BETTENDORF, IOWA (November 15, 2024) – The National Grange’s 158^th Annual Convention continues at the Waterfront Convention Center in Bettendorf.

On Wednesday evening, November 13, the National Grange welcomed eleven deserving veterans for a Quilts of Valor presentation. The ceremony was led by Midwest Host Region Chairperson Kathy Baldwin, who read each recipient’s profile while her son and husband displayed and presented the quilts. Baldwin is a member of the Legacy Valor Quilt Guild in Iowa.

Lexie Millikan, Executive Director of the Quilts of Valor Foundation, was also in attendance and took part in the event. “It’s been great to hear about how the Grange is involved in Quilts of Valor, whether it’s making a quilt or giving a quilt or receiving a quilt, it’s been heartening to hear about our partnership,” Millikan said. “One of our shared goals is to strengthen our communities.”

In the past 21 years, the Quilts of Valor Foundation has presented over 400,000 quilts to veterans and servicemembers.

A total of fifteen quilts were slated to be presented, four recipients were unable to attend but will have their quilts presented at a later date.

Quilt recipients were:

• Mark D. Zellman – Poplar Grove, IL, U.S. Army, 1987-1993
• David A. Hildebrandt – LeClaire, IA, U.S. Army, 1986-1994
• Michael Chitwood Sr. – Muscatine, IA, U.S. Army, 2010-2014
• Cameron Jon Farmer – Brooklyn, IA, U.S. Air Force, 2011-Present
• Joseph E. Edelen – Brooklyn, IA, U.S. Air Force, 1967-1971
• Brian Robert Edelen – Brooklyn, IA, U.S. Air Force, 2002-2005
• Scott C. Chitwood – Davenport, IA, U.S. Navy, 1986-1990
• Terrance Kronfelt – Bettendorf, IA, U.S. Army, 1970-1978
• James Craig Benjamin – Davenport, IA, U.S. Army, 1986-1992
• Myron C. Peterson – Janesville, WI, U.S. Navy, 1970-1991
• Anthony Neal Hartman – Riverdale, IA, U.S. Navy, 1997-2001
• Ross John Hendricks – Bettendorf, IA, U.S. Army, 1982-1985
• Charles Anthony MacDonald – Bettendorf, IA, U.S. Army, 1985-1989
• William Wesley Tuman – Muscatine, IA, U.S. Army, 1987-1990
• Joshua John Gilliam – Davenport, IA, U.S. Marine Corps, 2000-2005

These recipients were honored for their dedicated service and commitment to their country. The Quilts of Valor ceremony is a small token of gratitude for their sacrifices, and we are proud to recognize their contributions.

Quilts of Valor Foundation was founded in 2003 with the goal of honoring veterans by wrapping them in a quilt, like a hug. Today, their mission is to cover Service Members and Veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.

The National Grange has presented Quilts of Valor at their annual convention since 2016, recognizing local and regional veterans and active duty service members. The National Grange is an official Under Our Wings partner of the Quilts of Valor Foundation. National Grange President Christine E. Hamp has been a member of the Quilts of Valor Foundation Board of Directors since 2022.

GRANGE BACKGROUND
Founded in 1867, the Grange is a fraternal, nonpartisan organization with about 140,000 members across the nation in 1,400 local chapters. Open to anyone age 14 and older interested in agriculture, rural concerns, or bettering their community, the Grange never endorses candidates but works on issues made policy of the organization through a grassroots vetting process.
Grange members provide millions of hours of service and dollars in donations annually based on the needs identified in their local communities. From providing dictionaries to third-grade students often unserved or underserved by broadband internet, to hosting candidate forums to providing handmade caps for newborns, Grange members find ways to improve the lives of their neighbors both in service and through advocacy efforts. 
Learn more about the Grange and our grassroots policy and priority issues, the service of our nearly 140,000 members across the nation to improve the quality of life in their communities, and where you can find a Grange local to you by visiting www.nationalgrange.org.

ABOUT THE QUILTS OF VALOR FOUNDATION
The Quilts of Valor Foundation was established in 2003 by Catherine Roberts, whose son was deployed in Iraq at the time.

“The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover Service Members and Veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor,” the QOV website states.

Visit www.qovf.org to find more information about local groups, volunteering, nominating a service member or veteran or making a donation.

PRESS CONTACT
Philip J Vonada, National Grange Communications Director
[email protected]
(814) 404-7985 (call/text)