My Military Month

So mid-August through mid-September has been a military type of month for me.  I have a great respect for members of our military, and their families.  They all give up so much to secure and maintain our freedom.  I figured that the least I could do was support our military, in one way via cards that go to our men and women serving overseas and in another way, to support a humanitarian effort spearheaded by one of our servicemen.

I spent most of the month making cards for the Cards For Heroes drive at ScrapStreet.  On Thursday I packaged up and shipped the 154 cards that I made.  Christmas, birthday, miss you, and other types. 

And through my friend Michelle I learned of IBOL - that's Iraqi Bundles of Love.  From the website created by Maj. Art LaFlamme: 

Iraqi Bundles of Love is a short-duration project, set to last about six weeks, originally intended to surge fabric and sewing (and knitting!) materials into the area around which I live in Iraq.  It is timed to coincide with both Ramadan, and the departure of my units from Iraq.

The general premise is this.  I am in Iraq, and I can get mail through the US Postal System.  Willing contributors can send to me a flat-rate box of sewing / quilting supplies, all bundled up.  I’d open the box, pull out the fully-contained bundle, and hand it off (with others) to our counterparts in the Iraqi Security Forces (Army and others) or the local police, for them to distribute.  Some of the bundles will also be delivered by US Soldiers. The stated intent of this operation is to put sewing and quilting and knitting supplies into the hands of two types of recipients:  locals who desperately need such things, and local sewing co-ops and other small businesses who have received grants or loans (typically to purchase sewing machines, rent space, etc).

Maj. LaFlamme's original goal was to receive 50 packages and deliver them to folks who need them.  As of this morning, his website count stood at 1921 packages received.  One of them was from me.  More are still arriving since the mailing deadline was last Tuesday and it takes a while for mail to get there.