Inspiring Veterans pay it forward through quilting
When M. Scott Beaver was 14, his grandmother instilled in him a love of quilting. “She tried to show me crocheting,” he said, “but I lost my temper.”
Sharing his gift
Now a U.S. Navy Veteran, Beaver works at PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom VA Medical Clinic
in Colorado Springs. As support staff for the mental health and substance abuse clinic and the women’s health team, Beaver sought to introduce crafting to Veterans.
He started Freedom Quilters at Lindstrom VA in October 2020 to teach Veterans to quilt.
“The name stands for America patriotism but also freedom from the stigmas of mental health, anxiety and recovery from substance abuse,” said Beaver. “You have the freedom to express yourself in an artistic, nondestructive way that leads to personal achievement.”
Beaver felt that quilting offered a different avenue of expression for Veterans during the stress of the pandemic. Despite his enthusiasm for leading the free Saturday workshops, Beaver said some participants felt intimidated when they saw his large, finished quilts.
“I say everybody in our workshops is a beginner, including me because I learn from them,” he said. “We break it down and cut a square. Then, we cut two together, then four.”
Beaver said the program offered participants structure, taught them patience and gave them something to show for their efforts. Beaver’s only caveat … the quilt they made had to go to a Veteran.
Significance of the angel quilt
In December 2022, Beaver lost his stepmother, Lynne. An 18-year survivor of breast cancer, she loved angels. Beaver made a quilt with an image of an angel and presented it to Lynne on the day she relocated to a facility for care in 2020.
“My stepmother’s very last wish was that I pay it forward and present the angel quilt to a survivor who inspired me,” Beaver said.
That inspiration came from U.S. Army Veteran Morla Colby, a Lindstrom VA peer support specialist. Beaver presented Colby with the angel quilt on Oct. 30, 2023.
“Her story parallels that of my stepmother’s,” said Beaver. “Miss Colby had breast cancer and worked all through her treatments, chemo and surgeries. She never had a bad word to say and was always chipper. She inspires me, our team and every Veteran she meets with her willingness to share her story without hesitation to inspire other survivors.”
Colby was honored by Beaver’s precious gift.
“It felt like a blessing to be seen as more than a survivor of this disease but a thriver,” said Colby. “This quilt represents hope to me!”
Colby, who celebrated one year cancer-free in August, will keep the angel quilt until she finds another survivor who inspires her.
Benefits of the quilting program
Ardesia Parr, a Lindstrom VA licensed professional mental health counselor, has referred patients to Beaver’s program because she said it offered a place where Veterans could meet and make connections.
“It made them feel they were contributing to something more than themselves,” said Parr. “This program helped give them support outside of therapy. I’ve seen Veterans gain self-confidence, build self-esteem and find something they could take pride in.”
Freedom Quilters ended at the Lindstrom Clinic in 2023, but the program has resumed at the nearby Serenity Recovery Connection. For more information, call 719-465-2295.
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April Love is a Writer-Editor on the VISN 19 Creative Task Force. She began working for VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System in 2016 and lives in Aurora, Colorado.