Weekend of Valor

HUNTLEY – If you are a veteran or know of a local combat veteran of any war and would like to remember and honor them in some way, you will have a wonderful opportunity to do so at the Northern Illinois Quilt Fest being held at several locations throughout northern Illinois this summer.

As Americans we thank our military every hour of every day by keeping them in our hearts and minds, but on the weekend of August 19-20, we will have a special salute to our military and to the communities that support them. Gazebo Quilters’ Guild of Huntley, Illinois, would like to take that a step further by honoring our military with a WEEKEND OF VALOR to be held at the Huntley Park District Rec Center and the Cosman Cultural Center.

Sue Bruss (N. 21) says, “Each county will be involved.”

Those counties include Lake, McHenry, Boone, Winnebago, Stephenson, and JoDaviess. Travel the Trail from Barns to Bedcovers as you find amazing quilts, quilted barns, quilt gardens, art exhibits, and special events across Northern Illinois as part the Northern Illinois Quilt Fest. The Gazebo Quilter’s Guild of Huntley is an organization of quilters, founded in Sun City and meeting at the First Congregational Church. 90% of the membership is made up of Sun City residents. Along with the Guild members, the Sun City Lions, Sun City Marines, Woodchucks, and several other Sun City organizations are working on this huge endeavor.

Internationally known quilter and author Marianne Fons will be a featured guest. Her new Quilts of Valor program, Under Our Wings, will be the focus of the weekend.

Sue informed, “The ladies would put together and learn about making quilts, the experienced and inexperienced.”

She continued, “About a half-dozen quilts will be presented to vets during the program. We will also be honored to have Quilts of Valor founder Catherine Roberts join us both days.”

There will be a large exhibit of Quilts of Valor, quilt and food vendors, raffles, a boutique, a salute to our veterans and two full-day workshops to create 50 more Quilts of Valor. The Quilts of Valor program has presented over 35,000 quilts to deserving servicemen and their families. It is the hope that this weekend will expand the reach of this wonderful program.

“We’ll try to find people who haven’t received them in McHenry County,” Sue said.

On both days from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. there will be workshops of 25 quilting coaches directing and teaching 25 rookies in the construction of a Quilt of Valor.

Sue said, “Sandy Schweitzer of Crystal Lake is an AQS, or professional quilt appraiser, and wanted to get involved.”

On Friday evening at 7 p.m. and Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. Marianne Fons will present programs in the Cosman Cultural Center. On Friday and Saturday Marianne and Catherine will shadow the workshops, making themselves available to the participants.

You are invited to be a coach, and if you know of a rooky (or a friend) that you’d like to work with, please indicate on the applications. There will be no charge to the coach; rookies will buy a Quilt of Valor kit from local participating quilt shops. Want to sign up? Pick up an application at your local quilt shop or contact Sdbcopper@aol.com and they’ll send you an application.

If you’d like more information, please call Janet Meyer (224-569-6862) or Sue Bruss (847-961-5157), the Co-Chairmen.

“We’re still trying to find sponsors, coaches, and rookies,” Sue added. “We are also hoping to hang one of the wooden quilt squares on the side of the woodshop here in Sun City in July and are working with Al LaPelusa of the Woodchucks.”

Maps will be available on northernillinoisquiltfest.com of the quilt barns in the six county area starting July 1.

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