Soldiers Angels,

Thank you so much for your contributions and good wishes during the Fisher House Easter Basket Project! I cannot tell you how amazed I was at your generosity and goodwill. Without you this project would have failed to take flight. As you may recall we had only seven days to get the Fisher House baskets completed and delivered. Of these seven days, it took two days just to assemble the baskets. Luckily we far exceeded the goal of supplying the Fisher House and were able to extend a holiday greeting to 20 active wounded (all from Iraq or Afghanistan) in the rehabilitation wing of the VA Hospital in Augusta.

Thank you to Lori who was the first to arrive with bundles of goodies. Singlehandedly Lori and her family took care of the baskets for the "under 12 crowd" and thank you to Penny who arrived with two completed and wrapped baskets for the "adult only" room. Not long after, the USPS delivered four boxes from an Angel in Mississippi. These boxes contained individually wrapped snacks, pens, personal care items, and candy. Then their were heartfelt donations from the Hite Family, Van de Velde family, and the Monetta family as well. Together these donations made it possible for us to create 7 lovely baskets/gift bags for the rooms at Fisher House complete with age appropriate gifts for the four children. Each basket contained two novels, a puzzle book, pen, mug or glass, tea or coffee, soap/lotion/anti-bacterial handwash, sponges, candy of every kind, cookies, snacks, gum, and so much more!

There was so much left over that we were able to create gift bags for 20 active wounded. Each gift bag included: a separate large bag of mixed candy, trail mix, two or three individual snacks, a puzzle book and pen, lotion and soap, popcorn, and cheese and crackers or peanut butter crackers. Loren - an Angel from Athens - drove down to meet us in the worse possible weather bearing boxes and boxes of homemade cookies, chocolate bars, and chocolate lollipops. Each wounded as well as each of the Fisher House baskets received at least two bags of cookies, a chocolate bar and/or one or more lollipops. The baskets and the bags were heavy with love! At both the VA and Fisher House, Loren left a Styrofoam box wrapped in shining paper with lollipops sticking out as a communal gift. These "lollipop trays" were placed in the day room and the living room where anyone could sample a homemade lollipop.

The visit to VA would not have been possible without donations nor would it have been possible if Mrs. Johnson had not intervened to coordinate the visit. A frequent visitor to this ward at the VA, Mrs. Johnson is cleared to meet with patients. Her involvement secured us the permission to enter the facility on the weekend and to deliver our bundles. She also steered us towards the gifts most in need by these young people: drinks to be used in their monthly "therapy cookouts". During these events the patients have an opportunity to plan a meal, leave the hospital, visit the grocery store, shop for the food, bring it back and unpack it, perform the cooking and cleaning up and enjoy a good meal together as a family. This is considered therapy because the patients have been dependant on mess halls and hospitals to provide them with food for the last couple of years. For many this is the first time they have done "a big shopping" since they left for war. The exercise provides them with a chance to mingle with the public, get use to the stares and questions, learn to shop in a store not completely accessible to the disabled, and learn to cook given their various injuries. This month is a chili cook-off and is highly anticipated by all. We supplied: six 12 packs of soda, four cases of Capri-Sun, three cases of ice pops, and two jumbo boxes of Cheez-Its. Most of the wounded were out for the day at the Masters but we left a bag in every room regardless. Those patients who remained behind seems stunned by our appearance on a rainy Saturday afternoon! There were quiet good wishes and lots of shyness. No patient wanted to take "extras" even after we assured them that everyone in the ward was receiving a bag...so we left the extra items on the tables in the day room. There were two patients who were so excited to see us that they engaged us in long conversations. One fellow even hung up the phone when we arrived, telling his Aunt that he loved her and would have to call her back. His story was so touching and he was in good spirits by my heart was heavy none-the-less. He is so young - too young - to know the things that he knows.

It was a wonderful experience all around and thank you to Loren, Mr and Mrs Johnson and my husband for helping to distribute the donations. The weather was really bad and it was a long drive but meeting all of you was a delight! I have attached photos which I hope you can all see. If you problems receiving these photos, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Sheila "Trixie" Boyd
Soldiers Angel, GA

Way to go Trixie, April, and the GA Soldiers' Angels - and to all who helped with this project.