Quilts of Valour making hugs from Canada

Lynne Mersereau says she loves to make quilts. 

But the ones she makes come with a hug from Canada.  Mersereau is the local representative of Quilts of Valour which is a national agency which makes quilts for Veterans who suffer from physical or mental ailments. 

Three years ago she got asked to make some quilts for the Quilts of Valour branch in Lindsay. 

“We’ve got a base here, we have deserving people here, I think I want to get involved,” she said. 

“I started asking around and got some people on board helping me and I inquired about becoming a representative of Quilts of Valour.”

Three years later, Mersereau says making the quilts have become a real passion and it has given her a sense of purpose. 

“The people who receive them are so grateful and it makes a huge difference in their lives,” she said. 

Locally, Mersereau and her colleagues have made more than 120 quilts this year.  Most recently she presented a quilt to Veteran and local Paralympic rowing hopeful Dave Innes.  

“It is humbling to receive one of the quilts of valour, thinking of the men and women that never came back and will never get this opportunity,” said Innes about receiving the quilt.  

“It puts into perspective that getting a second chance at life is a priceless one. What these volunteers at QOV are doing for our Veterans is an amazing act of kindness. I will honour my quilt with pride.”  

Mersereau has a connection to Innes. She was living nearby in Fredricton, New Brunswick when Innes was involved in a training accident at CFB Gagetown that left him paralyzed from the ribs down.  

“For him to do what he has done, with his life is pretty remarkable,” said Mersereau.  

“He could have been one of those guys who said, ‘that’s it, I’m done,’ and look where he is now. It was a real honour to meet him and to give him a quilt and hopefully, it will give him some hugs.”