Quilts for American’s soldiers
Quilts for Wounded Warriors is a volunteer project sponsored by American Legion Post 489 in Sonoma, and coordinated by Bob and Kaye Kinsey and Broadway Quilts. The project provides handmade quilts to injured servicemen and women who arrive at Travis Air Force Base for medical attention from Afghanistan, Iraq and other areas. Each handmade quilt is especially designed and sized for use on medical stretchers and later on hospital beds and in wheelchairs.
To date nearly 50 quilts have been personally delivered to the Aeromedical Staging Facility at Travis AFB where injured soldiers select a quilt for comfort during their stay, and have the option of taking it with them when they leave.
To participate, individuals or groups typically make a red, white and blue quilt top in any pattern, many times from scraps. The quilt and backing fabric is delivered to Broadway Quilts. After quilting, the binding of the edges are completed by members of Sonoma Valley Quilters who meet on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month.
To date, the project has also sent more than 200 pillowcases to be used by wounded soldiers and staff at the hospital in Bagram, Afghanistan. “This effort began when Major Reid told us in an email that staff has paper pillowcases. We couldn’t imagine being in that hot, dusty place and having to sleep on paper,” said Gery Rosemurgy, owner of Broadway Quilts. “We also collect and send over other items that soldiers need like personal care items, snacks, small recreational items, and more. These can be dropped by the shop at any time. They are then boxed and sent over to our troops.” For further information please call the Kinseys at 939.9330.
