'Today is a great day to be here'

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HURON – Those words, stated by honoree Leland Minske as he spoke, summed up the mood on Saturday, Nov. 19 at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church as the Huron Area Quilt Guild hosted their annual Quilts of Valor presentation to honor area veterans.

Sheryl Kloss opened the ceremony by thanking all the members of the guild and the family members that helped to make the day happen. Then each of the seven present honorees were introduced by a member of the guild to receive his quilt.

Some of the honorees spoke at length of their service, some spoke at length of the life that they were able to lead once they returned from service, and yet others spoke of how touched they were to be recognized for their service years after retiring from active duty.


Carl Burkel (COURTESY PHOTO)

Two of the honorees, Carl Burkel and Kenneth Gilbert, were unable to be present on Nov. 19, but were presented their quilts at later dates.

Gilbert recalled feeling blessed on the return he had from his service in Vietnam.

“I was lucky,” he recalled. At a gathering held soon after his return from service, he was identified by late Governor Harvey Wollman for his service and received a round of applause from those who were gathered.


Kenneth Gilbert

The emotions were on the surface, whether humor among former members of competing branches or welled-up gratefulness of those who were receiving a quilt.

“Some of the days lately have been tough,” reflected Minske. “Today is a good day. It’s good to hear (fellow veterans’) stories. It’s good that (the guild) does this. Today is a great day to be here.”