Quilts for the Troops,  Veteran's Day, 
November 11th and 12th, 2001
See Herald and News story

 DEVASTATED KLAMATH BASIN GIVES SUPPORT TO MILITARY TROOPS,

Organized by:
Diane McKoen, Tulelake, Robin King, Malin, and Major Ginger Banks, Kingsley Field, Klamath Falls. 

Klamath Basin women, whose families have been devastated by the irrigation water cut-off this year, showed their appreciation on Labor Day to the troops serving in the U.S. military. Over 140 women ages 10 – 95, from Tulelake, Merrill, Malin, Klamath Falls, and Medford, made 100 quilts. “Operation Quilts is to show support for our troops, to give them comfort and support,” explains Robin King. Diane McKoen says she wants our servicemen to know that they are important, unlike the lack of appreciation our men received after serving in Vietnam. She adds, “Our government took our water and put these farmers out of business. We feel strongly about America, even though America has let us down.” Even as Caroline Aslett from Tulelake laments how we allowed our farmland to be decimated by the “environmentalists” by not supporting our loggers when they were destroyed, she patriotically, lovingly, fits together quilt pieces for those dear troops who believe in the freedoms of America. Following are photos of many local girls and women who lovingly made these quilts to fit bunks and sleeping bags of our troops. On each quilt is written “To our sons and daughters from American mothers.”

Janie Palmer, mother, teacher, Tulelake

young quilters

Kathy Moore, bus driver, farm wife, mother, Tulelake

LeAnn Crawford, Mary Hall, mothers, farmwives, Tulelake

Robin King, Diane McKoen, mothers, farmwives,
owners of Tater Patch Quilts in Merrill

Carolyn Aslett, mother from Tulelake

Norma Maxwell, retired teacher, mother, Tulelake

Callie Crawford, 4-Her, daughter of Rob and LeAnn Crawford, farmers,
with Major Ginger Brooks, 173^rd fighter wing, Kingsley Field

 
Charlene Oman, mother, school secretary, Tulelake, and
Diane McKoen, farmwife, mother, owner of Tater Patch Quilts, Merrill

Brunie Begozzi, mother, wife of USFWS employee, Malin

Quilters