WESTBROOK — Members of the Highland Lake Grange in Westbrook and the White Rock Grange in Gorham are teaming up to make quilts for veterans and challenging other grange halls in the area to do the same.

Westbrook and Gorham grange members have been meeting once a week since the fall to work on quilts as part of the the Quilts of Valor program. Based in Iowa, the Quilts of Valor organization formed in 2003 to “to cover all those service members and veterans wounded physically or psychologically” with comfort to promote healing. Over the last 15 years, more than 200,000 quilts have been handed out to military veterans and active duty members across the country.

The locally handcrafted quilts, which each require 28 12.5-inch squares will be displayed at the 2019 Cumberland Fair in September before being sent to Quilts of Valor to be distributed to veterans. 

“Our goal, if possible, is to keep the quilts made here in Maine for Maine military and veterans,” said Kathy Gowen, a member of the Highland Lake Grange for  the last 15 years.

Donna Brookings of Gorham, a coordinator of the Maine Chapter of Quilts for Valor, said that as of last week she had received 60 formal requests for valor quilts. She dreams of one day being able to give a quilt to each of the 119,000 military veterans. Last year more than 130 quilts were awarded in Maine.

The granges have put out a challenge to their counterparts throughout the state to get on board with Quilts of Valor.

Making quilts for military members is the perfect way for Brookings to combine her love of sewing and her appreciation for the military, she said. Brookings, whose husband and uncles served in the military, said presenting a Quilt of Valor is the “highest civilian honor we can give veterans.”

She said the organization awarded a quilt to a veteran from Augusta who had post traumatic stress disorder and struggled with suicidal thoughts after being the only member of her platoon to return from duty alive. Since getting the quilt, the veteran has not had to return to the hospital.

“Whenever she feels like she needs to hurt herself, she wraps herself in the quilt,” Brookings said.

She also heard from a Vietnam veteran who was overwhelmed to receive a quilt because he had never been thanked for his service or welcomed back from his time in Vietnam, she said.

The Highland Lake Grange is also making blankets for Project Linus, a Missouri-based organization that provides blankets to children in hospitals, social services agencies, shelters and other locations across the country.

Sheila Speckin, coordinator of the Cumberland/York County Chapter of Project Linus, said the chapter provides blankets to children at Maine Medical Center’s Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, Center for Grieving Children and the Ronald McDonald House in Portland, Spring Harbor Hospital in Westbrook, as well as for children entering the foster care system around the state. Project Linus blankets in the past have also been given to the Portland Fire Department’s camp for young burn victims.

 The chapter hands out between 300 and 500 blankets and quilts a month, including 200 to Maine Medical Center.

For more information about Quilts of Valor, Brookings can be reached at 523-9322 or donna.brookings@qovf.org. For more information about Project Linus, contact Speckin at 423-2854 or projectlinusmaine@yahoo.com.

Michael Kelley can be reached at 780-9106 or mkelley@keepmecurrent.com or on Twitter @mkelleynews.

Portions of nine quilts being made for the Quilts for Valor program sit on the table at Highland Lake Grange Hall Feb. 20 after a work session at the Hardy Road facility. The quilts will be displayed at the Cumberland Fair and then given to active duty and veteran militaty members. 

Fred Way poses with his certificate and Quilts of Valor quilt after receiving the honor last August through Northern Light Home Care and Hospice. Way, a Gorham resident, was a United States Navy veteran.

Donna Brooking, coordinator of the Maine Chapter of the Quilts for Valor Foundation, presents retired Cumberland Fire Chief Philip Chase with his quilt during a ceremony at the Cumberland Fair Grounds last September. Chase is a U.S. Navy veteran.

Tricia Spinney from Boy Scouts of America Troop 83 in Westbrook and Amanda Pearson of White Rock Grange in Gorham sew Quilts for Valor quilt blocks last week. The blocks will be combined and sewn together into a quilt for a military veteran in Maine.