Mary Beatty will be one of 10 recipients of patriotic-themed quilts during a private event later this month in Mankato.
Beatty’s not used to being honored for her military service.
“It will be my one and only recognition,” she said Wednesday, as she joined Vonne Coyle, Karen Nellen and Sharon Schwartzkopf in Willow Brook’s activities room.
All four women live at the cooperative on Agency Trail.
Coyle, Nellen and Schwartzkopf are members of Mankato’s Deep Valley Quilting Guild. They regularly bring their sewing machines from their apartments to meet in the large room. While working on two projects for veterans, they discuss quilting methods and plan “shop hop” excursions to find cotton material.
“We like the camaraderie,” Coyle said.
They work together to make tops, backs and binding on the quilts. Other guild members also share in other duties during the process.
The number of quilts produced by guild members slowed during the pandemic.
“We couldn’t get together in 2020,” Nellen said.
This year, it’s all systems go. The quilters are again busy at their sewing machines and projects are rolling in.
Many of the guild’s completed works are dedicated to a national project. Recipients of Quilts of Valour are for veterans who saw combat.
Beatty’s gift will be from the guild’s Quilts for Veterans program.
She served in the Army in the mid-1980s and was stationed in Germany. She does not use the term “veteran” when referring to herself.
“Yes, I served in the military; yes, I was a soldier. But I did not see combat.”
Nonetheless, the quilters’ find Beatty’s service — a computer operator who helped arrange supplies for the infantry — deserving of recognition.
“I really do want a quilt,” she said, anticipating the gift that’s bound to be both pleasing to the eye and cozy on chilly nights.
A hobby painter, Beatty often takes a break from the solitude of working alone in her apartment and joins the trio of quilters in the activities room. She’s seen several of their finished works.
“I don’t know which on I am getting. They will not tell me,” Beatty said.
“Ten quilts for 10 vets,” Schwartzkopf said, describing the people being honored at the July 24 event at Willow Brook.
“They all live here. There’s one Vietnam vet. Seven served in the Army, one in the Air Force, one in the Navy and one in the Marines.
Recipients’ family members and friends have been invited to the guild’s quilt presentation.
Housing Director Liz Miller said the ceremony is not typical of the types of programming usually scheduled at the cooperative. The quilt presentation will be Willow Brook’s first.
“I just want to do something for our guys. A nice ‘thank you for service,'” said Schwartzkopf, speaking for the guild members.
Members of the public who’d like to view the variety of quilting styles by the guild’s 80-plus members may attend Deep Valley’s show in late September at the Armory.
Quilters interested in joining the guild may attend meetings 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 150 Stadium Court. The meeting’s feature speakers and member trunk shows.
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