Center for the Intrepid

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airrat

airrat

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Robert and I were asked if we could donate some pens to the Center for the Intrepid by a counselor at his work. She and her mother are making/donating lap quilts for leg amputees and are going down the 1st of June to give them to patients. This will be the second time they have gone there

Honestly, I had no clue what the Center for the Intrepid was until she sent us a link of a video. The video really hits you hard and said enough for me to want to make some pens. There is one speaker in it that said “they didn’t lose……..they gave…..â€, I will let you listen for it.

http://www.defenselink.mil/home/features/2007/intrepid_center2/

Here is an article on the opening of it and a little about it.

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123039223



Robert and I plan on doing what we can and donate them. We were wondering if anyone else in the IAP wanted to help us. This would be somewhat of a rush deal since we need to get the pens to her before she goes.
 
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Anyone considering donating pens for this I want to thank in advance. The counselor at my school said the last time her 73 year old mother delivered the lap quilts it was amazing. The soldiers were very thankful and said it was nice to be remembered. I am going to also try to make cards from recycled paper and write "NOT FORGOTTEN" on each one. Let us know if you are interested in donating a pen for the Center for the Intrepid.
 
Thanks you all

no fund raiser, just going to give the pens to troops there. They are all in rehab and I am sure it will boost their spirit. As it said in the video "they gave"....the way I feel is its the least I can do now.

PM's being sent. Going to give my address and then will get them to her to take. I will be in California when she goes else I would go too. I think I will plan that next time. I will make sure she gets some pictures if possible.
 
Robert or Tom,
Will the ladies be traveling by car or airplane? It is NOT recommended to try to board a plane with the pens that I would like to send. They are made from 30 and 50 caliber casings AND bullets. So, can you PM me with either your address (if driving) or an alternate address (if traveling by plane)?

Paul in AR
 
Paul I will ask her tomorrow on that. I will also ask TSA on Tuesday when I go to work about that. I know one can check ammunition in "checked" baggage. I don't think it will be a problem but I will find out.

Going to PM you my address.
 
I am going to copy some of her email into here so you all can get a little history on what it is they have done. I am thinking I would need all the pens by the 28th to get them all together for her. If anyone does a pen they feel might not go through airport security please send them a little earlier, I will send them to her mother in one package.

" After our family and friends sent four 50 lb. boxes to Joe Torres' son-in-law in Iraq and we received via e-mail the letter on Christmas Eve thanking us for the gifts for the young men, etc., and a full size picture of the men, my mother read the letter and wanted to help. She got her church and friends to start sending boxes of items to Iraq. Then, she heard about the Center for the Intrepid (see video clip) in San Antonio, TX and decided to start getting people to donate fabric, piece lap quilts that are 45 inches x 60 inches so that she could quilt them on her Gammill Longarm Quilting Machine. She gathered up 57 quilts and in the midst of trying to recover from pneumonia, with me begging her to wait to get completely well before going; this determined 76 yard old mother of mine loaded up 57 lap quilts, drove 300 miles each way, and delivered them to the Center for the Intrepid. She had to have all the arrangements made by her friend and they were able to hand them out to the young men and women (mom called them just kids) at the Family Room one night. She said that it was heart wrenching to see the sacrifices they have given for our country and how they are recovering at the new rehabilitation facility. One young man couldn't even get his wheelchair to roll up to the front to pick out a lap quilt. My mom went over and wrapped one around his shoulders and asked him if she could give him a hug. She also stated that one young man had 90% of his face burned and scarred. Well, my go-getter mother has rallied friends and quilters and we are going to the Center for the Intrepid the first week of June. I will fly from Phoenix to mom's and we will then drive to San Antonio. Our custodian here at school is going to make about 20 little tiny ceramic angels for us to give out also. I know that people are so thrilled to find 'some way to express that our soldiers and their families are in our hearts and our prayers daily' and that we have not forgotten what they are doing for our country. "

Also if anyone wants to attack a note of encouragement or something please feel free to. We plan on making little cards to go with the pens as well.
 
BTW in post above attack should be attach. DOH!!!

Here is something we are working on for the card to go with each pen. What do you all think?

