posted by 147 FA on Oct 24
Over five years ago Thelma Pickett of Wessington, SD, read an article in a Kansas newspaper about a soldier serving in Iraq who wrote to his mother telling her how cold it could get in the desert. The soldier’s mother made and sent him a quilt to stay warm during those chilly nights. This story inspired Pickett to start Quilts for Troops in Wessington. Since its establishment five and a half years ago Quilts for Troops has made and given away 618 quilts; some went to cancer patients locally, but the bulk of the quilts have been sent to troops serving in Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan. Pickett said, “We feel that in a small way we are letting our troops know how proud we are of them and wish to thank them for their service.â€
The members of Quilts for Troops gather every other week to work on the quilts and enjoy the fellowship the group has generated and to enjoy the accomplishments of something that is dearly important to them. They do not commit to any set number of quilts to be made at each meeting, as the number of quilters present may fluctuate from four to fourteen. When the group began they thought it would last for perhaps six months, but they are still going strong after over five years since the article was first read by Pickett.
The fabric for the quilts and postage for sending them are all donated locally. At first the group mailed the quilts to local soldiers, but with the help of a local chaplain’s assistant they received names of other soldiers and began sending out boxes of quilts to them as well. Quilts for Troops sends their products to any soldier, regardless of home state. “We just want them all to enjoy them and hopefully get some comfort knowing we are thinking of them,†Pickett said in reference to soldiers on the quilt recipient list.
Recently, six members of Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion/147th Field Artillery were the proud recipients of some of the homemade quilts. And as the picture below illustrates, they do enjoy them.
Just as they are proud of the troops, we too are proud of the selfless devotion Quilts for Troops displays towards our deployed soldiers. Thank you, Quilts for Troops, for your patriotism and thoughtfulness.