“Sponsor The Troops” Organization Supports Wounded Veterans
A sample of some of the donated t-shirts that will be made into a quilt for wounded veterans. (submitted by Vanessa Haneke)
by Sarah Steighner
The local “Sponsor The Troops” organization is currently collecting T-shirt donations in order to make quilts to send to wounded war veterans.
This non-profit organization was founded by Janie Conrad of Ford City. Conrad explained how her part of the organization got started.
“I started it in 2006 as a way to honor my husband, who was a Vietnam Veteran who passed away that year,” Conrad said.
The organization usually sends out care packages to the troops, organized through their website www.sponserthetroops.org.
“What we do is send care packages to the troops. We have a website. I have volunteers all throughout the United States. I post names and addresses behind a secure firewall, and when someone becomes an approved volunteer, they can go in and choose who they want to support and send care packages,” Conrad explained.
Being involved with sending out care packages and through networking with Veterans is how Conrad was contacted about this quilt project.
“I’m working with one of the chaplains who is down at Fort Benning, Georgia. It’s a chaplain that I’ve supported throughout these past five or six deployments and he’s now with the VA hospital down there at the Fort. He’s got about 60 wounded warriors that will never come home because of the seriousness of their injuries. A lot of them don’t get visitors, so it’s a tough situation for them. He contacted me last month, and asked if there was any way we could make it look a little less institutional, and if we could put quilts or colorful blankets on those 60 beds or if we could work towards that,” Conrad said.
Conrad explained that they had received many donations of blankets and comforters for this cause. However with their annual poker run, that also supports the troops, they thought of asking people to donate shirts with logos of various things including motorcycles, bars, tourist attractions, animals, scenery, etc.
The organization has pledged to make 3 quilts for the wounded veterans. One quilt alone requires roughly 20-30 shirts to make. An additional quilt will be specifically made with motorcycle logos and auctioned off at a poker run.
“One of my volunteers is going to make the quilts for us. We’re going to auction off the motorcycle quilt at our poker run, and use that money to help pay for postage for the packages that we send throughout the year. The other three quilts we’ll send down to the Wounded Warriors so it’ll brighten their rooms. That’s why we’re asking for the T-shirts. It’s just one of the many programs that we have going on and are doing locally,” Conrad said.
The poker run, where one of the quilts will be auctioned off, will be taking place September 20 starting at Runts Roadhouse, located in Sarver.
“Shady Lady studios over in Sarver is sponsoring the poker runs and has many volunteers that help us with various things in regards to the poker run. Most of the stops along the poker run are VFW’s or American Legions, and that sort of thing because we’re trying to honor the troops in as many ways as we possibly can,” Conrad said.
Charley Younkins of South Buffalo Township, is a volunteer for the organization that helps out by making part of the quilt.
While the organization is still waiting for more t-shirt donations to complete the quilts, Younkins has been working on preparing the t-shirts and getting them ready to sew.
Younkins has been involved with the organization for many years and has helped out with everything from packing boxes, to helping with raffles and benefits. She explained a bit regarding the community’s attitude towards the organization.
“When people find out what you’re doing this for, it’s amazing,” Younkins said.
During an event for the Armstrong Mounted Posse, seven years ago, Younkins even cut off and shaved her hair in order to raise money for the Sponsor the Troops organization.
She partitioned her hair off into sections, and anyone who donated money was allowed to cut off a part. While generous donations were made to cut and even shave her hear, one man donated $500 alone. Younkins raised $938 alone that evening.
“When you put word out for the troops, people really dig deep,” Younkins said.
People interested in donating T-shirts, may drop them off to Conrad at 191 Stitt Hollow Road in Ford City or contact her at 724-763-1974 in order to set up a place to give her any donations.
Local News | Sarah Steighner June 30, 2015
By Just sayin, June 30, 2015 @ 12:27 PM
Thank you, Janie!!!! You are an angel on Earth!
To get some understanding of the anguishes of war, I suggest watching The Crimson Field on PBS (WWI). It is very realistic and may help to gather sympathies as a catalyst to donate more.