BOISE, Idaho — A small gesture meant to leave a lasting impression.
Volunteers from Canyon County Quilts of Valor visited the Idaho State Veterans Home on Tuesday to recognize eight Korean War veterans, wrapping each one in a handmade quilt stitched with care—and purpose.
The quilts are more than just fabric. They serve as symbols of honor, healing, and gratitude.
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Retired Army Chaplain Norman Grier, who regularly spends time with veterans at the Idaho State Veterans Home, attended the ceremony and later shared why events like this matter.
“Our theme is to never leave a veteran behind," said Grier. "We always want to honor our veterans. I’m a veteran, I’ve been honored before.”
Grier explained that moments like these make a difference—not only for the veterans but for their families as well. “They love that they’re being recognized. Some of them feel like they weren’t, but now they are. They love it, their families love it.”
For Charlie Bratton, a Marine Corps veteran and retired ninth-grade teacher in Caldwell, the experience brought back powerful memories from his time serving in the Korean War.
“It was frightening over there. We really didn’t know if we were gonna come back or not.” After the war, Bratton returned home and went on to teach in Caldwell for more than 30 years.
“A great pleasure to serve this country—what a good country, a great place to raise our kids.”
WATCH TO SEE THE 8 KOREAN WAR VETERANS GET HONORED
Some veterans reflected on their service with a sense of pride—and humor.
“Getting lost,” said one veteran, Floyd, when asked about a memory that stood out.
“I feel proud,” added Eva.
For volunteers with Quilts of Valor, each ceremony is a reminder of why they do what they do.
“Most of us have family who served—fathers, kids, cousins. My father was in the service,” said Debbie Steiner, the co-founder for Quilts of Valor. “This is supposed to be a healing process. Once they’re wrapped in this quilt, hopefully it gives them some warmth.”
With more than 250,000 quilts awarded across the U.S. and abroad, the Quilts of Valor Foundation continues to wrap America’s heroes in appreciation—one stitch at a time.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
