Helping wounded heroes Members of the Piecemakers Quilt Club meet once a month at the United Methodist Church in Staples. Recently, they have focused their efforts on making quilts for wounded soldiers in Afghanistan. Pictured above, from row from left, are Judy Droubie and Kathy Crews, club members; and Angela Brichacek, club president. Pictured in back is Charlie Crews, a retired navy officer, who first alerted the Piecemakers to the needs for quilts in Afghanistan. (Staples World photo by Dawn Timbs) Quilts made in Staples, Minnesota are helping keep wounded American soldiers warm while in transit from Afghanistan to Germany.

“It’s a new project for the Piecemakers Quilt Club,” said club member Judy Droubie of Staples recently. “We’re excited to be a part of it.”

Since last November, the Piecemakers have lovingly stitched together approximately six ‘Wounded Hero Quilts’ which have been sent (along with 12 blankets, 31 pillows, 174 caps and other supplies) to Afghanistan.

The quilts are used when wounded soldiers are being transported as they leave Afghanistan, Judy explained. “The aircraft is cold at high altitudes, so a warm quilt (that they can keep) to go along with the wool military blanket is much appreciated,” she added.

Club member Kathy Crews of Staples calls them ‘Happy Quilts,’ in hopes that they will bring some joy into a situation that is not so joyful.

A Staples quilt in Afghanistan Major Deborah (Lucy) Lehker, a Critical Care Air Transport Nurse deployed to Afghanistan, is pictured with one of the quilts made by the Piecemakers Quilt Club for wounded soldiors as part of the There is definitely a need for ‘happy quilts’ in Afghanistan, Kathy says.

It was Kathy’s husband, Charlie Crews, a retired Chief Petty Officer with the U.S. Navy, who was first made aware of this need after he became acquainted with Major Deborah (Lucy) Lehker, a Critical Care Air Transport Nurse deployed to Afghanistan.

Through his correspondence with Lucy, Charlie learned that there aren’t a lot of blankets, pillows and caps available for soldiers at her location in Kandahar.

He asked Kathy if the Piecemakers would help make some quilts for the Afghanistan Wounded Heroes Project.

“Yes,” was the resounding response. Charlie also approached board members at the Staples United Methodist Church to see if they would be interested in supporting this mission project. They, too, were willing to help.

The quilters bring their own personal stash of material from home (for the quilts and pillow covers); and Charlie has been able to find reasonable bulk rates on some of the other items.

“The biggest expense is shipping,” Charlie said, explaining that it costs approximately $13 per shipment. So far, 17 boxes have been sent from Staples to Afghanistan. A retired manager of 3M, Charlie also has access to 3M products that he sends on occasion.

Charlie was also able to secure financial support from the USS Greenwich Bay Association, a group of shipmates (of which he is one) who served tours on this ship during a period from 1945 - 1963.

The photos of soldiers with their happy quilts and the gracious responses articulated by ‘Major Lucy’ makes it all worth the effort, the quilters agree.

“The quilts that were made with love are a touch from home,” Lucy writes via e-mail. “Yes, we have plenty of wool blankets but have you ever been sick and need something comfortable to use? A pillow, stocking caps and soft blankets/quilts feel awesome.”

Lucy said that most of her patients are intubated and sedated for flight; but they can still hear and feel. “Charlie Crews has been a tremendous asset for us,” Lucy continued. “The pillows are great and perfect size for our litters; the caps are warm... and the love which went into the quilts are fabulous. I ensure they go with the patient; it is part of my handoff report that this goes with them all the way home.”

She tells Charlie that they have wool blankets which provide warmth, but tend to be very bulky and itchy and not very comfortable when you are injured, “It is cold here,” Lucy writes. “About 30’s at night and this is the warm part of the country. Up in Bagram, it is in the teens.”

The American soldiers are very appreciative of the quilts, she writes.

The Piecemaker quilters meet once a month at the United Methodist Church in Staples, where they spend time cutting fabric squares and sewing pieces together. Eventually they put batting in the middle, add a backing; and finally, they quilt it.

The club members bring their own personal stash of material from home, Kathy said. Like their creators, the quilts have their own personalities and unique style. The materials are beautiful and bright; and it’s easy to see why they are called, ‘Happy Quilts.’

For the past several years, the quilters had focused much of their attention on making baby quilts for newborns at Lakewood Health System Hospital in Staples.

“We gave away over 300 of those last year,” said Angela Brichacek, the club’s president.

After hearing about the need for ‘Wounded Soldier Blankets’ in Afghanistan, however, the Piecemakers felt it was time to change their focus.

The needs keep getting greater.

Charlie shares with the group, at their recent monthly meeting, that since the war in Afghanistan began in 2001, out of all who have been wounded, 37 percent of those were wounded between May and October of 2009.

Lucy is on a tight schedule, but she keeps in contact with Charlie and the Piecemakers as she is able.

“Sorry I haven’t responded until now,” Lucy e-mailed in January. “We have been very busy with missions. As CCATT (Critical Care Air Transport Team) we don’t get crew rest. If the news shows stuff happening, we are involved.”

Lucy tells Charlie that she is saving some of the supplies sent from Staples for the CASF (Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility) which is being built up at this time.

Many more medical personnel have been brought in, Lucy says, for they expect things to happen there very shortly. “We have already seen it. We had a rocket attack hit our living quarters about three days ago and we transported out four... all critical and one may not make it. The night before we took out a marine hit by a suicide bomber...three others didn’t make it and he (the marine) is brain dead.”

Lucy said that the marine’s mother was on her way to Germany to see him. “I have cried now for three days,” Lucy shared. “I did my best, but it wasn’t good enough.”

She’s been deployed for nearly six months, Lucy shares in a recent e-mail. “I’m getting ready to go home,” she writes, adding that she is from Phoenix, AZ. She has five children, one grandson, a fabulous husband and two dogs named Frick and Frack.

In the meantime, Lucy remains focused on the task at hand; and is grateful for the support of her fellow Americans.

Although she has not personally met the folks from Staples who are involved with the Wounded Heroes Project, Lucy sends warm greetings to all (via Charlie) and ‘thanks’ on behalf of the soldiers who have been given a warm quilt...a little taste of home.