LENOIR CITY, Tenn. — During a ceremony on Friday, 15 veterans and volunteers were given a Quilt of Valor for their service in the military.
The participants worked with the Heroes and Horses program, which aims to help veterans with disabilities. Some of the people they serve have conditions like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, sensory loss, amputation or other kinds of disabilities.
The program is run by the Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding and gives participants a chance to spend time in a space where they can enjoy camaraderie and fellowship.
"We don't cry a lot, veterans don't. We have a lot of reasons to cry, but we just don't. I think after we don't cry a lot, we just kind of get used to it. And so, I haven't cried in years," said Jeri Batsford, who served in the U.S. Navy. "And then someone asked me to do a video on STAR, and I cried, and it was the first time I cried in about ten years."
Organizers behind the program said it gives participants health benefits, such as strengthening their core, improving balance, and stress relief. It also gives them a chance to network with other veterans.
"It was an award ceremony for, not only our participants but also our volunteers because they are all veterans. The quilt group from Tellico Village made the beautiful quilts, and then we presented them here in a ceremony and lunch and everything, just to honor them," said an organizer of the ceremony.
The quilts honored each veteran's branch of service. They also received a certificate for the time they served. Organizers said it had been around eight years since the last time they held a ceremony.
The ceremony honoring the veterans lasted from 11:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. on Friday.