There’s a new way to honor and remember the special Veteran in your life!
Threads of Honor, a fundraiser for the Alabama Veterans Museum and Archives, kicked off on November 11th. Wes and Marlene Isom, owners of Isom’s Orchard are continually finding ways to give back to their community, their “Dinners in the Orchard” have raised thousands of dollars for local causes. When Jerry Barksdale, one of the founding members of the museum and still a dedicated volunteer approached Marlene to ask about perhaps doing a dinner for the museum, she said “Oh, I have a better idea for the Alabama Veterans Museum, one I have been thinking of for quite a while!”
Director Sandy Thompson and other board members met with Marlene and were excited and touched by the idea… hence “Threads of Honor” was named. Veterans names and other military information will be hand stitched by local quilters on quilting squares, these squares will then be put together to form a quilt that will hang in perpetuity in the Alabama Veterans Museum.
“Threads” are available from $25.00 – $500.00, dependent on the amount of information and where it is positioned on the quilt. Quilting and the military have a long history together; the Civil War marked a season of change in American quilting. In the early 1860s, men took quilts into military service as bedding. The wartime quilt was used to communicate a soldier’s religious beliefs, to smuggle secret messages, and to provide supplies through enemy lines.
“What a wonderful way to not only create an heirloom but to honor our veterans. We are hoping to collect at least 3,000 names, which really isn’t that many in a community with such a large military population,” said Director Thompson. The quilt will be unveiled which gives us about a year to collect the names.
For more information or to purchase a name, contact the museum at 256- 771-7578 or Marlene Isom at 256-497-3786 or 256-232-0808. Go by Isom’s Orchard and purchase a thread and you will receive a free bag of apples!
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Alabama Veterans’ Museum, I would like to thank the entire community for their continued support of our Veterans and of the Museum! This is certainly a community who cherishes their Veterans and we could not do what we do without you!!!
By: Sandra Thompson, Director, Alabama Veteran’s Museum
