Want to practice a Random Act of Kindness? Do something nice for someone you will never meet? Think of the veterans who are sick or injured, lying in a VA Hospital. There are lots of ways to make the life of a stranger a little more comfortable. Small gifts -- a book, a quilt, a toy to give to a child -- can really lift a heart.
The DK VA Hospital Service Project is all about these little things we can do -- and it involves several groups here at Daily Kos. The DK Quilt Guild makes quilts for the veterans. The Readers & Book Lovers send books and games. WAYWO contributes hand knit or crocheted hats and scarves. Joanbrooker donates teddy bears. We focus on one hospital a year and make a big gift of these little things. This is our third year, and the hospital we will visit is the VA Hospital in Portland, OR. The time frame this year may actually slip into January of next year because one of our angels, joanbrooker, may be able to travel out and participate and photograph the visit.
Follow below the orange cloud and check out what we did last year at the Detroit VA Hospital:
The above video was done by linkage. Pretty neat, eh?
We are gathering the gifts here at Catnip Manor. So far, we have 25 beautiful scarves made by broths and a number of quilts. Here is a mini quilt show!
Quilt by BeadLady
Quilt by BeadLady
Quilt by BeadLady
Quilt by winglion (cat not included)
Quilt by winglion
Quilt by winglion. This and the two quilts above were created from the same process -- triangles cut from strip pieced bands of fabric. Kind of a three-fer.
Quilt by maggiejean
Quilt donated by Pam from Calif. She found this gem at a yard sale!
Another yard sale find from Pam from Calif!
One by yours truly. I strip pieced scraps to make the jazzy blocks that are checkerboarded with blue.
It is my understanding that the hospice program is one that is special to the Volunteer Coordinator in Portland. There is every chance that the quilts and hats we provide will go to comfort someone in their last days of life.
I invite you to take a look at the Portland VA Hospital's Volunteer Office page for more ideas on how to give. If you belong to another group here at DK and would like to collect something else for the group gift -- maybe cash or rain ponchos or underwear or something else -- feel free to contact me.
If you would like to make a lap quilt, please contact me or Pam from Calif.
If you would like to make scarves or hats, please contact Celestia89.
We haven't started a book drive yet but the person likely to publicize that will be cfk.
Namaste.
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