Any of you knit? If you do, this is a very worthwhile group to join. If you do join, please tell Kim that Wendi and I sent you.
Kim, the founder, asked me to introduce myself to the group even though I do not knit. Here is my intro:
Tonight, I received an unexpected message from Kim Opperman, founder of Socks For Soldiers. I am not sure what possessed her to reach out to me and ask me to introduce myself to the group. You see, I am not a knitter. I do not even know how. The closest I come to knitting is I like string and rope. Always tell me kids that I grew up playing with sticks and string. My wife, Wendi, is the knitter. In fact, she is a charter member of Socks For Soldiers. Member number 1, right after Kim started the group. Me, I just pay for yarn and shipping. So if knitting is a sport, I guess I would be an athletic supporter?
Anyway, all kidding aside, I have always supported Wendi in her interests and endeavors and always will. When she started knitting, she went all in. That is just how she is though, with anything she wants to do. Other than while driving, bathing, running, hiking, swimming, stuff like that, she was knitting. She knits in the car when I drive. She knits when watching TV or movies. She knits when reading. I even remember her knitting during meals on occasion. Now, she has started writing, so her knitting volume has gone down a bit. But she is still good for a box going out every few months or so.
We have tremendous aloha for our uniformed men and women. The socks and hats are one way to show it. We sometimes will send packages (not socks) overseas too. On my way back from a business trip several years ago, there was a soldier in uniform in the airport. We both had a wait for our respective connecting flights and found ourselves in the same restaurant. So I thanked him for his service and bought his meal. As we spoke, I asked what soldiers want to receive. He told me slippers (flip flops to some of you) and tricky string. I understood the slippers. But tricky string? He said it helped them detect trip wires. Ahh. So I later sent a big box of slippers and tricky string and other local goodies to a friend’s unit serving in the Middle East. Man that shipping was intense. I don’t remember what it was, just that it made me cry a little.
Oh, my intro… Sorry… I am Kelvin, Wendi’s husband. I do not knit, but I still support Wendi and Socks For Soldiers. It is a very worthwhile cause. Anything that we can do for our soldiers, is greatly appreciated by them. When I thank our servicemen and women, they invariably tell me that they do not necessarily want stuff, but to be thought of and appreciated. Wendi and the girls always include hand written notes with everything that is sent out. And sometimes, we get notes back. We definitely appreciate those too. One way for them to feel thought of and appreciated is by getting something from home. Home meaning the greatest country on Earth. That is what they fight for and are willing to die for. So anything we do is really small in comparison.
Wendi tells me that Kim does everything herself and is herself an unpaid volunteer. You are all unpaid volunteers too. Wendi also tells me that the yarn is mil-spec and cheaper than we would be able to buy ourselves. From reading a handful of posts, it seems that folks are not knitting and/or sending stuff in to be sent out. The recipients are our children, brothers and sisters, fellow Americans serving overseas. I was telling Wendi that everyone is a volunteer and as such, do what you can when you can. BUT, if you ordered yarn, I think that means you are committed to producing something with the yarn and sending it in to Kim to be sent to our troops. And if you can, do other stuff too.
What else about me… I teach tai chi. I teach for free in the community and was honored when I was asked to teach the Warrior Transition Battalion. I volunteer my time for that too. So I understand about being an unpaid volunteer. But I am honored to do so. I appreciate not only our troops, but all uniformed service men and women. And am thankful to them. They are essential to our survival as a community and country. So I hope you all continue to join Kim… and Wendi, in knitting and sending socks and other yarn goodies.
Sorry for the long intro, Kim. I guess be careful what you ask for? But I AM in for a virtual pizza gathering. And if you want to make it more local, a virtual luau.