Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Bradford School Day of Service helps wounded soldiers



As their observance of Martin Luther King Jr., the students and parents of the Bradford School in Montclair, NJ dedicated their day to service for others.



One of the projects the students chose was to make hygiene bags for wounded soldiers in Afghanistan. The head of the PTA contacted Soldiers' Angels to find out where to send them.



Their goal was to make 300 bags, each of which included toiletries, and a school sticker.






The project was a big success, as you can see from the pictures. 300 gift bags were produced, and shipped to the Air Force hospital at Bagram, Afghanistan. And in addition to learning the importance of helping other people, it's obvious that the kids had a great time.

The support for our troops overseas by children all across our country is overwhelming and wonderful.

Thanks Bradford school!
--Rog

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Bad Romance ( I love this - just for fun)

Gotta love these guys



-Rog

Sunday, January 09, 2011

Beautiful pillowcases for the wounded - Soldiers' Angels Sewing Team

The Soldiers' Angels Sewing Team is extending its powerful tradition of handmade support for the troops with an exciting new project: Patriot Pillowcases, designed to bring cheer and color to what can be a very drab hospital environment in Combat Support Hospitals (CSH) overseas.


Patriot Pillow Cases began with 16-year-old Angel seamstress Katie, who discovered that cheery, happy pillow cases were often requested for the wounded at Combat Support Hospitals overseas. Katie has been an Angel for over a year, sewing blankets and participating in the Letter Writing Team. She also recently organized a school project to collect magazines and holiday cards for Soldiers’ Angels care packages.

“I think this could be a very valuable project,” says Katie, “Because it brings the same sense of love and support from home to soldiers as a blanket might. However, the simplicity of a pillowcase allows us to reach more soldiers.”

To get started on your Patriot Pillowcase, click for guidelines (instructions may also be found on the Sewing Team page under “Teams and Projects” on this website).

When Katie and Dee approached me on this, I thought well this is just an amazingly great idea! And Katie is a 16-year old who came up with this all on her own!

The CSH's can be rather drab, so some bright, homemade pillowcases would mean the world to the patients. We currently have over 60 medical units we're working with, so there is plenty of need!

Katie, thank you!
-Rog

Friday, January 07, 2011

Patriots of the week - Pillows for Patriots

One of the things that makes the massive support that we send for the medical units possible is by partnering with other groups and individuals. My newest partner this week is the wonderful founder at PILLOWS FOR PATRIOTS

I get tremendous numbers of requests for small, travel sized pillows from the medical units all the time. They are great for supporting an arm or leg in a cast, for tucking under a patient's head, for making them just a little bit more comfortable. In the picture below, the nurses had to wad up a blanket to make a pillow for this patient.


(Photo of patient on a medevac flight courtesy Michael Yon)

Our Soldiers' Angels sewing team makes dozens of these by hand, but we just can't keep up. Luckily, I made contact with Barb, who is the founder of this wonderful organization. Her son is an Army officer and has been deployed three times, so you can she has a keen interest in helping our troops. That's how this all works: one Mom comes up with an idea, and runs with it. A hundred thousand of us working together makes miracles happen.

Barb and her group are partnering with Soldiers' Angels Medical team to help supply pillows for the Combat Support Hospitals and CASF Evac units. They are totally funded by donations, and can use your help.

Check out their website, then donate what you can to help. With your help, we won't have to let even one of our wounded soldiers go without this simple expression of love and support.
-Rog