“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”

— Ronald Reagan

For some veterans of World War II and the Korean War, it has been 65 or 75 years since they set out with their fellow American servicemen and women risking their lives to protect the freedoms we have today.

Recently a group of local women set out on their own mission to ensure those veterans know their sacrifice continues to be deeply appreciated.

It all began last year when the American Legion Auxilia-ry Keith Lowry-Henry Ellyson Post No. 5 members came up with an idea to make a patriotic quilt and have a drawing for it at the annual Veterans Day American Legion breakfast and commemorative service.

On that cold and rainy Veterans Day, Korean War veteran Ervin Willms won the drawing and was presented with the quilt made with love by auxiliary member Debbie Burge.

At the end of the ceremony, Burge teased Willms that his wife might try to keep the quilt for herself, but he told her that he was going to go home, get in his recliner and wrap himself up in his new quilt.

That sparked a flame and auxiliary members knew they wanted to continue the project to provide more quilts for veterans on future Veterans Days.

“We all have family that have served in the military and sacrificed so much,” auxiliary member and Kingfisher Mayor Roxie Alexander said. “We just want to honor them.”

So the plan for 2020 was to make another quilt for Veterans Day and present it at the breakfast, Alexander said.

But like almost every other plan in 2020, plans changed.

This year’s quilt was made by Alexander and she said she presented it to some of the American Legion members at a meeting in order to determine who would receive this year’s quilt.

She walked away with a list of all WWII and Korean War veterans who are members of Post No. 5...and a new plan.

“I went back to my friends and we agreed we couldn’t do just one,” Alexander said. “We wanted to make one for all of them.”

With Veterans Day only a couple of months away and over 30 names on the list, it was going to take a small army to complete the quilts in time.

With limited time to complete the project, the 2020 pandemic restrictions turned out to be a bonus as a lot of the women were staying home more and excited about the opportunity to make quilts with friends and show their appreciation to local veterans.

Alexander starting recruiting other auxiliary members and friends who loved to quilt and without any arm-twisting, she said, a group of about 17 women got to work.

“It was definitely a group effort and an honor for all us women to be able to honor our veterans,” Alexander said.

The only requirement was the quilts had to be red, white and blue, she said.

All the quilts, 34 of them, were made with love and completed the week before Veterans Day and ready to go to their new homes.

The quilts were boxed and shipped to veterans who no longer live in Kingfisher County and hand-delivered to those within the county. Each quilt was sewn with a personalized label and a letter of appreciation was also presented with each quilt.

With plans to start honoring the Vietnam Veterans of American Legion Post No. 5 next year, Alexander said they welcome anyone who would want to help with the project

“We had fun making the quilts and it will be a real joy to be able to give the veterans a smile,” Alexander said.

Added Burge: “We wanted to let them know that they are not forgotten and are still very much appreciated.”