Friendship Quilt Guild hosted this year’s Assembly Day on July 20, 2019. The speakers were inspirational, the quilts fantastic, and a fun time was had by all. New officers were installed, and several Quilts of Valor were awarded. Thank you Friendship Quilt Guild for hosting such a great event, and we look forward to next year’s Assembly Day hosted by Iris!

Featured Guest Speaker: Teresa Duryea Wong
Teresa’s book and lecture were about the American cotton farmer today, farm women, American textiles and the antique quilts in 20th century made with American cotton, and the efforts of a few companies who are bringing back American made quilting fabric today.

Special Guest Speaker: Army Staff Sgt. Andrew Lee
Andrew is an Iraq veteran who began quilting as a way to cope with PTSD, and it’s become a way for him to honor other service members, particularly through Quilts of Valor. Andrew displayed an amazing quilt depicting the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima, made from more than 12,000 one-inch squares. Below the photos is a follow-up we received from him after Assembly Day. Grab a tissue!

From Andrew, shared here first because he “thought it was only fair that TVQA hear it first, from the horses mouth.”
“As I sit here still processing the events that have transpired over the last few weeks, know that I am in utter awe of the compassion and overwhelming love I continue to feel. For those of you who were not there, I shall include a few details, and for those of you who were, I share my perspective.

It was an honor to be asked to speak, as I feel my story deserves to be shared, especially now that so many of you are a part of it. To catch those not up to speed, here is my story up until Assembly day.
https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/2019/07/29/quilts-valor-east-tennessee-veteran-copes-ptsd-quilting-the-smoky-mountain-quilters/1817586001/

I came to Assembly day with 2 expectations; 1. I was given 20 minutes to share my story, 2. I would get a ham and cheese sandwich for lunch. Ok, maybe 3, I fully expected a hug from Judith Thompson. I never expected to receive the beautiful basket of fabric from the Friendship Quilters, even if some of it got dirty. Red isn’t my color, but I assure you, this shirt will have seen better days when I am done with it. At this point I am beginning to feel slightly overwhelmed, as I never knew a guild (which means family somewhere) could wrap its arms around someone in a such a short amount of time, and make them feel like they were meant to be here, even if it was a guy.

As if this wasn’t enough, thank you Ginger for the wonderful fabric (donated by all of you), it will go to good use. I have a lot of quilts I want to do, especially after being inspired in the hallways. Yes, I know I have my work cut out for me to use it all; challenge accepted.

Never in a million years did I ever think the next event would have happened. I pray often that the recipient of my QOV be open to receiving it, and feel the comfort of being wrapped in “his” arms. Please note, if you pray, God answers, and sometimes even shows you his plan. Which, whoever that woman was that started the idea of passing a hat around was, you truly began an event that would change my life. That box of money, not only gave light that a group could come together for a common goal but could make a man’s dreams come true. Because of you, I saw a group that I know was given a Divine purpose. Because of you I received enough money to put a down payment on a longarm. Because of you, someone (now titled my Fairy God Mother) came forward and has paid for the rest of my longarm. {Fairy God Mothers are also known as Angels who walk the earth}. Because of you, I am able to chase my dream of making a difference. Because of all of you, I have felt more emotion in the last 12 days than I have in the last 14 years.

All of this started because a few ladies were nice to me at a local quilt shop. I thought I was just going in for thread, but came out with a group of people who I now call family. Thank you all for being a part of my story, as I continue my dream as a Statler Longarmer fulltime, beginning in November. I can only hope you all see the role you play in making a difference. In closing; buy stock in Kleenex. Thank you all so very much, Combatquilter@gmail.com.”

Additional Photos