HOLDEN — Veterans from Holden and Rutland were recently the special guests of Holden Grange. Nineteen veterans were recognized by the branch in which they served and were presented with certificates of appreciation. Lynette Gabrila, Director of Veterans Services for the Wachusett district, including Ashburnham, Ashby, Gardner, Princeton and Westminster, spoke about the dedicated service of the veterans and the benefits available to them.
Grange Secretary Janet Segur gave a brief history of the Quilt of Valor Foundation, whose mission is “to cover Service Members and Veterans touched by war with comforting and healing Quilts of Valor.” Patriotic quilts, meeting the requirements set forth by the Foundation, were awarded to Army veterans Lynette Gabrila of Gardner and David Putnam Sr. of Rutland, as well as Air Force veteran Kenneth Cook of Rutland.
The National Grange, a partner of the QoV Foundation, honors veterans at its annual conventions, a tradition that is being continued in Granges across the U.S. As Director of the Veterans Committee of the MA State Grange, Segur encourages local chapters to honor veterans in their communities.
