Colonial Daughters Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) of Farmington recently presented a quilt made by Melanie J. Farmer of Temple to the organization “Back In The Maine Stream (BITMS)” to be given to one of its members.
William Clunie of Dixfield and his quilt
Colonial Daughters Chapter DAR invited Steven Rothert, USN Retired, of Farmington to present a program and slide show of BITMS for their June 2019 meeting. BITMS is a non-profit organization run by disabled veterans that 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. Melanie 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 complimented with a fishing theme material.
Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the BITMS organization has since dissolved. However, when the queen sized quilt was finished, Mrs. Farmer presented it to the speaker, Steven Rothert to be given to a veteran who was a member of BITMS. He presented it to William Clunie of Dixfield, Maine.
Clunie joined the Navy in 1980, went through boot camp and then Hospital Corps School at Great Lakes, Illinois, 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 honorable 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.
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