Local Veteran Honored With Quilt of Valor

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Decorated Korean veteran and former Vice Mayor of Fort Myers Beach Joe Kozinski was honored at the Fort Myers Beach Library Saturday with the Quilt of Valor.

In addition to fighting for his country in Korea, as a structural engineer, Joe played a vital role in saving lives at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.

Jessie Titus, President of the Fort Myers Beach Friends of the Arts said, “We knew the day was going to be special, but no one anticipated the emotion felt by everyone.  We overwhelmed Joe with appreciation and honor for his service, especially when he was wrapped in the blanket. We had a crowd of about 35 at the library to witness the occasion, and Joe had a wonderful family turn-out, too. Joe was the first recipient of the FMB Quilt of Honor, and with all the help and excitement we seem to have generated, we hope to make this a yearly event for our Island Vets. In doing this, we discovered there are a LOT of quilters out there, and on the Island. The Friends of the Arts will be the featured Artist of the Month at the Library, in January, and we’ll have amazing quilts on display… a “parade of quilts”.

He has also contributed significantly to the Fort Myers Beach community by assisting many residents with the rebuilding and guiding them through the permitting process following the last three hurricanes. Saturday’s event was a moving tribute to a deserving individual.

Saturday’s event was sponsored by The Great Fort Myers Friends of The Arts and the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce.

** An earlier version of this story stated Joe was a Vietnam veteran. That was incorrect. He’s a Korean war veteran.

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