Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association's Third Annual Poker Run

 

It was another great day...they just keep coming. Elaine and I set up a QOV display with a couple of machines and had attendees stop and sew some blocks. Yes even I sewed a few...I'll stick with my 'power tool' thank you very much.

This was all part of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association's Third Annual Poker Run. The recipient of this year’s fundraising was Cedar Grove...the apartment complex for disabled veterans.

We had some experienced sewers stop by and one brand new convert. This young lady just made Elaine's day. As Elaine was packing up to leave the little girl came running over to give her a hug and thank her for helping her sew...she had never sewn before. Next generation of QOVF is going to be in good hands.

We were quite busy, explaining the Request Process, the QOVF Story, what goes into a QOV and turning down numerous requests to buy a quilt. We had one woman from Germany that almost broke into tears because she couldn't buy one to take home for her military son in Germany. Yes I was the luckiest of all.

This year’s event was in remembrance of the Bombing of Beirut in 1983 that killed 241 Americans and over 200 United States Marines. In attendance were four Marine survivors of that bombing, Marines that survived the attack and were left with the task of gathering, identifying and putting their friends and comrades remains in body bags. One, a Vietnam Combat Veteran already, was only thirty minutes from a total different circumstance. He grudgingly got up; quickly showered and headed off to the building next door...he had the Sunday Command Duty. His bunk was impaled with metal and building debris...he would have surely been killed...where he had been asleep 35 minutes before the bomb was detonated. Three of the four would go on to see other combat duties in places like Kuwait and Iraq. The fourth...a very lucky Major would retire several years later...He has told me several times he never begrudged any duty again.

Because of time constraints at the event, everything was behind schedule, like who knew nearly four hundred riders would show up, we didn't have the opportunity to unfold the quilts for review...but I know four more very happy veterans who were still thanking me as we were leaving. Did I have a good day or what???

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