Veterans receive Quilts of Valour from Lethbridge group

Quilts of Valour presented southern Alberta veterans with hand-made quilts at a ceremony Thursday in Lethbridge.

Southern Alberta veterans received a unique honour Thursday: homemade quilts.

The Quilts of Valour have been making quilts for veterans since 2006.

Many of the recipients were injured in the line of duty.

The quilts are made by hand and given to veterans to comfort both their visible and invisible injuries.

But for the volunteers, all the hard work is worth it when they see the veterans get their quilts.

"For us it's a real pleasure to be able to come and present these quilts," said Diana Cole. "Because we not only present, but we actually make some of these."

Her fellow quilter Margaret Ventress agreed.

"I enjoy seeing the pleasure on their faces," Ventress said, "and the excitement in their eyes when they're getting a quilt presented to them."

Quilts of Valour is currently working through a backlog of quilt requests to make sure everyone gets theirs.

So far, over 21,000 quilts have been presented.