In celebration of Friday, and Only The Good, I have asked a friend to write a post for me (her very first blog post!). Deborah is the “fire” behind a special project that is VERY good. I’ll let her tell you about it. She will tell you how to help if you are “crafty;” I’ll tell you how to help if you are NOT a “happy hooker.”
It’s Friday, when it’s time to find the good in things … and I’m thinking how do you find good in:
- Wanting to help but not knowing what to do?
- Having crocheted or knitted so many things for your family and friends that they ask you to stop?
- Knowing that our service men and women are spending time in hospitals trying to feel better?
- Again, wanting to help but not knowing what to do?
The answer is: knit or crochet a 6”x9” rectangle. It’s small, it’s easy, and it’s inexpensive (it must be made of acrylic yarn).
Now you may wonder what one rather small rectangle can do to answer these big questions…it can join with the work of over 1,000 volunteers nationwide (and in several counties other than the USA) to become a handmade afghan.
That handmade afghan will make its way to a US Military Hospital to bring warmth and comfort to one of our wounded Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors or Marines. It might be the blanket that covers a family member as they try to sleep within earshot of the wounded man or woman. It will be a small message from the Home front that they are NOT forgotten.
It’s easy, it’s small and it makes a giant statement: We Remember!!!!!
Since December 2004, The Handmade Afghans to Thank Our Armed Forces Project (HAP) has grown from a small group of Maryland Volunteers to over 1,000 Volunteers. We have together made more than 100,000 rectangles (all 6”x9”) and delivered 1,687 handmade afghans to Military Hospitals in the USA, Germany, and on the front line in Afghanistan. All of this has been done by starting with just acrylic yarn and either a crochet hook or knitting needles.
So how do you start? That too is easy. Drop me a note at Rectangle6×9[at}comcast[dot]net and I’ll send you information and directions. I hope to hear from you and have you help make a difference!
~~Deborah
Now isn’t that a good project? Thanks, Deborah, for sharing with my readers. I hope some of those crafty folk step forward to help.
Let me tell all of y’all something that Deborah didn’t tell you: when HAP delivers those afghans, it takes a little bit of cash to get them to their destination. You could send a few dollars to help fund a delivery and never have to hold a ball of yarn in your hands.
Y’all, I decided back on October 17th to declare Only The Good Friday. I want to spread an “optimism virus” on the internet.
Fridays are the day that I suppress my snarky comments and talk about things that are good. We all know that attitude makes a difference. If we try to look for the good, we are more likely to find it. Several blogging friends have joined me, but more of you could if you want to do so. Just write a post about anything you think is “good”–meaning “positive”–and come tell me about it.
Even if you don’t want to join in the posting, leave a comment, won’t you? Give Deborah an “atta girl” and tell me something good going on with you. Remember comments for cans. Every comment that you make until midnight tonight will cause FIVE cans of food to be delivered to a food bank.
How’s that for good?
Mo at Inside Mo’s Mind has joined me for an excellent Only The Good Friday.
Karina at Candid Karina introduced us to a wonderful blogger it would be good to know.
Jamie at Duward Discussion joined in today (Yippee! I’ve wanted her to, but didn’t dare ask.) and thank you, my friend for donating cans for comments with me! Y’all go comment.
Marcia has her Only The Good Friday posted, at RV Poetry, and I want you to go make a comment there(she’s matching can donations, too!)
Thorne joined in at Thorne’s World! Thanks for telling us about your “Million Dollar Baby!”
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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Shelly,
In the excitement of writing the guest blog post I forgot an important web address – the HAP website http://www.rectangle6×9.org
Of course, now it counts a comment so the Food Banks win!
Thanks for the chance to guest post.
No, I thank YOU, darlin’. It was a wonderful blog post…and of course you know I think it’s a marvelous cause. I hope this gets some new volunteers and perhaps some donations!
Great post, Deborah!
HAP is a very happy part of my life, and I recommend it to others.
Didn’t Deborah do a fine job? Thank you for taking time to comment! Thank you for volunteering your time in such a good cause, too!
Just wanted to leave a comment here for the CANS!!
Have a GREAT weekend, everybody!
Mos last blog post..Sharing the Good
Gonna have a lot of cans, thank goodness! I didn’t even have to get out the flying monkeys! Have a wonderful weekend, yourself…and thanks for joining in Only The Good!
HAP is a great project if you want to get involved in supporting our troops. If you live in the metro DC area, it’s even better because you can come to a one of the scheduled put-together events and see the other volunteers in action. You get a sense of being a small part of the bigger picture!
Kathleens last blog post..12.11.08 – Thursday, almost didn’t make it!
I would love to get to join in with other volunteers! It’s fun to contribute, even from a distance, but I think that being at a HAP meeting would be almost as exciting as joining a crowd at a football game. The excitement it contagious! Thanks for being such a good volunteer, yourself, girl. Hope your weekend is fantastic!
