On Nov. 25, 2015, we brought boxes and bags of red, white and blue items to the Veteran's Hospital in Minneapolis. There were a total of 42 items -- 30 hats, 11 lapghans and 1 shawl. Julie Quinn, the Voluntary Assistant at the VA Hospital in Minneapolis, said, "Oh, aren't they beautiful. Just gorgeous, you guys! Thank you for bringing them in."
As she looked through the lapghans we brought, Julie Quinn, the Voluntary Assistant at the VA Hospital in Minneapolis, told us they go to the palliative care unit. "When the vet leaves us, the blanket goes home with the family," said Julie. "When they come back they say, 'We just love the blanket. It reminds us of dad.'"
Some of the items will go in the comfort bags that patients receive. Our hats "make them exciting to give out to people," observed Jeannette, a volunteer specialist. Other items include canteen bucks, shampoo/conditioner, hand sanitizer, tooth brushes, tooth paste, slippers, snacks, little notebooks, pens, hairbrushes, and deodorant. Another special touch is the inclusion of directions for how to do hand massage, which is especially nice for those at the end of their life.
This was our third donation to the VA Hospital in Minneapolis. We have focused on making red, white and blue lapghans the past two Novembers in honor of Veterans Day. During our first visit, Julie let us know that lapghans are a need for the VA, and they often don't get lapghans that are large enough, so we focus on making these small blankets that will be sure to cover a vet's entire lap.
Click here to learn more about the VA and to see photos of our past donations.
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