Athens honors dozens of veterans in annual ceremony
A group of veterans reciving Quilts of Valor in Athens in honor of their service.
ATHENS, Tenn. (WDEF)- There have and will be numerous events through Monday to honor our veterans all across the Tennessee Valley.
Sunday afternoon was no exception in McMinn County.
A large crowd came out to Athens Veteran’s Memorial Park where those who gave their all received the most beautiful of gifts.
An annual ceremony to honor the veterans of Athens and McMinn County saw 19 new names added to the over 4,000 bricks that comprise the park’s walking paths.
Athens has been adding the names of veterans to these bricks for 22 years.
Pastor Sean Musgrove of Athens First Baptist Church said of the event, “I think that we are having this on the eve of the election, and we got to do that because of the service you have provided.”
Athens Vice Mayor Larry Eaton added, “It means a lot to this community. Our veterans mean a lot to us because they actually signed their name in blood for our country and our communities to keep us safe and free.”
In addition to the names dedicated on the bricks, nine living veterans were honored by the local chapter of the Quilts of Valor Foundation
Jerry Cassem got involved with the organization when his son joined the military, and says the quilts have unique meaning to the volunteers who make them.
Cassem said, “They make what inspires them. When I sit down to make a quilt of valor, typically I’m choosing a new pattern or a new technique. Something to challenge me and make me grow.”
He says the unique designs can unexpectedly hold deep meanings for the veterans who receive them.
“We have a saying that every quilt is being made for someone. We just don’t know who that is. So by way of example today one of our quilts has panels where we partnered with the schools and third, fourth, and fifth graders got to color squares. Those ultimately got incorporated into the quilt. When I shared that with the veteran who got it, he loved it. He’s got a kid who’s coloring pages, so he could really relate to that,” he said.
Getting to honor some of America’s heroes will stay with those who came out to honor them on Sunday.
Jordan Curtis, an Athens councilman, said “It was humbling to see the emotion of many of those servicemen, those veterans who received their quilts. That’s what struck me the most as seeing their emotion in their face as they receive that kind of honor.”
