Shown from left to right, front row, Mark Bollinger, Lee Lawson, Wade Cowart, Dr. Dennis Newman, Irving Smith; back row, Dennis Smith, commander of The American Legion Post 257, Collegedale; Fran Randolph ("QOV Belles" leader out of Trenton ), Karen Downer (volunteer - daughter of Lantern resident Maxine McDowell).
photo by Amy Clarke
Certificates, thank you cards and "Quilts of Valor" created not-a-dry-eye reaction from veterans and residents alike at The Lantern at Morning Pointe Alzheimer's Center of Excellence, Collegedale during the moving labor of love gifts presentation by Fran Randolph and Karen Downer to each veteran present, including Dennis Smith, American Legion commander, who presented the certificates.
These quilts are to cover any military active duty or veteran affected by war. Though the services performed occurred many years ago, the appreciation of what these men did for all of us never expires.
For these quilts, no less than three people worked on each one and in some cases as many as 12 (counting The Lantern ladies and the piecing and quilting and binding).
Between cutting fabric, piecing the top, quilting and binding each quilt has between 15 and 20 hours minimum. One most interesting fact is that people from all over the country contributed the fabric and created their squares (complete with signature and location) on one of the quilts.