: Quiet Comfort was established in July 2004 for the purpose of honoring and comforting members of the U.S. Armed Forces who have been injured while serving in harm’s way, and to provide support to those caring for them. This 501(c)(3) organization is made up entirely of volunteers across the country who fulfill this mission by sending care packages to U.S. Military Medical units overseas and supporting our troops at home.
One of the items OQC sends is Four Freedom Gratitude Quilts. These quilts are created from well-loved denim blue jeans. The denim squares that make up these quilts are signed with messages of thanks, encouragement and appreciation to our troops by people all over the United States. The quilts get their name from the four center blocks of each quilt which have the words from Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1941 Inaugural speech: “Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want and Freedom from Fear”.
To mark the 10th anniversary of Operation: Quiet Comfort, volunteers presented a Four Freedoms Gratitude Quilt to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Jan Houin, Board Member and Shipping Coordinator of OQC and her husband, Ken, traveled to Washington D.C. where they met with other OQC volunteers for the special presentation of this quilt in the chapel at Walter Reed on July 17th.
This quilt will not be given to an individual but will be hung at Walter Reed where it will be seen by many of our injured and sick military men and women, their families and friends and the staff who care for them. Our hope is that it will be a source of appreciation and encouragement to all to let them know that a grateful nation truly cares. Jan Houin said, “It is meant to be a big hug to everyone who sees it!”
Each Four Freedoms Gratitude Quilt contains 96 blocks with a hand written message. This special quilt included one block with a heartfelt message from someone in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. It was sewn by OQC volunteer Carolyn Wall from Plymouth, IN.
OQC members who gathered for this presentation at Walter Reed along with the Houins included OQC Board President Jan Hogg and her husband, Rick, from McCormick, SC. From Plymouth, IN OQC board member Peggy Reynolds and her husband, Mike, their daughter, Andrea Reynolds and grandson, Kamryn Howard. Dawn Upperman came in by train from Philly and Kris and Rob Andrews from New Jersey came for the day with their children, Kelsey and Nick. Also attending the presentation were representatives from Senator Donnelly (D-IN) and Representative Jackie Walorski (R-IN) D.C. offices and many of the military staff members of Walter Reed.
For further information go to www.operationquietcomfort.org or call Jan Houin 574-936-1424
