Local Women Make Comforting Quilts For Wounded Soldiers

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - A group of local women is giving back to wounded war heroes by piecing together some very personal tokens of appreciation.

Hours of hard work and love were poured into all of the quilts.

"We just thought, 'what could we do for them?' " said volunteer Carla Riley.

The blankets go to wounded veterans all over the country, locally delivered to the Fisher House at Travis Air Force Base.

"A young man came up. He was wounded, home from Afghanistan, and he recognized the label on the blankets and said he got one, and it meant a lot to him," said Riley.

So, far more than 70 blankets have been shipped.

"We package them nicely with a nice letter telling them how much we appreciate them," said Riley.

Each one is unique.

"We wanted to do something personal, you know? When you're in a hospital bed, you don't have a lot of personal items with you," said Riley.

The group of ladies plans to keep sewing as long as there's a need.

"Its just a continual effort. We just make them year round.

It's a time commitment they all enjoy, but, of course, the best part is being there when the quilts are handed off.

"They know that somebody cares. It's our gift to them; it's the least we can do," said Riley.

And what they're doing is making an impact, whether it's soldiers coming home in wheelchairs or being treated in hospitals. The blankets are finding there way into the laps and hearts of our wounded heroes.

"We just need to let them know they're loved and appreciated," said volunteer Jessica Miller.

Volunteers say donations to help with the cost of fabric and other supplies are always welcome.