Thank you for your service, Anthony R

Deb S awarded Anthony R his QOV.  He sent the following note:
Hello Deb,

I wanted to again say how appreciative I am for the time, effort, and love everyone put into my quilt. Sometimes it is tough to allow others to take care of me. I feel that taking care of others is the driving force at Quilts of Valor. With that said, it touches my heart not only to receive a quilt myself but in knowing that my veteran friends and family are being taken care of as well.

Please send my thanks and love to everyone along with my support for what they are doing.

Kind Regards,
Anthony

Tuesday, September 19, VFW Hall, Montgomery, 9:30-??

 is the location of our next QOV sewing/batting day! Lots to cut and wrap with batting, so help where you can! We have tons of room, so bring your friends. 
We have several requests for Veterans Week.  Let me know if you might want to join us at these award ceremonies: Wed, Nov 8, Glenbard Elementary; Friday, Cedarlake, Plainfield; haven't got a date for Oswego PD yet. Join us in wrapping our Veterans with your quilts.
Rita

September 5, Moose Lodge, St. Charles Sew In Reminder Notice

Moose Lodge, St Charles, sew in reminder notice. Tuesday, September 5, 9:30- Note: door will no longer be allowed to be propped open. Press the button to be buzzed in. We expect special visitors!! Am still looking for a couple more volunteers for Schaumburg Sewing Expo, September 28-30.

And Leslie writes:   I will be there to collect any completed PET BEDS. Please remember that I do not collect your scraps (except those we generate while at QOV that day). I will have extra fabric for cases if you need one.
See you Tuesday, Rita 

VFW, Montgomery Sew-In

As always, a very nice sew in with some lifetime friends. Had 3 special guests.  Thank you gentlemen for your service. It was nice hearing your stories.  Received a thank you note:  Rita, it was a pleasure to meet you and all of the other ladies there today. I want to thank you for the quilt that you presented to me today. The quilt is beautiful, I really like it. The work you all do is beautiful and I am sure all of the veterans deeply appreciate the hard work you put in. Again, thank you. Don LaChappell

Am looking for help to work the booth at the Original Quilting Expo in Schaumburg, September 28-30th.  Let me know.

Don't have pictures to share--need a new camera, sorry.
Rita

Schaumburg Sew Expo

We've been invited to have a booth at the Schaumburg Sewing Expo. Dates are September 28, 29 and 30th. It'll involve a sit and sew area, so, check your calendars and let me know your availability please.
Rita

Sew In Rolling Meadows

Sew-in Reminder Notice:

Rolling Meadows group First Saturday Aug. 5th 9:30 till ??? Shorewood Bible Church 1900 North Hicks rd. Rolling Meadows 

Bring your sewing machines and quilting supplies. We have kits available and willing mentors to help you along if you're new to quilting! If you feel to new to quilting or are just curious we have pressing, cutting and kit assembly..so, you won't be bored! bring along a lunch or there are a few places to eat near. We will have some foodies to share.

Maggie

Sew-in Reminder Notice: Montgomery, VFW, 121 N River St. Tuesday, July 18

We meet around 9:30 (ish) until - ?? Going to be as thorough as I can as we had a lot of newbies join here on our Facebook page after the Oswego Vietnam Wall weekend. Welcome newbies!! Bring your sewing machines and quilting supplies. We have kits available and very able bodies willing to help you along if you're new to quilting! If, and it happens, you're just curious, well we have pressing (could use another ironing board), cutting and kit assembly..so, you won't be bored! Most of us bring along a lunch--there are a couple restaurants nearby if interested.

We are also expecting a "special guest"...for the newbies, that means a Veteran expected to receive his Quilt of Valor!
Joyce is collecting your plastic bags. She makes "plarn" and crochets beds for the homeless. ..another great cause.
ok, now this: If you've been coming via Rt 31, please note:
"Motorists who drive Route 31 in Montgomery will want to avoid the four-lane highway beginning Saturday, July 15.
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is scheduled to shutdown the highway on July 15 at 9 a.m. to allow contractors to replace the rail crossing just north of the Aucutt Road/Webster Street intersection."
At the Jericho light at Lake St, (Rt 31) make a left and an immediate first right turn (before the viaduct), to East Lake St. make a left onto Rathbone .. it'll take you to River St. Make right, cross Ashland and you're along the River to the VFW. Call me if you need to.
If you come in through Montgomery Rd. from the East, it should not affect you.
See you Tuesday!
Rita

Thank you, Marvin S, WWII, Navy!!

