Each year, as the owner of a yarn shop - - I ask my customers and friends to do some charity knitting. Jeff Dentice, aka Doc, plans and manages a Christmas party for the veterans at Zablocki Infirmary, right here in the Milwaukee area. I used to go each year and it warmed my heart to see the excitement in the old worn faces of our WWI, WWII and Vietnam vets. Most of them were men, and you could read their lives in moments.
We started by making socks, and other various groups donated gifts for the veterans. Then the face of veterans changed. We have many more young men and woman that my son is older than. The old faces have been replaced with youth. It breaks my heart but this our reality and this is my charity, for those in our country who have given so much and get so little. I read today that "being brave doesn't mean you are not scared, but you do it anyway."
I have asked knitters around the area to donate and help make Christmas for the veterans a little warmer. And they have. The party is Dec. 10 and I have over 60 hats in the shop and I am going to the north side to pick up almost 200 more.
I thank all of you for helping to make a veteran's Christmas a homemade one. Anyone wishing to donate, baked goods, knitting, or money for bingo prizes, please contact the shop at (414) 768-9276.
