Cabot Creamery salutes local founder of group that makes quilts for active military, veterans

In 2006, Bellflower resident Barbara Winkler read about the Quilts of Valor Foundation, whose mission is to cover all combat service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing “quilts of valor,” and it touched her heart. With material ready and friends to help, Winkler organized the Southern California Quilts of Valor, which has since created more than 1,500 quilts to send to active military soldiers and veterans. During the last several years, the organization has teamed up with students at Wilson High School to make the quilts.
This month, Winkler was honored by Cabot Creamery Cooperative for her volunteerism in creating those quilts. She joined more than 41 other winners and their guests along with representatives from Cabot Creamery on an eight-day, seven-night Alaskan cruise to honor them for the volunteer work they do in their communities. They departed from the Port of Seattle on Sept. 14 and returned on Sept. 21, after visiting Ketchikan, Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Skagway and Alaska Inside Passage, as well as Victoria, British Colombia.
To find out more about Southern California Quilts of Valor, or to make a donation of cash or supplies, visit socalqov.com .