This Sunday, 90 veterans in the Quad Cities will recieve locally-made quilts as a token of appreciation from the Quilts of Valor Foundation. The ceremony was postponed from May, and will be drive-through pickup-only because of the pandemic.
Coordinator Clayton Peterson says local volunteers help make the quilts. And those volunteers sometimes have a particular person in mind.
"Very many of them are a brother, a sister, you know, a cousin, some relative, a neighbor, and so they actually make them individually for that veteran."
This will mark the thirteenth quilt presentation. Although there won't be the traditional singing and hand shaking, Peterson says the quilts still matter.
"These are warming and soothing and comforting pieces... they can cuddle with and feel that their country appreciates them."
To err on the side of caution, some veterans who are at greater risk for COVID-19 have asked for their quilts to be delivered.