By Lauren Burgess
When Ginger Valenti first opened Pinwheels Quilting in 2015, she knew that she wanted to find a way to show her appreciation to first responders and those serving in the military. Her father being a member of the Air Force, she understands what the families of military members and first responders go through on a daily basis.
“Talking to these service members and first responders, so many of them don’t like to call themselves “heroes”. We wanted to honor them for their service to this country,” Valenti said.
She and her team decided to start making honor quilts to honor first responders and military members. Avid quilters, Pinwheels Staff, and volunteers spend countless hours making these quilts to present to service members, first responders, and their families.
On July 20, Ginger Valenti, owner of Pinwheels Quilting, and Sasha Watson presented honor quilts to Thomas Breining, Travis Walker, Stefani Linares, Anthony Hayes, Trey Cothron, and Chris Butler.
Thomas Breining joined the Air Force almost 20 years ago, and currently holds the position of Maintenance Flight Chief. He has deployed to Kuwait, South Korea, and from Moody five times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Atlantic Resolve. He looks forward to continuing to serve in the years to come.
Travis Walker is the Captain for the Tallahassee Fire Department and also an ER Paramedic for Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. He and his team were among some of the first to respond after Hurricane Michael, helping search through the rubble and saving any American flags they came across so they could return them to their owners.
Stefani Linares is an EMT and is a Paramedic for South Georgia Medical Center, and works for Lanier and Berrien County EMS. She serves as the assistant manager of the paramedic contract at Moody Air Force Base. She recently graduated with her RN in May 2019.
SSgt. Anthony Hayes joined the Air Force six years ago and is a part of the 23rd Security Forces Squadron. He has deployed as a K9 handler and has assisted in multiple stateside missions. He has also assisted the Secret Service to provide security for President Trump.
Trey Cothron started working as a first responder with the Lowndes County Fire Rescue in 2006 before he moved to the Valdosta Fire Department. There, he was promoted to Sgt, a rank he maintained for three years before being promoted to Lieutenant of the Valdosta Fire Department.
Chris Butler was a deputy of the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department when he was killed in the line of duty on February 2, 2017. He worked with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office Reserves as he put himself through the Regional Police Academy until he took an open position with the regular force. He loved coming home to tell his daughters stories about his day.
“These quilts are a token of our thanks,” said Watson. “Words cannot express our gratitude to these men and women. We want to honor the people who risk their lives on a daily basis. We want to say thank you.”
