By MICHELLE VISCO
WAKEFIELD — On Tuesday, May 27 at the Crystal Community Club in Wakefield, The Nimble Thimblers Quilt Guild presented Karen Burke with a Quilt of Valor. Everyone in attendance was very excited to award Burke with the Quilt of Valor. The event concluded with a reception with cake and lots of other snacks and refreshments.
Merle Gordon of Quilts and Valor led the ceremony and presented Burke with her quilt. Gordon said that she represents over 10,000 Quilt of Valor members and volunteers across the nation. As far as history, the idea of Quilts of Valor was started in 2003 by Catherine Roberts in Maryland. Her son was deployed in Afghanistan and she didn’t think he was in a great place emotionally, so to comfort him she made and sent him a quilt. The other men in his unit wished they had a quilt so she gathered her friends who were quilters to make them and this was the beginning of Quilts of Valor.
Last month alone 2,214 quilts were presented with a total of 9,398 quilts year to date. A lifetime total of 410,759 quilts have been presented and on May 27 they added one more to that total. The Quilts of Valor’s mission is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comfort and healing with the quilts of valor.
The members of Nimble Quilters decided they wanted to make a Quilt of Valor and present it to a woman veteran. Burke stood on stage to accept the quilt with both her sister Julie Lambert and her friend Lisa Lord. Gordon displayed the beautiful quilt to Burke and the audience and then wrapped Burke in the quilt as she presented a speech on Burke’s career.
Gordon stated that Burke began her Air Force career in September 1995 after receiving her Bachelor of Science degree from Villanova University in Pennsylvania. She was an active-duty Air Force flight nurse for 21 years. Her responsibility was to provide onboard lifesaving medical care for wounded soldiers being transported from Afghanistan to Germany or back to the States. She had 4 deployments ranging from Washington DC to the Middle East and retired in March 2016 after serving 20 years, having achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Burke loved her time in the Air Force and received many medals including the Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal with one leaf cluster, the Combat Readiness Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal just to name a few. Gordon concluded by stating “I think we can all agree that Karen deserves this honor because she did her job, she saved lives. So, thank you for your contribution. The Quilts of Valor Foundation wishes to recognize you for your service to our nation.” She noted that “though we may never know the extent of your sacrifice to protect and defend the United States of America, we award you this Quilt of Valor as an expression of gratitude from a grateful nation.”
Burke, receiving the quilt stated that “It is absolutely gorgeous thank you all.” She said “I have no words, thank you. I loved my time serving. I love what I was honored to be able to do. I grew up watching China Beach and said that’s what I want to do and that’s what I did!”