Quilts of Valour Australia Inc
President’s Report – July 2020
Quilts of Valour Australia Inc is a Not-For-Profit Charity registered with ACNC and it has authorization to give Tax Deduction receipts. It does not receive government funding and relies solely on generous donations from a wide range of Australians and organizations who believe in the goal of QOVA.
This goal is to acknowledge and thank veterans and in some cases their families for their service to our country. Donations to help QOVA range from cash donations, donations of fabric, donations of completed quilts and/or quilt tops, quilt blocks and donations of many hours of time by coordinators and representatives around Australia. None of the office bearers, coordinators or representatives are paid.
In these strange and troubling times many organisations, such as QOVA, have had to change operations.
At the beginning of this pandemic Helen and I decided that it was necessary to cancel talks and quilt presentations to comply with government regulations and protect our volunteers. All our volunteers around Australia agreed with this decision. However many of our wonderful quilt makers have continued to make quilts for QOVA. They range from quilting groups, small quilting interest groups and individual quilters and professional long arm quilters.
All coordinators, representatives and other quilt presenters have wonderful stories about the emotional effect of presenting quilts to veterans who are suffering as a result of their service to our country. I have even had veterans saying that they don’t think they deserve a quilt but they will take it in memory of the mates who did not return from the conflict. It also seems that the older quilt recipients, people in their 90’s and over 100 years old are amazed to receive a quilt from QOVA. This does not take away from the younger quilt recipients who are struggling with moving on with their life after serving our country.
Our bank account has been kept healthy by the wonderful donations by a wide range of organizations around Australia as well as donations by individuals and quilt recipients. QOVA could not have continued to operate without some large donations as well as many smaller donations.
Each donation, big or small is gratefully received. We also acknowledge the many donations of completed quilts, tops, and fabric that have been donated from all around Australia. The time taken to make these donations cannot be calculated as a huge number of hours are involved. We are also grateful to the many companies in the quilting industry who support QOVA. Special thanks must be given to Victorian Textiles for their unwavering support. I also give many thanks to our large number of volunteers from all around Australia who believe in the goal of QOVA to acknowledge our ADF veterans in all service branches. Their voluntary role has been essential in the growth of QOVA.
Even in this time of the COVID 19 pandemic QOVA is keeping on track with its goal to present quilts to veterans and, at times, widows, family or partners who have been adversely affected by their Service for our country. A few quilts have been awarded complying with the states isolation regulations in the past few months and QOVA will be well placed to award quilts in the future when restrictions are eased.
We appreciate all people who are prepared to help QOVA in so many ways, be it monetary, gifts of quilts and fabric as well as time taken to make quilts.
QOVA welcomes people to nominate veterans who would be worthy recipients of our quilts. People can nominate recipients by contacting representatives, state and territory coordinators, committee members or simply contacting our web site or Facebook group.
Wyn Roper
President