Every Quilt of Valor begins with fabric, thread and batting, but members of the Material Girls quilting group say each one also carries gratitude, healing and remembrance.

The group recently shared those messages while presenting Quilts of Valor to six area veterans, including Excelsior Springs resident Bobbi Dunlap, during a ceremony at Richmond First Baptist Church. Through the national Quilt of Valor Foundation, the handmade quilts are awarded to service members and veterans as a tangible expression of gratitude for their military service and sacrifice.

Material Girls member Irma Brown shared the history behind the Quilt of Valor Foundation, explaining it began in 2003 when Catherine Roberts of Seaford, Del., made a quilt for her son after he returned home wounded from military service. What started as one mother’s way of offering comfort soon spread as neighbors and friends began creating quilts for their own fathers, sons and brothers who had served, eventually leading to the creati…