Day Two

What a day! A long ride on the bus to Oklahoma City but once there oh my! We spent about an hour and a half at the Oklahoma City Memorial. It was very moving! A must see if you are ever close. We checked into our hotel after that and promptly were whisked off to supper at the Cattlemans Club. Peg had arranged for this stop and did an excellent job. We were treated like gueens! She arranged withFred Marvel, retired OK State photographer and his wife Mary, to take a group portrait. They spent the evening with us and we showed them some Minnesota fun after the meal. Time for our competition to begin! On the Fort Knox trip last year Carols' team won the milking contest and the losing team leader Jenny has been obsessed with coming up with something her team could win! So she had 16 of us put on our cowboy hats and line up. The team to hook the most hats up on a set of longhorns would be declared the winner. The throw was from about ten feet away. We all tried to be like John Wayne in the movie McClintock but it was hard to do! Karen 'The Ringer' Rosen on Jennys' team was the only one of 16 of us to do it! Good job Karen!! They had a mock funeral for Carol and boy did they have fun doing that! So Jenny has bragging rights until the next trip! The meal was awesome and paid for by a QOV angel named Tim Rainey! Thank You Sir! After the meal we roamed around Cattletown abit. We met and talked with people who asked about our QOV t-shirts. Then it was back to the hotel and bed as breakfast was set for six a.m. and the wheels moving at seven.

Day Two

Jenny said that the wheels would be rolling at 6:30 and for the most part they were.
Almost had to leave Carol Olson! Although I don't think she will dilly dally tomorrow...she caught a LOTof grief!! Needless to say, we are having a lot of fun on this serious mission! Breakfast was delicious at a very nice restraunt not far from the base. Now we are on the road again headed for Oklahoma City. Lunch will be on our own today and we're looking very forward to the Cattlemans Club tonight! My apologies to the Legion Post in Omaha! The Post number there is 331 not 335 as I stated last night. Sorry Gentleman! We had a great time!

Day one..end of!

What a great end to our first day out! Fire grilled steak and fixings at yet another great American Legion Club here in Omaha, Nebraska. Their Legion Riders met us just a few miles out and escorted us to Offutt Air Force Base. We got our 'clearance' and were given a few minutes in our rooms before the Riders once again collected us, and the bus, and took us to Post 335. Alot of people heard the QOV story after a very nice welcome. I had the opportunity to sit next to one of the Post volunteers. We shared stories of Vietnam veterans that we know and how they were treated. We both got very emotional. We both talked of how glad we are that these ladies are doing what they are doing and that is 'providing comfort' to the soldiers fighting and hurting today. This trip is all about letting wounded soldiers know that we care. We are delivering these quilts as a token of THANKS, GRATITUDE and LOVE. God Bless all who have touched our trip today, in any way, be it in escorting, feeding us or just telling us ' thank you for doing this'. Oh, I would be remiss in not saying anything about this......One of singers from Earth, Wind and Fire was at the Post and came out to the bus along with another member from Three Dog Night. They thanked us and then serenaded us with a song! For the life of me I cannot remember their names and for this I am sorry. It has been a long day and the wheels are turning at 6:30 a.m. Uffdah!

Day One

We were welcomed warmly to the American Legion Post 15 in Sioux Falls, SD at a bit after noon. The served us a great lunch during which Jenny did a quilt show/talk/question session. One of the post members got up and thanked the ladies for all their hard work and this mission. He then introduced the American Legion Riders who will escort the bus. Four of the ten Riders are ladies! We gave them all a round of applause. Larry Ripplinger is still escorting us too. He started in Underwood! The others that started had to leave us at the SD border. We all went outside as the weather is beautiful and Jenny got the first ride of the trip on one of the bikes! Thank you to all the Riders as we feel privileged to have you there as we look out ahead of the bus. God Bless all the Riders and all at Post 15!

The quilts are on their way!

  It was a brisk 39 degrees this morning as the QOV ladies gathered in Underwood MN to depart on their mission to take 1,020 quilts to Texas to distribute to our Service men and women.  If you have been reading the blog you know the goal was 1,000 quilts but the extra 20 were done and they did fit under the bus.  Needless to say the ladies have their suitcases inside the bus with them.

  There was a very touching program given before the coach full of quilts and ladies were sent on their way.  I wish you all could have been there.  We were touched to once again here what a blessing the quilts are to the soldiers that have received them.   A blessing was said over the quilts that they would accomplish everything they were meant to do.  Comfort, encourage and even help to heal each and every soldier that receives them. 

  Our fellow quilters will recognize the name Fons and Porter and Love of Quilting.  Well a cameraman from there show was at the send off and will be riding along with the quilts and ladies.  He will be taking footage and doing interviews so we will have another chance latter to relive and share the journey. 

 

  I would  like to introduce Cheri who will be blogging on this trip.  Just a few of the people that have worked on the quilts and helped to raise funds to make this possible were able to go on the trip.  The ones unable to go send our love and blessings with them and look forward to hearing all about the week.   

 I apologize - my camera did not like the cold, so I only have a few pictures but am looking forward to getting more from other people that were there and adding them.  

Our Goal is met - and it's almost time to go!

 I want to tell you that the Otter Tail County QOV ladies have not been slacking off!  Our goal of 1,000 quilts has been met!!!!  The quilts were vacuumed to shrink them down and then wrapped in shrink wrap to keep them that way for the trip. 
  I want to share some pictures from last months work day and then I will give you a look at what 1,000 quilts look like.  ( I know it's allways fun to see quilts)

  Now this is what the quilts look like when they are ready to go.  Each of the bundles you see hold 10 quilts. They were all loaded into this trailer to be taken to the bus and then the journey will began! 

Our Machines are humming and the fabric is flying!

   I know that if you could hear the chatter and laughter that drifts out of our work areas you would be surprised at what we get done!  Wonderful friendships have been made while sewing for others.  It’s true – The more you give, the more you get!

I am excited to let you know that our 3 QOV groups have a new mission!!!!

   In October we will once again be boarding a “coach” and heading out to thank some of our deserving Soldiers for all they do for us.    Our goal is to take 1,000 quilts (no this is not a typo)  with us to present to them with a hug and appreciation from us and all of you.  We have been busy making the quilts thanks to the support of our communities and especially the Underwood Legion and Lions, that have once again raised the funds to help with the cost of making the quilts and delivering them. 

  As we look forward to this trip we remember our last trip and how the Soldiers were excited to receive their quilts, but more than anything they were touched to see that so many people took time out of their  lives and came all that way to personally say thank you to them.  They consider the sacrifices they make as “just part of the job” , while we know that it is a gift of freedom that they give to us.

Keep a lookout as I will keep you updated as our deadline gets closer. 

Check out the a few of the busy workers on one of our last work days.