Photo by Sabrina Pankratz Eight local veterans were presented with quilts Saturday by the Quilts of Valor.

MARSHALL — Eight veterans from the Marshall area received quilts from the Quilts of Valor on Saturday.

“By the end of the year we will have awarded 60 quilts, that’s a lot,” said Nancy McClain, area representative of Quilts of Valor.

McClain said she had seen the opportunity on their website and thought it would be good for the area.

“We started out two years ago with four ladies and within 30 days we jumped to 15 women. Everybody that heard about it wanted to participate. We are sewers ourselves, and knew Block of the Month over at Fabrics Plus. I talked to them and I said you need to get in on this. Block of the Month has over 200 participants and all 200 ladies helped make these quilts,” McClain said.

“No one just does one, everyone works on all the quilts pretty much, I was one of the original members, too, and we’ve done a lot,” said quilter Joy Jones.

“This is an honor, I wasn’t expecting. I didn’t know anything about them and then I got the card in the mail and I thought, ‘Me, I’m going to get this?'” said Walter Brewers, one of the veterans.

Veterans that were awarded quilts are:

Walter Brewers, Korean War

Bill Deutz, Vietnam War

Norman Fuhrmann, WWII

Robert Kvick, Korean War

Warren Quarnstrom, WWII

Norman Schoephoerster, WWII

Dale Schroeder, Korean War

Mike Verdect, Vietnam War

“I think its a great honor. So many more people deserve it, way more then I do. But I am very honored to have it. I’m very thankful,” Brewers said.

Many of the quilters use it as a way give back to the community.

“My dad was in the service, just want to pay back,” said quilter Marilyn Schmidt.

“Well it’s important to me give back. and my dad was in WWI and WWII, and my husband was in the Navy. It’s a way to give back. I also knit hats for homeless vets in the cities so it’s just a way of giving back,” Jones said.

“The best part is giving to the veterans, and we like to have fun and we socialize,” McClain said.