'Fallen hero' quilt to be dedicated on Veteran's Day
For whatever reason, those veterans answered the call. Too many of them lately have laid their lives down on the field of battle, but that's a risk they willingly accepted. They swore an oath.
Often forgotten, though, are the people who lost them; the sons and daughters, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters, who watched them go away in answer to this nation's needs, and who lost the chance to welcome those vibrant young men and women back, who lost the future they dreamed of.
On Veteran's Day, Friday, November 11, a special presentation will be held in conjunction with ceremonies honoring our Veterans, at which a special quilt honoring the memory of one of our own fallen soldiers, Army Sergeant Joshua Kirk, who died in action in Afghanistan October 3, 2009, will be presented Joshua's family, including his mother, Bernadette Kirk-Bonner, and his sister, Jessica.
It will be the first such heirloom quilt, made with love by quilters whose every stitch carries meaning, to be bestowed, and will be presented by the Patchwork Memorials Fallen Heroes Foundation, Klamath Falls, Oregon, to help those who live celebrate, honor and remember those whose who died.
Nothing brings comfort like a quilt ... it gives warmth and evokes memories on even the darkest nights. Solace.
This quilt, the very first to be officially bestowed by Fallen Hero Quilts, and founder Timothy Miles, who finances the project from his own pocket, will be presented to the family of Joshua Kirk at 12:30 p.m. at Bonners Ferry Funeral Home, 6485 Harrison Street, Bonners Ferry.
"I am doing it because I believe it needs to be done," Miles said, "despite the fact that I am not a man of means (in fact, quite the contrary is true). I am financing this project alone and will do so until such time as I am unable to continue or, hopefully find sponsors to underwrite the Foundation. Since I have absolutely no experience in raising money for charities, at this point, I'm not sure even how to get that done."