By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

It was an emotional experience for both Dick Ghys and Brad Windisch when they received the Quilts of Valor made by Diane Mallum. All are of Geneseo.

The two Vietnam veterans were honored at the recent ceremony hosted by the Quad City Quilts of Valor Foundation and held at the Quad City Botanical Center.

Both Ghys and Windisch served in the military during the Vietnam War. Ghys served in the U.S. Army from December of 1966 through November of 1967. He was in the infantry stationed in the Mekong Delta.

Windisch served in the U.S. Air Force, stationed at Phu Cat Air Force Base in Vietnam from September of 1970 until September of 1971.

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. Although the patterns of the quilts may vary, the fabrics used are almost always shades of red, white and blue.

Mallum said she has made Quilts of Valor before and donated them to the Quad City Quilts of Valor Foundation, but had never before nominated any specific person to receive the throws….”I have made the quilts through the Geneseo Quilt Guild and donated them to the Quad City Quilts of Valor Foundation, but this is the first time I have specified the veterans I wanted to receive my quilts.”

Mallum contacted both Ghys and Windisch in May and asked them if they would accept her nomination as recipients of the quilts. Both men agreed and did attend the ceremony held by the Foundation.

The event was held in conjunction with the observance of Veterans Day.

Mallum said she will continue to make the Quilts of Valor, “maybe not every year, but I do still like to quilt.”