Poem was written by my wife.


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Becca it said something about women in the video but I will get an answer today. I guess we assumed they would be but should know better then to do that.

I am thinking that if there is we might do a second card for the females. Changing out the words might work on the poem too.
 
I'd be priviledged to have a few of my pens accepted too. Maybe I missed it but didn't see a contact. BTW SAT isn't that far from Houston. I wouldn't be against driving a load of pens from here to there. Let me know what I can do to help.
Vern I can be contacted off net at desplinter@sbcglobal.net
 
Tom or anyone that has his address, would you please PM it to me. I've got pens packaged, just nowhere to send them. He did send it to me but it got lost in cyberspace...or I just hit the wrong button...nah...
Vern
 
Pens are arriving and LOOK GREAT!!!

So you know they arrived I have gotten pens from ashaw, angboy, jim15, pipes and wudnhed. They all arrived safely. I will admit I am enjoying seeing all your work in person.
 
Vern and Bob I got your pens today. They look GREAT and thanks!!

As of right now we have approx 34 pens and a few more still coming. I applaud you all for this!
 
I missed this post, BUT I would love to send some pens, pen kits. Please PM me with address and I send some finished pens right away. I am a Vet (Army-Viet Nam Era) so I applaud you all for your time and effort doing this very worthwhile show of appreciation. The card and poem are great also.

Mike
 
Thank you all for donating the pens. I have been letting Tom coordinate all this and do the all hard work [:D], but I wanted to let everyone know I talked to Paula the counselor today and they had to bump up their visit by a couple days. They will be delivering the pens during the week of the 28th. The gentleman that coordinates the visit and gets them access to the center will be out of town on their original deliver dates. Paula is very excited about all the pens and passes a heartfelt thank you to everyone. She will take pictures and I will post them for you. Thanks again.
 
Was going through the pens today and missed telling Grumps (james) Your pens arrived and look great. Sorry about not listing earlier when they did arrive.

If anyone else has sent pens and they are not listed please let us know. I don't want to miss listing your name.
 
I gave the box of pens to Paula for delivery to the center. Here is a letter she sent me.

May 23, 2007

Robert and Friends:
Please know that I got chill bumps as I took the box of hand-made custom pens to give out to the wounded soldiers at the Center for the Intrepid next week in Texas. It is an honor to represent you next week as my mother and I give out the lap quilts and the pens. I can see that each pen was made with lots of love. If I am unable to hand out all the pens to soldiers personally and express to them your love and appreciation along with the cards, I will return the pens to Robert. My deepest gratitude from the YOUNG men and women that are in the rehab unit trying to 'piece back together their lives' as they return to the U.S. and heal. Your pens will be greatly cherished.


Paula Sheppard, M.S., LPC

Guidance Counselor
 
Sorry it took so long to post some pictures. We were on vacation last week.

Here are some pictures and an email from Paula, the pictures are a little small, not sure what setting her camera was on.
Robert:
These are pictures from today in San Antonio - the young men absolutely
LOVED the pens and as you can see in the pictures, they are reading the
poem written by your wife and looking at the card. What a day!
Paula


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Here is a copy of an email I received. I am going to ommit the name of the SGT that sent it to me. Not sure if it would be proper to post it. If it is ok someone let me know.

Mr Wyatt(s),
I just wanted to let you know that the solders really appreciate the pens that were brought to them. I just wanted to say thank you on behalf of all the soldiers who received a pen. They really did appreciate them and the the two ladies and one gentleman who took time out of their day to bring the pens by. Again thank you so very much.
SGT xxxx
 
Got another email from a soldier who received a pen. Here it is:

I just wanted to thank you so very much for the pen that you and your group gave to me. I served in Iraq from Mar. 8 2004 to Mar. 25, 2005. I must say that this is one of the most awesome gifts I have ever gotten. It is kind of nice to get a gift like this from people that genuinely do care about our troops. I have since then gotten out of the military. I deal with a lot of issues, but it is nice to know that people still do very much care. Thank you again for everything that you guys/gals do for our troops. You truly are the reason that we fight. Happy 4th of July.

Kyle F. (Spc. E-4 Veteran)
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