Belpre veterans honored with Quilts of Valor

Local News Belpre veterans honored with Quilts of Valor By Gwen Sour November 12, 2026 3 min read From left, Paul Gheen, a retired U.S. Army communications and lineman who served in Germany from 1966 - 1968, receives a blanket of Valor from quilters Beverly Neff, Barbara Jahen and Bonita Lowe during a ceremony at the Belpre Senior Center Tuesday. (Photo by Gwen Sour) From left, quilters Barbara Jahen and Beverly Neff wrap Robert Hadfield, a retired Sgt. Major who served in the U.S. Navy as a corpsman and in the U.S. Army as a combat engineer from 1976 - 2010, in a Quilt of Valor Tuesday evening. (Photo by Gwen Sour) Over a dozen veterans were honored with Quilts of Valor Tuesday evening at the Belpre Senior Center. (Photo by Gwen Sour) 1 / 3 expand close ✕ From left, Paul Gheen, a retired U.S. Army communications and lineman who served in Germany from 1966 - 1968, receives a blanket of Valor from quilters Beverly Neff, Barbara Jahen and Bonita Lowe during a ceremony at the Belpre Senior Center Tuesday. (Photo by Gwen Sour) From left, quilters Barbara Jahen and Beverly Neff wrap Robert Hadfield, a retired Sgt. Major who served in the U.S. Navy as a corpsman and in the U.S. Army as a combat engineer from 1976 - 2010, in a Quilt of Valor Tuesday evening. (Photo by Gwen Sour) Over a dozen veterans were honored with Quilts of Valor Tuesday evening at the Belpre Senior Center. (Photo by Gwen Sour) 1 / 3 Trending BELPRE -- Local quilters honored veterans with handmade Quilts of Valor at the Belpre Senior Center, offering gifts intended to provide comfort and preserve a reminder of their service for future generations. Guild members Beverly Roney and Bonita Lowe said 17 veterans were selected for the recognition. One recipient was hospitalized and could not attend, so his quilt presentation was postponed. Eric Clark, president of the Belpre Area Veterans, said the organization partnered with the local quilt guild for the ceremony. He described the quilts as a personal expression of gratitude from people who wanted to recognize veterans' service. "Just another way of thanking a veteran for their service," Clark said. "Just something that they can keep, pass down to their family later on." The program took place during the veterans organization's monthly meeting and opened with the Pledge of Allegiance, the national anthem and an invocation. Roney addressed the recipients before calling them forward, explaining the meaning of the quilts and the work behind them. "A quilt of valor is not a charity quilt. It is not a blanket. It cannot be purchased," Roney said. "It is given as a token of our appreciation for your service." She described each quilt's layers as symbols of the people who made it, the comfort they hoped it would bring and the support surrounding each recipient. The quilt top, with its different colors, shapes and fabrics, represented individuals coming together. The batting represented warmth, comfort, peace and healing, while the backing symbolized the strength of the veteran and the support of family, community and country. The stitches represented the makers' love and gratitude, she said. Roney and Lowe explained that the quilts must meet specific requirements and carry labels identifying the recipient, the ceremony date and the people who pieced and quilted them. The ceremony also recognized the range of military experiences among the recipients. Veterans' service histories were read as they were called forward, including their military branches, assignments and years of service. Clark said the care put into making and presenting each quilt gave the recognition particular meaning. "To me, it's better than a medal somebody may get because this was made by people who love veterans," he said. Roney encouraged recipients to view the quilts as keepsakes that could eventually help younger family members understand their service and sacrifices. "We want you to keep this quilt as a tangible reminder that there are thousands of women and men across this land that are forever in your debt," she said.