Craftkitten    

Home          Competition 2010       Toques for  Tykes/Children     Preemie Outfits     Charity

Projects       Competition 2003   Managing a Donation Project   Soldier Project    Lapthrows

support our troopsItems For Canadian Soldiers


This project is in honour of my father a Private in the Second World War and everyone else who has served our country.  The original idea of this project started as I sat at home and looked out my window and saw Sunnybrooke Hospital in the distance.

I started this project after thinking about all the military that are away from their family and friends. I wanted to do something so that they knew people thought about them and appreciate what they are doing serving Canada. We keep to small usable items so they don't take up a lot of room when sent to the soldiers or when stored by each individual.

The project is sending a hand-made item to a military person that is stationed outside of Canada to show them that someone is thinking of them. The items are for their casual/personal time and not worn on combat duty, but are a token of appreciation with a personal touch.

The items we are currently sending are:
                                * Hats
                                * Slippers
                                * Winter head bands
                                * Cool ties
                                * Soap savers (currently filled this need)
The hats, slippers and headbands are predominately knit or crocheted and made out of acrylic yarns, so that they can be machine washed and dried easily.

Wool is NOT accepted due to allergies and a request by the Military.

Cool ties are made of fabric (typically cotton) and have polymer crystals in them that absorb and hold water. The cool ties are worn around the neck normally as a means of staying cooler in hot environments. The ties can be reused a number of times by placing them in water and the crystals will re-absorb water.

Soap savers are small bags, knit or crocheted cotton yarn, that can hold a bar of soap. We can not ship them with soap, so no need to provide any soap with them. They can be used two different ways.
1. A bar of soap can be stored in the bag between uses.
2. The bag with a bar of soap inside can be Used as a washcloth in a shower and then hung to dry.

There are a group of individuals who assist in making the items and I appreciate all of their support and hard work. When the items are sent a tag is attached to each item showing where the item comes from and an e-mail address where I can be contacted. Each tag also has a three letter code written on it which identifies the individual that made each item, this way any emails I receive would then be passed along to this group of individuals. So far I have not received any messages, but will pass them on when I do.

Below is totals of what has been sent by the group to date:
    March 2009 - 92 items
    August 2009 - 209 items
    March 2010 - 237 items
    Total to date 538 items
    Deliveries ongoing

If you are interested in perhaps running this project through a military base near you, please contact me (craftkitten @ gmail  . com) remove spaces.
This page last updated:  December 12, 2010

Future Project
Lapghans to injured soldiers

I would love to be able to provide a hand-made lapghan to an injured soldier. I have the means of getting lapghans completed but do not have a method of getting them to the soldiers needing them. If I could find the hospitals where the injured soldiers go to once they are in Canada it would be so much easier.  I had found a hospital in Germany that would except two lapghans but they would be used by the family of the injured soldiers and not the soldiers.

I am working on getting some lapghans to the veterans at Sunnybrooke Hospital, but still want to send lapghans to more recently injured soldiers.

One of my biggest obstacles through out this process, is almost everyone I contact says that they need just money instead of items or that there is no need, which I don't believe from all the reactions we've received from soldiers we have spoken to.

Any ideas of who to contact would be appreciated but it does need to be a Canadian contact.
(craftkitten @ gmail . com) remove spaces.


Links:
Red FridayRed Friday

This page last updated:  December 12, 2010