The Quilts of Valor Foundation was proud to present 12 quilts to Tennessee veterans on April 20. The veterans’ families and friends gathered, at the Sandlin Center in Alexandria, with members of the Piecemakers QOV TN group from Lebanon, who made the quilts.

A general introduction to QOV TN was presented telling the assembled group about the foundation and its mission to cover veterans and service members touched by war with comforting and healing quilts. In the 20 years since its founding by Catherine Roberts, nearly 400,000 quilts have been made and awarded through the efforts over 11,000 volunteers nationwide.

The awardees at the ceremony include the following: James N. Helson, Ronnie Jackson, Grady Mark Smith, David Mac Davidson, Michael B. McAfee, James Denny, Larry Hall, Kenneth Clayborn, David Agee, Ronald Mowell, Theo Toney and Jason Departhy.

Four additional veterans were unable to attend and will be awarded their quilts in private ceremonies. Those include Mike Prichard, Bill House, Jonathan Fender and Paul Carson.

Presenting the quilts were Deborah Cripps, Maggie Klenke and Julie Reynolds.