I am so proud of our daughter, Deborah, and this project she has started. Through this organization I have met so many wonderful people willing to work on this project to help our wounded warriors.
Proud? With every right to be. That’s one amazing daughter you raised, Esther. Thanks for popping in to visit. Hope all is well.
Did an “Only The Good” for today. Dedicated the book review yesterday to you. Matching the comments with cans of food as well.
Jamies last blog post..Only The Good Friday
I am so glad you joined the Only The Good (although everything you write is pretty darned positive!). I also appreciate the dedication of the post…and swear I’m going to have the book for the holidays
Have a wonderful weekend, and I hope your back is better.
I just joined the HAP in September, and am so happy I’ve done so. This is a great, well managed volunteer organization that is dedicated to helping and thanking our troops. I don’t know how Deborah has found the time and energy to keep this going and growing for four years. Her quick feedback and photos to the thousands of volunteers really helps motivate them.
I highly recommend anyone to join or donate to this worthy organization. It’s so easy to do this while watching TV or riding in a car. (DON”T do this while DRIVING a car)
Hey, did you know it’s snowing on your blog? Just sayin’.
This is a great project, and one I’d love to jump in on but uh…knitting and I? Not a good match. So, instead, I’m commenting for cans.
Also, I put my “Only the Good Friday” post up as well: http://tinyurl.com/59wfrn
Happy Friday!!
Karinas last blog post..And Also – Additional Thoughts
It darned sure better be snowing on here, after I went to the trouble to install a plug-in!
Commenting for cans is good. If you know anybody who is “crafty,” you can steer them to HAP. Knitting and crocheting is not for everybody…you have many other creative talents.
Stopped in from Jamie’s blog where she wrote a nice little post about your project with “Cans for Comments” so thought I’d leave a comment of my own.
This afghan project is great and I bet it makes a lot of people very happy. I can’t knit or crochet for beans so perhaps I shall see what I can do about donating a few dollars to help offset the delivery cost.
Happy holidays to you!
Lindas last blog post..The Superior Scribbler Award
I’m glad you stopped by, Linda. Thanks for commenting. I’ll tally the cans this weekend and post about it. HAP is indeed a pretty cool project. I think that the people who give to it get as much satisfaction as those who receive! May your holidays be filled with joy and wonder!
Happy Friday, Shelly, if sure feels like a good one, and any day it snows for me down here in Florida, it is a great day.
Maybe I can learn to knit to gauge…
Marcias last blog post..Recycling Electronics – Only the Good, Friday
I’m letting it snow on my blog, but that is in the hopes of keeping real snow away
! I can’t knit to gauge…or even crochet to gauge. I just use different size needles until I get to what I need. If you want to try to make rectangles, make a template out of cardboard to help you make sure you get the right size! That’s the only way I can do it.
Happy weekend to you!
Hi it’s Frances from She Who Blogs
Thanks for all the nice things you wrote over at Candid’s blog.
Hoping you’ll be our newest member.
Waving at you from New York,
Frances
Francess last blog post..birthday art from heart
Happy Birthday, Frances (you are just a baby…I’m so jealous that you are younger than I am!). I would love to be a member of She Who Blogs…tell me what I have to do and I’m in! Happy Weekend! And, thanks for commenting.
I have been doing rectangles for a while and it is such a great cause. Keep those great ideas coming.
Thank YOU, Bonnie for stopping in to comment. AND for the work you do for HAP. It’s a pleasure to hear from one of Deborah’s many volunteers. Have a happy holiday!
I just wanted to comment so you have to put another can in the donation pile. Big hug.
I think it’s going to be a BIG pile! Thanks for coming by to visit. Big hug to you, too, my friend.
Happy OtGF! I’m up with some personal good. Woo Hoo!!! 5 more cans!
Thornes last blog post..Only The Good Friday #7 Good memories
Thanks for joining in Only The Good Friday! I knew I could count on you to share the good
I can’t think of a “gooder” endeavor to use on Only The Good Friday.
patoiss last blog post..Poverty Level
Lordy, Lady…. just a whole bunch of GOOD things going on here!!! How wonderful!!
carol gs last blog post.."My First Award," she said blushing.
Carol, there are good things going on everywhere, but we forget to look and see them! Hope your weekend is great.
What a great post for Only the Good Friday. I’ve been crocheting 6×9 rectangles ever since I quit crocheting granny squares for the kids.
I carry a ball of yarn & hook in my purse. My only regret is that I don’t live close enuf to help with a HAP gathering!
There are many injured soldiers in a rehab hospital not far from where I live. I was visiting them once a week prior to my foot surgery in the spring. I will resume that shortly. Obama’s dithering on sending more troops is emboldening the Taliban and costing lives. I am glad the our Prime Minister didn’t get sucked into keeping our troops there past 2011. It’s been long enough. Peace in that part of the world will never happen, it’s not in their make up… peace
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