 12101 N. MacArthur, #137, Oklahoma City, OK 73162. Rent these patriotic quilts for $100/week-end for your next quilt show or patriotic event today by emailing BuckboardQuilts@cox.net. See www.HeavenlyPatchwork.com for quilt photos, entry and rental forms, sample stories and to order books at the publisher's discount of $14.95.