People have been wondering, since the Iraq conflict began, what they could do to help our US military people.

I was no different.  But that changed when I opened an email that had directions for making cooling ties that work  through evaporation and can lower body temperature by as much as 4 degrees.

Well, I thought, I can make a few of those, even though it's been 30 years since I touched a sewing machine to make an  apron for 4-H.

But, first I need to round up some friends to help me.  I posted messages on several Internet message boards trying to recruit others and offering to send them the directions.  I was so happy to receive many replies and promises of help.

I quickly learned that Americans want to help and they have made me aware of that over and over again.  Some have mailed me fabric and polymer, others have contributed to the postage costs and many, many more have joined my husband (yes, he learned to sew just to help the Marines and soldiers in Iraq) and myself at our sewing machines.

In just 7 weeks time, we have mailed out over 8,400 cooling ties to our troops in the Middle East where the temperatures next month will soar to over 135 degrees.  Now 8,400 sounds like a lot,  until you consider that there are over 145,000 Americans serving us in the deserts of Iraq and Afghanistan.  WE NEED MORE HELP.

I met my husband, Ray, when he pulled my letter out of a stack of Any Service Member letters in the morale office of the USS Independence during Desert Shield in 1990.  Now, after 11 years of  marriage, he is in total support of my "HUGS" project.

Ray says, "Your family has to love and support you, but when you are in the military and receive a letter, or even just a stick of gum, from a total stranger, you just can't imagine the incredibly good feeling you get."

He sits at our borrowed machine each night for 3-4 hours so as many soldiers as possible can experience that wonderful feeling of love and appreciation.

We place a label on each cooling tie (we call them "hugs") that says, "Dear Military Person:  We appreciate you for your service to your country and so we want you to have this "hug" from home.  When you place it around your neck, please remember there is someone who made this by hand just for you and who wishes they could actually give you a real hug.  We want you to know that we are praying for your safety."

I recently read about a 22-year-old young woman who collapsed and died while standing guard duty.  That haunts me.  Could one of our "hugs" around her neck have made a difference?

And so, we are recruiting once again -- trying to find even more people who sew or can help us in this show of support.  If you can sew, we need your help.  If you can't sew, we need your help.

You can pair with someone who does sew and offer to do the other jobs involved -- turning, ironing, packaging, etc.

My son has never had to go to war.  This is possible because some other mother's son or daughter volunteered to go into harm's way.

For that, I am eternally grateful and so I  began the "Hugs Project" as my way of saying thank you and to tell the overseas soldiers that "I respect you and I appreciate you for the job you're doing."

I consider it an honor to be able to help some of America's finest young men and women.

We can make a difference -- one "hug" at a time.

- Karen Stark      thehugsproject @ cox.net

___________________________________________
There are several ways to get involved with the "Hugs Project".  You can join the Hugs mailing list by going to this website:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thehugsproject/
You can also email Karen by clicking here: 
mailto:thehugsproject@cox.net

Please reference Starfish in the subject line.  Karen will email you back all the information you need to get started.