Reverence and gratitude were evident at the Lyon County Fairgrounds during the All Veterans Tribute Quilts of Gratitude ceremony Saturday.
Among the veterans receiving custom-made quilts was Emporia native Bob Bishop. Now living in Florida, Bishop says events like Quilts of Gratitude represent a much different response to his service than he received when he came back to Emporia from Vietnam.
Quilts of Gratitude spokesperson Kathy Hamman says it’s a meaningful event for all involved.
Over 40 quilts were made this year. Most were handed off during Saturday’s ceremony, while a handful were given to veterans beforehand and at least one will be distributed afterward.
Quilts of Gratitude and Freedom Fest, which also took place Saturday, folded into the Emporia Municipal Band’s “In Their Honor” musical salute to veterans at the Emporia Granada Theatre on Sunday.
The weekend activities then funnel into Emporia’s annual Veterans Day activities Monday:
*7-9:30 am: Veterans breakfast, Presbyterian Manor
*9:30 am: Parade, Commercial Street. Watch on KVOE.com/TV.
*11 am: Memorial service, All Veterans Memorial. Listen on KVOE and watch on KVOE.com/TV.
*12-2 pm: Ham and bean feed, American Legion Post 5
*12-3 pm: Lunch, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1980
Ongoing activities include the Veterans Artists Gallery exhibit, underway at the Emporia Arts Center through Saturday, and The Children’s War: Images of World War II in Children’s Books, continuing at Emporia State University’s William Allen White Library through Friday. The Veterans Artist People’s Choice award winner will be on display at the ESB Financial main branch, Eighth and Commercial, from Nov. 18-30.
