Tony R. Barnes, U.S. Marine Corps and U. S. Army veteran with 28 years of military service including two deployments to Vietnam was awarded a Quilt of Valor by the Central Flint Hills Area Quilt of Valor Project at the Quilt of Valor 200,000thAward Celebration at the American Legion Post #45.
Brenda Boyd, Central Flint Hills Area Quilt of Valor committee member, awarded the Quilt of Valor (QOV).
Twenty-five area Quilt of Valor recipients were also honored at the Celebration. Each QOV recipient was recognized individually along with his or her QOV, the individual or group who nominated the recipient, and the quiltmaker and quilter. Junction City Vice-Mayor Phyllis Fitzgerald and Geary County Commissioner Ben Bennett extended their gratitude to the QOV recipients.
Financial and other contributors to the local QOV project were recognized and thanked for their support by Donna Martinson, local QOV project coordinator. In addition Martinson shared a short history on the national and local Quilt of Valor program.
The 200,000th Quilt of Valor Celebration was held in recognition of the Quilt of Valor Foundation (national organization) awarding of the 200,000th Quilt of Valor. Barnes’ Quilt of Valor is the 287th QOV awarded by the Central Flint Hills Area Quilt of Valor Project. The mission of the Quilt of Valor Foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.