Bits and pieces: WW II veterans sought to sign commemorative quilt; latest stats for hospital capacity and COVID-19

Posted By: Staff February 8, 2023

American Legion seeking WW II veterans to sign commemorative quilt

The local American Legion Seicheprey Post 2 is encouraging World War II veterans to attend, and to sign a commemorative quilt at, its Iwo Jima/World War II Veteran Reunion on Feb. 19, at 2 p.m., at the Bristol Public Library, according to Neal Supranovich.

Supranovich has been involved with the quilt project since 2019, when he chaired, and was the sole member of, the Bristol Hometown Hero Committee.

Bristol World War II veterans sign a commemorative quilt prior to the opening ceremony of the 2019 Mum Festival. | Photo provided by Neal Supranovich

In 2019 the Hometown Hero Committee, working with the Korean Veterans Association, chose to pursue the creation of a quilt honoring the 4,762 Bristolites who served in World War II and the 169 Bristolites who lost their lives in that war, according to Supranovich who sent TBE a detailed account via email. In a follow up conversation, Supranovich provided more information.

The nine World War II veterans who signed the commemorative quilt pose at the opening ceremonies of the 2019 Mum Festival. | Photo provided by Neal Supranovich

Originally, the group “Quilts of Valor” was approached to make a quilt for the signing, but their charter would not allow them to do it. An individual quilter from Maine stepped forward and donated a used quilt, which a volunteer drove all the way up to Maine and brought it back to Bristol for a ceremony prior to the official opening of the Mum Festival in 2019.

In a ceremony before the official opening of the 2019 Mum Festival, nine World War II veterans signed the quilt. Between the Mum Festival and Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, Dec. 7, 2019, Supranovich gathered more signatures. The quilt was presented on Dec. 7 by the late Art Ward, as chair of the local veterans committee, to the Bristol Hospital with plans to display it there.

The hospital requested more signatures. Supranovich did what he could to gather more of them, traveling to nursing care centers and several American Legion breakfasts. As happens, the plan fell apart when the employee guiding the project took another job, and the quilt wound up back with Supranovich a month ago.

All World War II veterans are invited to sign the quilt on Feb. 19, as part of the Iwo Jima World War II Veterans Reunion which will feature, among other events, the presentation of a limited edition print of a painting of local World War II veteran, Joe Caminiti, to Caminiti.

Editor’s note: This story has been amended to include the information about the quilt being in storage at Bristol Hospital.

Bristol Hospital bed capacity

As of Feb. 6, 61.3 percent or on average 82.1 of 134 adult staffed hospital beds, the same as the previous week, were occupied at Bristol Hospital, according to the State of Connecticut’s Data and Analytics division.

During the same week, the number of occupied staffed ICU beds remained at 64 percent or 9 of 14 from the previous reporting period.

Latest COVID-19 stats

Bristol’s COVID-19 positivity rate is 10.8 percent the same as a week ago with 51 positive cases up, also, the same number of positive cases from the previous week, leaving Bristol in the high category with over 15 cases per 100,000 people. Hartford County is in the medium category again this week.

The CDC recommends that people at high risk for severe illness, talk to their healthcare provider about whether to need to wear a mask and take other precautions. In addition, the CDC reminds people to take the following measures:

Boys & Girls sets date for annual gala

The Boys & Girls Club of Bristol is hosting its second annual gala on Saturday, April 22, at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville from 5 to 10 p.m. Entitled the “Future Stars” Gala this event will highlight accomplishments BB&GC youth and future goals.

Tickets are available at www.bbgc.org/gala. Questions about sponsorships or advertising opportunities may be directed to Rayshe Ramirez, Associate Director of Resource Development, at 860-540-3150.

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