Elkhart Rotary Honors Veterans With Quilts
The Elkhart Rotary Club recognized local veterans at a first-of-its-kind event with a rifle salute, taps and Quilts of Valor presentations.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Military
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The Elkhart Rotary Club held a veterans recognition event on Monday that included a rifle salute, taps, flags and presentations of Quilts of Valor. The club plans to hand out service coins to veterans it encounters next week.
Why it matters
The event extends the Rotary Club's 10-year practice of honoring first responders to veterans in Elkhart. Quilts of Valor are hand-sewn utility quilts given to active-service members and veterans.
The Rotary Club has honored first responders for 10 years, and this was its first veterans event. One quilt recipient is 98 years old and served in Korea, while keynote speaker Aaron Holmes is in his 16th year of active duty.
The players
Elkhart Rotary Club
The Elkhart Rotary Club is a local service organization that has honored first responders in the community for 10 years.
Aaron Holmes
Aaron Holmes is a First Sergeant serving his 16th year of active duty and was the keynote speaker at the event.
The details
The event included a rifle salute, taps and flags, along with Quilts of Valor presentations. The Rotary Club promoted it by passing out flyers at VFWs beginning in June and gave a service coin to all veterans.
Timeline
June: Rotary Club began distributing flyers at VFWs to promote the event.
Monday, November 10, 2026: Veterans recognition event held with Quilts of Valor presentations.
Next week: Rotarians plan to begin handing service coins to veterans.
Political Context
The Rotary Club gave challenge coins to first responders for a decade and now applies the same approach to veterans through service coins. The extension mirrors a recognition model the club has already used locally.
Veterans in Elkhart may receive a service coin from Rotarians next week. The recognition is informal and given as veterans are encountered in daily life.
The takeaway
Local recognition efforts can extend beyond one group by reusing an established ritual, as the Elkhart Rotary Club has done by moving from first responders to veterans.
What happens next
Rotarians plan to begin handing service coins to veterans they encounter, such as in airports or on the street, starting next week.
Further reading
For related coverage, see Military news from the Elkhart area.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ABC57.
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