The Veterans Cafe and Grill hosted a cookout on Sunday to raise money for the Quilts of Valor Foundation Myrtle Beach Shore Birds.
This was the third year the Veterans Cafe held the annual fundraiser. Quilts of Valor Regional Director Joan Wobbleton said they hoped to raise $7,000 this year.
Myrtle Beach Shore Birds awards handmade quilts to six or seven veterans in Horry and Georgetown Counties each month. They currently have more than 230 requests for quilts.
“If you ask a veteran, ‘what does a quilt mean to you’, there are tears in their eyes. We’re hoping that our quilt will bring some closure, some sense of comfort,” Wobbleton said.
The quilts are not only a token of gratitude for their service. Wobbleton said they often help veterans battling post-traumatic stress disorder. She said the quilts are especially significant to veterans of the Vietnam War.
“When they came home, they were spit on, had rocks thrown at them, they were called baby killers. Many of them say, this is the first time we’ve ever been welcomed home,” she said.
Quilts of Valor currently needs help accessing a long arm quilting machine to make the quilts. If you would like to lend a hand, or nominate a veteran for a quilt, click here for more information.
