comfortghans for the wounded Troops

[tatertot0330]

My best friend is in Afghanistan...He is a Medic for the Army...I am collecting squares to make afghans to give to him...he will be giving them to our hurt soldiers...red,white, blue and camouflage would be great...Its hard for the soldiers to be away from family and friends for so long and even harder when they are injured...please e-mail me at cowgirlathrt0330@aol.com and I will send you my address...Thank You
Laura

EDIT: I Guess people are not understanding...if a soldier is sick he will not be hiking around with the rest of the soldiers...he will be in a hospital and that is where the blankets will be sent...1st to my best friend who is a MEDIC...he spends a lot of time in hospitals with hurt troops and he will deliver them to the places he works ...2nd I am getting a list from a fellow crochetville member of hospitals in the us who house sick soldiers and I will be sending blankets there as well...so again, I understand that soldiers have to carry around packs but understand that these afghans are going to SICK soldiers...anyone wanting to donate squares let me know...Thank you

[buggaboosmommy]

While I do not want to discourage you, I have to say sending large afghans to our soldiers is not a good idea. The main reason is they will have to keep up with the items and sometimes they have to pick up and move at the drop of a hat. The wounded soldiers, if they can not be "mended" and return to duty within 48 hours, are shipped to Landstuhl (where we were stationed) for treatment. Sending them to the American hospital there would be a wonderful idea, since they are STILL receiving busloads of troops everyday and it's NO where on the news! I would love to give you a contact address for that hospital. Or even one of the Other military hospitals located in the United States.

Anyway, just my two cents. We have many friends deployed right now, and we listen to what their concerns are when sending items overseas. I am sure there are many ways to help our troops!

Donna

[tatertot0330]

I would love the address to the hospital you worked at...I am still going to send afghans to by best friend as I promised him I would but I would be more than happy to send some to american hospitals that are taking care of soldiers as well...please e-mail me the address
Thanks
Laura

[Ro]

If your friend gets reassigned or shipped out, just be aware that the afghans might not be able to go with him. AnySoldier (a charity website that has people sending care packages to folks serving our country) emphasizes often that size is a huge issue for soldiers; they have to carry everything they take with them in their pack and they were advising people against sending even economy type sized packages of baby wipes, etc, and asked them to opt for trial sizes...

Maybe a good thing would be to make them a special square...something sentimental, that they could take with them easily? Your idea is wonderful, I just wonder about the practicality of it...

I applaud you for wanting to cheer the troops! :clap

[origami]

My best friend is in Afghanistan...He is a Medic for the Army...I am collecting squares to make afghans to give to him...he will be giving them to our hurt soldiers...red,white, blue and camouflage would be great...Its hard for the soldiers to be away from family and friends for so long and even harder when they are injured...please e-mail me at cowgirlathrt0330@aol.com and I will send you my address...Thank You
Laura

I'd have to say that afghans would be way too big for soldiers to carry. You should probably consider sending them to the alternative places that have been suggested here.

Another thought would be to donate them to a local base to be distributed to families of deployed service members or to new babies of service members.

[Nashville Crocheter]

If you or anyone decides to donate to the families and babies, please look at the Blankey Brigade thread here in the crochet for charity section. We are giving red/white/blue blankeys to babies of deployed soldiers.

[quote]Another thought would be to donate them to a local base to be distributed to families of deployed service members or to new babies of service members.[quote]

[schcrochet]

I've spent some time on line trying to find out what can be, or shouldn't be sent and what is truly helpful and needed. I very much want to do something for military families or those deployed so long from home. The idea is a good one, the implementation may be the problem, AND apparently what is and isn't appropiate is all the place. Hard to know what to do. You hear one thing on the TV news and read the complete opposite on various news pages here on the net. I've contacted a friend who's a rear deployment officer and will let you know what I learn.

I would think hats and scarfs for warm might be reasonable, and portable; and might be more worthwhile than an afghan?

