HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. — A decade-long art project created by children of military families now has a permanent home on the installation it was meant to honor.
Edy McAndrews, a former art teacher at Hanscom School, donated a handmade quilt titled “Oh Beautiful” to 66th Force Support Squadron leaders at the Child Development Center during a presentation Feb. 2.
“We are very excited to be the stewards of this quilt,” said Maj. Krapf, 66 FSS Director of Operations commander. “It’s clear that this project was a labor of love and is a visible reminder of how the military family is interwoven into our base community,”
The quilt, which will be displayed at the CDC, was created in 2013 with the help of more than 25 fourth- and fifth-grade students.
McAndrews said the intent of the project was to connect students to their community and to the installation their families served.
“The kids honored their parents’ service with this quilt,” McAndrews said. “Every square tells a story about a family, a uniform or a memory.”
The quilt was originally intended to be displayed at the base visitor center and was created entirely by hand.
McAndrews purchased the materials, while the base Thrift Shop donated the uniform.
Parents represented branches of the armed forces, including the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy and Marine Corps.
Although the quilt started more than 10 years ago, McAndrews said she recently felt compelled to ensure it reached its intended destination.
“It didn’t belong to me, it belonged to the base,” she said. “I always knew it needed to come home.”
The 66th Force Support Squadron helped coordinate the donation and placement of the quilt at the Child Development Center, where military families and children will be able to view it daily.
“Numerous individuals from across the country had a hand in creating this quilt,” said Krapf. “We are delighted to see this project come full circle and return to Hanscom where it can be appreciated for the beautiful piece of art it is.”
McAndrews said she hopes the quilt will continue to spark conversations and pride for years to come.
“It was made with love by kids who were proud of where they lived and who their parents were,” she said.