All photos by Dave Sanford.

GRAFTON - Vietnam veteran Garry Rush received a Quilt of Valor from Illinois State Coordinator Jan Copeland, also of Hartford, in a ceremony at the American Legion Post #648 during the Post’s Annual Veterans Day dinner on Sunday, November 14.

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Grafton Mayor Mike Morrow nominated the Vietnam veteran to the Quilt of Valor Foundation for the honor. He said Garry was in Vietnam from 1962 to 1966 and received an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.

"There was hardly a dry eye in the house when he received the quilt," Mayor Morrow said. "You have to be nominated for the process and the ladies then need time to make them. We decided Garry would be most appropriate at this time to receive a quilt.

“Garry’s selfless service to our nation as a young Marine is typical of the many veterans who have served our country from the City of Grafton and the surrounding areas. We are grateful for their sacrifices and thank them all.”

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Garry’s wife, Evelyn, their daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren attended the ceremony.

The Quilts of Valor Foundation was started in 2003 by Founder Catherine Roberts whose son Nat was deployed in Iraq. A Quilt of Valor (QOV) is a quality, handmade quilt that is awarded to a Service Member or Veteran who has been touched by war. The Quilt says unequivocally, “Thank you for your service and sacrifice in serving our nation.”

The Quilt of Valor must be awarded and recorded. Mayor Mike Morrow nominated Garry for the award with the QOV Foundation.

If you are a quilter and would like to support the QOV mission, please visit the QOV website https://www.qovf.org/ or contact mayor Morrow at city hall at (618) 786-3344.

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