ELKHART — A local group of volunteers is providing comfort for service men and women injured in Iraq and Afghanistan. The project is called American Hero Quilts, and the patriotic quilts they make are heading to stateside military hospitals.

Jody Jones is a member of the Heartland Quilters Group in Elkhart. They have joined forces with a national group to create brightly decorated quilts.

“This one has such a broad appeal to so many people that a lot more of the ladies got involved and have continued to stay involved,” Jones explained. “It’s just close to their hearts and they were taken by the stories that they heard and they wanted to keep on giving.”

Their group makes quilts with patriotic themes for servicemen and teddy bear themes for injured service women.

“It’s part of us saying, ‘[Here’s] a physical thing to comfort you and to say thank you for everything that you've done,’ and everything that they’re still going through because these guys are facing months and months of hospitalization and painful recovery time,” Jones said.

She adds that the recipients say they are grateful to be receiving these from total strangers and add that the quilts not only provide physical warmth, but warms their hearts on a number of different levels.

"Mostly they are red, white and blue; [but] not every one,” Jones said.

The group depends on volunteers and donated materials to make the quilts. They also have to pay their own shipping costs

If you'd like to learn more about the group, call Jody Jones at (574) 226-0177, or email qltgrose@comcast.net.