Quite an honor today to award Marvin S, a WWII, Navy Veteran his Quilt of Valor. Surrounded by family and friends, Marvin told his story. Thank you, Marvin for your service and get well soon!

Thank you Mr. Wegman/Sew In Reminder Notice

Today I had the privilege and honor of awarding Mr. Wegman his Quilt of Valor.  This is the write up that was posted about Mr. Wegman!!: 
Known as Chic Wegman, Robert grew up on Sheridan Street, and raised ten children in the Pigeon Hill neighborhood. He is a World War II veteran, having served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946 on a minesweeper in the Sea of Japan. Wegman is the founder of R.C. Wegman Construction Company, which he founded in 1955. The company has helped to literally build Aurora, and led the construction of the Hollywood Casino, RiverEdge Park, the Santori Public Library, Splash Country Water Park, the Vaughan Athletic Center, and several fire stations around the city, among many others. In addition, the company worked on the restoration of the Paramount Theatre and the Aurora Transportation Center.
A stalwart community partner, Wegman Construction has sponsored hundreds of activities, initiatives and community organizations over the years, including Aurora Area Girls Softball, Aurora East Education Foundation, Aurora Historical Society, Aurora Rotary Club, Aurora Township Youth Foundation, Aurora University, Catholic Charities Aurora, Fox Valley United Way, Juvenile Diabetes, Kiwanis Club of Aurora, Marie Wilkinson Child Development Center, Read with me Foundation, Salvation Army, The Compassion Foundation, WCC Foundation, West Aurora Alumni Association and many more.

This is also your sew in reminder notice for Tuesday, June 20, 9:30 -?, Montgomery VFW. So far there are 18 tops needing batting! Remember to bring in the squares you cut so we will know what we have left to cut for the August project. NOTE.. Tops need to be no less than 58 x 68" cause the finished minimum size is 55 x 65. We do this because quilting and washing does shrink them a bit. Enjoy the weekend. 
Rita

June 6, Sew In

Sew-in Reminder Notice...Moose Lodge, St. Charles, Tuesday, June 6, 9:30-??? Remember to bring in the cuttings. If you are not going to be there tomorrow, email me with your count so I can get these done prior to our Chicago event.  We won't be having a sew-in in July. Big possibility that Leslie won't be there this month but I'm to remind you: " If you are going to remind people about scraps, please tell them I do NOT collect scraps except for those generated at our QOV gathering. If they have their own scraps they must make a dog bed out of them and if they bring that In August I will get it to Anderson Animal Shelter. I can also bring fabric to make bed cases in August if they don't have any."

If you need a kit from me, please email me this morning as I am packing the car.

A HUGE thank you to Mary Ellen Middleton for the generous fabric donation yesterday. See you all Tuesday!
Rita

Welcome home, Tony C

Spring Grove, IL was the place to be Saturday. About a year ago, I got a call telling me this organization, A Soldier's Journey Home was building a home for Tony C. Would it be possible for him to get a quilt. Well, sure, I replied. She hesitated and said, Rita, the men building the home, they're veterans (well, some of them are). So, today with the help of Deb S, Sylvia, Gail and Barb at the "key ceremony" we awarded Tony his quilt along with 18 more veterans receiving theirs! We witnessed, again, the "brotherhood" of our Veterans. And do we have pictures! Note: See how we enlisted Tony in awarding the quilts!

Making Quilts Tuesday, May 16, VFW, Montgomery

We have a few tops to bundle and a LOT of cutting to do!!  I'll tell you more of the "kitting" opportunity we have coming up.  See you Tuesday, 9:30-????

This week's happenings:
On Friday, May 5th, Judge Mike H. from the Skokie Municipal District, awarded our quilts. He wrote: "It was AWESOME. It was awesome because of the participation of quilts of valor. I swear I get emotional just talking to the group about it before we even quilt them. I gave a few minutes on what QOV is all about as well as the fact that they went above and beyond in getting these quilts made as well as delivered. Thanks Ms. Schulze and I hope your mom's health is improving." And thank you from us, Beverly Schuetz Schulze for all the schlepping you do for us!

And, Sue and I were in Niles on Tuesday:
Roger wrote:  This is from this mornings presentation from Quilts of Valor Illinois by Rita Pennington and another lady with her. It was really very moving for ALL of us Vietnam Veterans and we want to thank everyone that makes these Quilts for Veterans. Just Wonderful we are all a buzz about receiving them. Going to make 4 more presentations tonight at our VVA Chapter #242 meeting and will post them also. These four were not at coffee this morning, and two tomorrow at the office where I work with two more Veterans one a Woman Desert Storm and the other a Vietnam Veteran a MP.