Surrounding by friends and standing in his beautiful garden Ray Paix received his Quilt of Valour from fellow Vietnam War veteran Stan Allen.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Ray, who served in the Royal Australian Engineers with the 17th Construction Squadron during 1969-70, thanked everyone who attended the ceremony saying they were the people who made his life so special.
That included his wife of 50 years Lyn and all the Partners of Veterans Support Group members who were in attendance.
Ray from Parkes and Lyn from Lithgow were engaged when he headed overseas with the army. The couple would eventually find their way to Singleton and have loved the district since they first arrived 40 years ago.
"This is the best place and our veteran friends are wonderful," said Lyn.
The quilt was made by Lyn's friend Mary Irvine who grew up with her in Lithgow. Mary like Lyn is married to a Vietnam veteran Jim and lives in Tea Gardens.
She said the quilt took around four months to make adding it was a task she enjoyed very much.
Presenting the Quilt of Valour to Ray was NSW Quilt of Valour Co-ordinator Stan Allen. An ex-serviceman Stan spoke about the period at the end of the war and in the following years when no one wanted to know you as you had served in Vietnam.
"I hid for 30 years and each Anzac Day stayed at home and drank and wallowed in self pity," he said.
"Like so many servicemen and women serving your country in combat took it toll. Nowadays I don't hide and am proud of my medals and proud of me."
The Quilts of Valour is an way of providing that love, support, warmth and care to veterans. It was established in 2010 to help those who served and to heal them with a quilt made specifically for them to wrap the wounded.
To date Quilts of Valiur Australia has supplied in excess of 1200 quilts to defence personnel affected by war and the immediate families of the fallen since early 2012.
Stan described the quilts as having three parts the top is colours, shapes and fabric representing the diversity of the communities ad individuals, the wadding or centre as the warmth of the quilt and the backing holds everything together and supports the communities.
"If you have served in a theatre of way you will return with demons and these quilts recognise that fact, and help the veteran" he said.