Posted by: Lea_Marie_C_Paar on 06/27/2014 01:59 PM
Updated by: Lea_Marie_C_Paar on 06/27/2014 02:20 PM
Expires: 01/01/2019 12:00 AM
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Calaveras County’s Gail Belmont Veteran of the Year
Sacramento, Ca – Senator Tom Berryhill (R- Twain Harte) paid tribute to Calaveras county resident, Staff Sergeant Gail Belmont, as his 2014 Veteran of the Year. Belmont was given a Senate Resolution honoring her service at the seventh annual Veterans Recognition Luncheon at Sacramento’s Convention Center. Belmont’s service began just after her 18th birthday. Her first assignment was to play Taps at the funeral of fallen soldiers during the Vietnam War. Her patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve have continued to this day, long after her military service ended. Gail Belmont founded Quilts of Honor in 2010, a nonprofit, volunteer organization that honors servicemen and veterans suffering from combat related injuries and wounds, with handmade patriotic quilts. The organization now has chapters in Wisconsin, Texas, Kansas, Virginia and Idaho but the heart of this volunteer organization remains in the foothills of the 14th Senate District as well as the Central Valley. Three hundred volunteer quilters from Amador, Tuolumne, Oakdale and Turlock provide about 2,000 quilts a year to our returning heroes...
"It was an awesome experience, especially being a female from the Vietnam era," Gail said.
Congratulations, Gail!
“I chose Gail because of her heartfelt concern for the military personnel that have been wounded or are suffering from combat-related issues,” said Berryhill. “Her quilts, and those her volunteers have created, are a wonderful personal thank you to the men and women that have given so much for our country. I thought it was time someone pay it forward and say thank you to her.”
Gail rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant and received the National Defense and Good Conduct medals before completing her military service. She is actively involved with various veterans’ organizations, including the 14th Women’s Army Corps Band and American Legion Post 102 (the Post’s Honor Guard, and Veterans Service Office). To this day she still plays the bugle at military services and joined 180 fellow buglers to play in Arlington National Cemetery on the 150th anniversary of Taps.
“Clearly Gail’s work has struck a chord with people in and out of the military. Quilts of Honor has presented quilts to Navajo Code Talkers, been honored at the White House as well as designed and made a quilt that is included in the Pentagon’s permanent September 11th Memorial Display Case,” said Berryhill. “I particularly admire the way Gail has brought in other people, outside of the military, into the effort to take care of our servicemen and women. She has shown us this is something, as Americans, we can all do.”
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