POMEROY–Gwen Schwemmer received a Quilt of Valor at the final 2020–21awards assembly for the Elementary School on June 7, honoring her service in the United States Air Force.

Schwemmer, an Air Force veteran, was presented a Quilt of Valor by Cindy Klaveano and Alice Gwinn. Klaveano assembled and placed the binding around the quilt and Gwinn quilted the blanket. This is one of the over 271,000 quilts that have been awarded to veterans.

Three months after she graduated from High School, in August of 1976, Schwemmer enlisted in the Air Force. At this time, the Vietnam conflict was coming to an end. She did not go into active duty until January 3, 1977 when her MOS became available.

She went to San Antonio, Tex. for six weeks to do her basic training and was then assigned to Wichita Falls, Tex., for six months for training as a dental lab technician. After her schooling was completed, she was stationed at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Il., where she remained as an Air Force Dental Lab Tech career.

During her career as a dental lab tech, she did everything from making dentures to making crowns and bridges. When she got concluded her commitment to the military in December of 1979, she went back to her home town of Spencer, Ia., and worked for a local dentist doing his lab work. She always joked that she joined the Air Force to see the world: born in Iowa, went to Texas, and then to Illinois.

Gwen has been employed by the Pomeroy School District, working in the special education department for the past 31 years.