National Grange Vice President named to Quilts of Valor Board of Directors

On March 1, Christine E. “Chris” Hamp, Vice President of the National Grange, was named to the Board of Directors of the Quilts of Valor Foundation, with a term lasting through 2025.

Hamp a fourth-generation Grange member from Nine Mile Falls, Washington, was elected Vice President of the nation’s oldest agricultural and rural service fraternity in November. Previously, she had served as National Grange Lecturer since 2016.

One of the major pillars of Hamp’s tenure as Lecturer was creating a partnership with the Quilts of Valor Foundation. In 2017, Hamp introduced the program at the National Grange Session in Spokane. “I wanted a way for the Grange to honor veterans, and this program seemed like a natural fit with the Grange’s background and our popular quilt block contest,” Hamp said. Since then, hundreds of Granges across the country have presented Quilts of Valor to Grange and community members.

“I am excited to join this organization and I especially look forward to meeting, learning from, and growing with their dedicated members,” Hamp said.

The Quilts of Valor Foundation was founded by Catherine Roberts in 2003, while her son was stationed in Iraq. The mission of the Quilts of Valor is to bring comfort and healing to those who have been touched by war, through physically wrapping members in the warmth of a quilt and a hug. Since 2003, nearly 300,000 quilts have been given to veterans and service members.

The National Grange is a recognized “Under Our Wings” program partner in the mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation. This program allows Grange members to create quilts and award them to veterans in their communities or in the organization and teach the art of quilting to novices and young people while completing this meaningful community service.

Hamp earned a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy & Administration from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington; a Master of Public Administration degree from The George Washington University in Washington, DC; and an associate degree of technical arts in Fire Command Administration from Edmonds Community College in Edmonds, Washington.

She is currently employed by Spokane County Fire District 9 as the Division Chief of Administrative Services. She also serves the Fire District as a volunteer Lieutenant firefighter/EMT and is a Certified Fire Investigator.