Photo by Angela Gonzalez Al Ron receives his handmade quilt from the Quilts of Valor organization by Nancy McClain Saturday morning.

MARSHALL — A crowd of veterans, friends and family rose as Marshall’s Honor Guard came marching into the room inside the Marshall Adult Community Center with America’s flag. Hands were placed over hearts and salutes were given by the 11 veterans standing up front.

Military veterans on Saturday were gifted Quits of Valor. This group is the largest Marshall’s Quilts of Valor has ever had.

“Just enjoy these veterans that are sitting here today,” Nancy McClain, the head of Marshall’s Quilts of Valor group, said to the crowd. “Remember that they’re very very special.”

The Quilts of Valor organization began in 2003 by Catherine Roberts.

“A mother of a son who had gone overseas,” McClain said to the audience. “She had a dream that PTSD was in her son’s life, so she decided that a group of ladies would get together to make quilts for everybody that came off the plane of that unit.”

The foundation has many groups scattered throughout the country. They’ve distributed over 350,000 quilts to all kinds of veterans.

The Quilts of Valor organization in Marshall began in 2018. In the five years, the group has made over 360 quilts, given to local veterans. The quilts are made to honor those who have served and be a source of comfort for those who may suffer from PTSD.

Each of the 11 veterans that day received handmade quilts. Their name would be called and places they served were said. There were veterans that served overseas such as Korea, Vietnam, and Iraq. Different branches of the military were also recognized, the Air Force, National Guard, Field artillery and more.

The handmade quilts were shown off to the crowd before given to the veteran. They all differed from one another, but had the similar theme of America.

Prints of blue and white stars covered the interior of some quilts. The fabrics ranged in different hues of the colors red, white and blue. Some even had large fabric pictures with images of flags, eagles and soldiers sewed onto the front. Each had the veteran’s name sewed into them.

Once each quilt was shown, women from the group would help McClain wrap the assigned quilt around the honored veteran. The room would fill with applause as the smiling veterans were thanked for all that they’ve done.