PHOTO: William Clunie with his quilt, a gift from Colonial Daughters Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution. (Submitted photo)
FARMINGTON — Colonial Daughters Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution recently presented a quilt made by Melanie J. Farmer, of Temple, to Back In The Maine Stream, to be given to one of its members, the culmination of an idea that wsa formed more than a year ago.
In June 2019, Colonial Daughters Chapter DAR invited Steven Rothert, USN retired, of Farmington, to present a program and slide show of BITMS, which is a nonprofit organization run by disabled veterans who have a strong desire to help other disabled veterans increase their quality of life and heal physical and emotional trauma through recreational fishing. Fishing trips with BITMS range from a simple day trip for smallmouth bass on the Androscoggin River, to multi-day trips to extravagant lodges to fish for exotic species, or a deep sea fishing 10 miles out in the Atlantic Ocean.
The DAR members enjoyed the presentation immensely and with one member, outgoing chapter regent, Melanie Farmer, of Temple, the wheels started turning. What could our chapter do for at least one of these veterans? And the quilt idea was born. Farmer found the quilt pattern online and she was fascinated with the curved pieces in the blocks and thought that if it was made with various shades of blue it would resemble rippling waters. The backing is complemented with fishing theme material.
BITMS has since dissolved, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, when the queen-sized quilt was finished, Farmer presented it to Rothert to be given to a veteran who had been a member. Rothert presented it to William Clunie, of Dixfield.
Clunie joined the Navy in 1980, went through boot camp and then Hospital Corps School at Great Lakes, Ill., then to Camp Pendleton in California for Field Medical Service School. He served at Balboa Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit before being transferred back to Camp Pendleton for the remainder of his enlistment, as an instructor. He also ran a medical clinic at the First Force Service Group, 1st MarDiv, NCO Leadership Academy. After five years of service Clunie left the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class.
Clunie said he served with much pride and felt honored to have spent his time in the service of his country.
