The Hill City Quilt Guild was invited to contribute to Operation Black Hills Cabin in Custer, a sanctuary where 30% disabled veterans can retreat for a week to reconnect with family and find solace. As part of this initiative, the guild was asked to provide six Quilts of Valor annually, alongside meal vouchers and passes to local attractions. While our guild member, Lori Comer found this immensely rewarding, she felt there was room to do even more.

One morning, during her daily commute, inspiration struck. Why not extend our quilt-giving to local veterans in Hill City? After discussing with the Quilt Guild and the school’s administration, our idea quickly took shape, and before long, we found ourselves featured in the annual Veteran’s Day Program.

Starting in 2015, we began by presenting four quilts to local veterans. As the years passed, the demand grew, leading us to cap the number of recipients at six per year. To date, we’ve awarded 49 quilts. Each year, community members nominate veterans, and we have the honor of sharing their stories in front of an audience of students and locals alike at the school. If you’ve never experienced this event, we highly recommends it; it’s profoundly moving, and being a small part of it is an honor we hold dear.