Gwinnett QOVF Quilters

Over the past 6 months our Gwinnett Quilts of Valor Quilters group has been blessed with financial support from the Georgia Sons of the American Revolution. We've used their donations to purchase backing, batting, and pay shipping for our QOV's. To thank them for their support (and to encourage a continued partnership) we made them a special quilt called Burgoyne Surrounded. This is a well known pattern and depicts a real battle in the Revolutionary War. The surrender of the British General John Burgoyne and his troops at Saragota, NY was a turning point in the war and brought Spain and France to the side of the young republic.

We weren't sure how to best use this quilt. We decided not to make it a QOV, but to use it to publicize Quilts of Valor efforts. We just received word that the National Sons of the American Revolution Museum in Louisville, Kentucky has agreed to accept it for permanent display. So we will display it at various Quilt Shows and SAR events around the state, and in September we will present it to the Museum in Kentucky.

I am attaching the label for the back of the quilt. Our hope is that as a permanent display it can serve to publicize Quilts of Valor, and to highlight the relationship we have had with our state chapters. We even hope this might encourage chapters in other areas to support QOV quilters in their area.

It seems fitting that the heirs of our first freedom fighters would be a key part of our QOV efforts to express our thanks and admiration for those who serve, and who have served to protect the freedoms we enjoy today. It seems trite to say that 'freedom is not free' but this is an organization that recognizes that fact and supports our veterans and active service men and women in many ways.

Friday night (2/4/11) was the Georgia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution state meeting. I presented certificates to the individuals and chapter's which had made donations and we displayed the quilt, Burgoyne Surrounded, for the first time. We received donations Friday from 2 individuals and one of them challenged all the Georgia chapters to support our efforts. This group is quite active in working with VA hospitals throughout the state. This might be a source of support to other groups around the country who need resources for fabric, etc.

~Susan Gordon