Jan and Bob Scarpino of Port Clinton and Quilts of Valor Foundation members Jill Bothe and Mary Gill display the Quilt of Valor present to Scarpino for his 20 years of service with the U.S. Coast Guard. (Photo by Kathy Jo Schweitzer)

Robert Scarpino of Port Clinton was honored last week for 20 years of service in the United States Coast Guard with a quilt from the Quilts of Valor Foundation.  The award ceremony took place in Scarpino’s front yard with the United States flag gently blowing in the wind and his wife, Jan, looking on.

Scarpino honorably served in the Coast Guard in stations all over the United States. One of his most memorable times is being part of a drug bust on a boat with 17 tons of marijuana. Scarpino is also very active in various volunteer activities in Port Clinton.

Scarpino was awarded the quilt by Jill Bothe and Mary Gill, members of a local Quilts of Valor group, Grateful Valor Girls. A Quilt of Valor is a quality, handmade quilt that is machine or hand quilted. It 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,” said Gill and Bothe.

The Quilts of Valor Foundation is a grassroots group of quilters from all across the US. In 2003, a quilter named Catherine Roberts had the idea of comforting veterans with quilts during the time her son was deployed in Iraq. Since then, more than 254,125 Quilts of Valor have been awarded here in the United States, and in Germany, Iraq and Afghanistan.

The mission is to honor our service members and veterans who have been touched by war with Quilts of Valor. To submit a veteran who someone would like to honor with a quilt, visit www.qovf.org.