Weight of Valor: Nonprofit crafts quilts to comfort veterans
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Quilting is stitched into Peggy Griswold’s soul.
“I’m probably at least a fourth-generation quilt maker,” she said.
Griswold makes weighted blankets for combat veterans and other vets who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. The craft gives comfort.
“They trigger a neurotransmitter in the brain that helps the person feel calm and relaxed,” she explained.
Nonprofit helps families meet diaper need while helping the planet
Griswold founded the nonprofit “The Weight of Valor Project.” She pours hours into the quilts that are customized for each veteran.
“Coming back into the civilian world, you kind of lose your identity a little bit. So having somebody kind of pull you aside. It makes you feel good like somebody’s actually paying attention to you,” said Air Force Veteran Kelci Aguilar.
Aguilar served for eight years.
“I was a sexual assault victim in the military, and that’s how I got my PTSD,” Aguilar said.
Aguilar’s quilt allows her to show up for her three babies.
“I woke up, and I wanted to cry,” Aguilar recalled. “I haven’t slept a full night in years.”
The work thrown into the quilts brings rest and a sense of security.
“That makes it all worth it,” Griswold said.
The Weight of Valor project ships the weighted quilts across the United States for free. They are accepting volunteers.
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