An Oak Harbor business owner is sharing in the effort to bring comfort to the families of those killed in Operation Red Wing and to the only survivor of the 2005 incident, Marcus Luttrell.
Debra Staley is the owner of Quilter’s Workshop on Pioneer Way. The quilts are the project of one of her former students, Dee Heinz, who took quilting classes while her husband Sean, was stationed at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.
“She was a brand new quilter,” Staley said. “She was a great student and what she is doing now is heartwarming.”
Heinz, who now lives in Pensacola, said she was inspired to do something after reading Luttrell’s book, “Lone Survivor.”
“It’s an eye-opening account of what these guys go through,” Heinz said. “It inspired me.”
Heinz sends her completed quilt tops to Staley, who adds the batting and backing, then quilts them with her longarm sewing machine. She does the binding and hanging sleeve by hand. The two quilts she was working on Sept. 20 were bound for a very special event.
“Marcus started the Lone Survivor Foundation which each year gives a place for wounded warriors to go and heal,” said Heinz. “He raises funds through a gala each year. One of these quilts will be signed by Marcus and auctioned off at the gala. The second quilt has all of the men involved in Operation Red Wing on it, and it will be presented to Marcus by his twin brother, who is also in the military.”
Heinz said her goal is to make a quilt for each of the Red Wing families. She has made six so far.
“It will take me a while to get there,” she said. “But this is my way of showing these families that their loved one has not been forgotten.”
Heinz contacts family members and asks them to send her photos. She scans the photos and transfers them to fabric, then designs the quilt based on the number of photos. She said each quilt costs between $150 and $200 to make, but she doesn’t accept any compensation or contributions.
Staley, a Navy veteran herself, said she is very proud of her former student.
“As a teacher, I’m just so happy one of my students has decided to do this,” she said. “This is all Dee. She’s taken the bull by the horns.”
When she finishes the quilts for all the Red Wing families, Heinz said she’ll continue to make more. Perhaps for the families of the 30 servicemembers killed in August, 2011, when their Chinook helicopter was shot down by insurgents in Afghanistan, she said.
“Sadly, there’s no shortage of Gold Star families in our country,” said Heinz. “Not a single quilt gets made that I don’t shed some tears.
“This is just a quilt,” she continued. “I’m able to do it safely in the comfort of my own home because of the sacrifices they’ve made. It’s an honor for me.”
Find out more:
For more information on Marcus Luttrell and Operation Red Wing, go to www.marcusluttrell.com. For information on the Lone Survivor Foundation, go to www.lonesurvivorfoundation.org.