[Lowrancer]

sorry as some one who has been there Thats one more thing to have to care for and move quickly....although a nice idea they would be full of sand and worn out in a matter of weeks and hate to say this but a mash is not a clean area they do what they can but they are still filthy and a soldier that was patched up and send back to his unit would leave the ghan where it was because every ounce counts.......as far as one of the main hospitals for the ones going home goes that would be the best place since they do have facilities to clean and care for the items and the soldiers will not be going back into combat anytiime soon..so they would benifit from the ghan.

[chickpea67]

I commend you for wanting to help, and I'm sure you're friend the medic would make sure hte tiems are wanted and how best an offering like that can be used.

I don't know how to do squares, but I'm picturing so many pretty variations with the cammo and the flag! I'm sure the blankets will be beautiful!

[redhead54]

http://www.theshipsproject.com/Home.htm


group I'm involved with. started a month after 9/11.
this is just FYI everybody. not trying to take away from you doing afghans. i think it's a wonderful thing to help our troops in any way we can.

[schcrochet]

http://www.theshipsproject.com/Home.htm


group I'm involved with. started a month after 9/11.
this is just FYI everybody. not trying to take away from you doing afghans. i think it's a wonderful thing to help our troops in any way we can.

nice WEBSITE THANKS FOR THE POST.

[Shelena]

My best friend is in Afghanistan...He is a Medic for the Army...I am collecting squares to make afghans to give to him...he will be giving them to our hurt soldiers...red,white, blue and camouflage would be great...Its hard for the soldiers to be away from family and friends for so long and even harder when they are injured...please e-mail me at cowgirlathrt0330@aol.com and I will send you my address...Thank You
Laura

EDIT: I Guess people are not understanding...if a soldier is sick he will not be hiking around with the rest of the soldiers...he will be in a hospital and that is where the blankets will be sent...1st to my best friend who is a MEDIC...he spends a lot of time in hospitals with hurt troops and he will deliver them to the places he works ...2nd I am getting a list from a fellow crochetville member of hospitals in the us who house sick soldiers and I will be sending blankets there as well...so again, I understand that soldiers have to carry around packs but understand that these afghans are going to SICK soldiers...anyone wanting to donate squares let me know...Thank you

Hello Laura,

I commend you for your thoughtfulness towards our deployed soldiers...it takes a special person to take the time to care like you do. My SIL, who is more like a son to me, returned home from Iraq last Feb after spending a year there and was very appreciative to everyone who was so kind and caring such as yourself.
My daughter and myself made some afghans for him an a few other soldiers that deployed with him for their first Christmas away from home and they loved them. They kept them in their barracks and used them at night when it got cold.
The only restrictions that were on the papers we received on things to send them were that they wanted colors to be army colors such as camo, desert camo and the suggestion of not sending anything made of wool because of the chance that the bugs would chew them.
Sending them to the wounded soldiers is an even better idea since they need some reassurance, kindness and thoughtfulness from people back home in knowing that we care and are thinking of them.
Thank you for doing this for them.

[papersmiles]

Making blankets, lapghans, afghans, rectangular shawls/coverlets for the wounded is a wonderful way to show our military personnel that we care about them and appreciate all they have done. I have been crocheting and sewing items for troops for over three years now. There are a number of websites you can access.........from hospitals to veterans organizations that accept "comfort" items. If you are interested in helping the OIF and OEF military efforts as far as wounded are concerned there is a group (Operation First Response) based in Virginia that sends "First Response Backpacks" to Combat Surgical hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also has volunteers who visit the wounded at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital here on the home front. They distribute needed comfort items, help families of the wounded in any way they can as well as offer homemade afghan/lapghans to any troops that may want or need them.

Although it is true that many of our warriors in Iraq and Afghanistan simply cannot transport additional gear such as bulky full size afghans. However, there are equally as many troops that have home bases equipped with metal trailor style quarters, semi-permanent tents or rennovated buildings who appreciate receiving something as personal and heart warming as a crocheted cot blanket, scarf, hat or even stuffed crocheted toys. These things mean "HOME" and "someone cares".

Just my two cents worth.

Hugs to you all for the comfort you provide by using your skills to help others.