Quilt guild presents quilts to veterans

The River Heritage Quilters' Guild honored five local veterans and their family members Monday evening at the Cape Girardeau Public Library.

Presenting the quilts was St. Louis-based quilter and budding blogosphere personality Kevin Huffman.

Huffman, also known as "Kevin the Quilter" has been making quilts to donate to the Quilts of Valor program that presents quilts to veterans to commemorate their service.

"A quilt is something that's comforting. We've had them since we were babies," Huffman said. "We want to wrap [these veterans] up in our heartfelt appreciation."

Huffman uses his blog to receive donations of "blocks" of fabric from quilters all over the country and then combines them into quilts for veterans. He said he's been incredibly surprised by the generosity with which people have donated fabric. He has raised more than 5,680 "blocks" -- enough for 189 quilts.

Kevin Huffman talks about Quilts of Valor on Monday during a meeting of the River Heritage Quilt Guild at the Cape Girardeau Public Library. (Fred Lynch)

"To look at these servicemen and see not just their sacrifices, but the sacrifices their families made as well is a really powerful thing."

Lawrence Tucker of Jackson was a jet engine mechanic in the Air Force from 1966 to 1974, serving for a time in Vietnam. He said he was touched when his daughter nominated him to be recognized through the River Heritage Quilters' Guild.

"It is really an honor," he said. "Every veteran who gets recognized in any way, it feels good."

The other veterans honored were Kenneth Rushton, Navy; Johnny Gast, Air Force; Robert Wills, Army; and Terry Simms. The men's families presented the quilts that Huffman had made as he thanked them and the crowd applauded.

"They didn't serve for a Quilt of Valor," Huffman joked. "In fact, it was probably the furthest thing from their minds, but because of their service, I got the opportunity to thank them in one of the best ways I know how, and if you've never heard it before, 'Welcome home.'"

Kay Kenner has been quilting since she was a girl and has been a member of the River Heritage Quilters' Guild for over 20 years. It was there where she first heard of Kevin the Quilter. She even donated some fabric to him as part of the guild. She said she was happy to finally host Huffman.

"One of the members told us about his blog and I started following it every now and then and then tonight's the big night," she said.

Guild president Chris Ludwig met Huffman two years ago while shopping for fabric. She noticed the quilt he was working on and convinced him to enter it into the guild's quilt show where it took third place.

She said she was happy to finally bring him here to help them say "thank you" to local veterans and encourages anyone who is interested in joining the guild to attend one of its monthly meetings at 6:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month in the Cape Girardeau Public Library.

Huffman also used his own experiences as a male quilter to illustrate that anyone can quilt. All they need is "to see it as an art form and ... a way to express one's self creatively."

tgraef@semissourian.com

Pertinent address:

711 N. Clark Ave., Cape Girardeau, MO