By Arthur Foulkes
TERRE HAUTE — American troops overseas will be a little warmer this winter thanks to some caring volunteers in Terre Haute.
More than two dozen ladies with the Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worked Thursday to make more than 40 fleece blankets for deployed U.S. servicemen and women.
“I think it’s a wonderful project,” said Sue Orlando, whose grandson, Josh Kulp, is serving his fifth tour of duty overseas. “I think it will lift their morale. I hope so.”
Some of the fleece blankets are being made especially for members of the church’s congregation, said Dona Griffin, organizer of the effort. The rest of the blankets, more than 30 of them, will be donated to Soldiers’ Angels, a volunteer not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing “aid and comfort” to U.S. servicemen and women, according to the organization’s Web site.
There are seven members of the Terre Haute Church of Latter-day Saints currently deployed or soon-to-be deployed overseas in the military, Griffin said. Her son, Sgt. Dale Griffin, who joined the Army immediately after Sept. 11, is currently serving in Afghanistan, she said.
The blankets are meant to be a Christmas gift for the troops, Griffin said. “They’ll know people from the states care about them and no soldier will go unloved.”
Soldiers’ Angels has a number of voluntary programs designed to lend support to U.S. military personnel. The Terre Haute LDS church is taking part in the organization’s “Blankets of Belief 2009” program, which is meant to show servicemen and women “we believe in you,” according the Soldiers’ Angels Web site.
“It means a lot because they are really grateful for any consideration taken on their part,” said Leah Kulp, who was working Thursday night on a blanket for her brother, Josh, who is serving in the Army in Iraq. “This shows we are very concerned about them.”
Funds for the more than 40 blankets were raised by individual donations from members and friends of the local LDS church, Griffin said. A local financial services company, Capital Planning Systems, also provided funding.
The blanket for Kulp, who is six feet, four inches tall, is a little longer than the others, his sister said. Leah Kulp also had a request on behalf of all servicemen and women. “Keep them in your prayers,” she said.
For more information about Soldiers’ Angels see www.soldiersangels.org.
Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@tribstar.com.
