thedrifter
04-23-07, 06:36 AM
Seniors Dedicate Time, Talent to Troops
By Jim Walker
Signal Staff Writer
On any given day the SCV Senior Center is a bustling hive of activity focused on the special needs of our local seniors. There are meals and exercise for their physical needs, there are group activities for their social needs, and there are classes for their intellectual needs. But the need many outsiders might overlook is the seniors' need to give. In that, they are like most of us, with one important plus - they have more time.
At 85, Maxine Millstein is the perfect example. She has the time, and the talent, to crochet miles of acrylic yarn into yards of colorful comfort, all with the unfailing output of an assembly line. "I used to be in the knitting business. I had a store in Long Island," she said. She works at home and in her crafts class at the senior center, and afghans are Millstein's usual creation.
Millstein also cares about others, and is most happy when her creations find those in need. "I make a lot of these. I give them to a lot of charities," she added. That's why, when the ladies in her crafts class were approached about donating afghans to comfort wounded U.S. soldiers, she stepped right up, offering 11 by collection day.
Trude Reynolds (who just turned 82) is another crochet queen in the class. She stepped up as well, making two afghans for this first shipment. "I did it because they were needed, and I know how," she said.
The Blue Star Mothers of the Canyons, Chapter 82, will now do their part. President Debi Duke was on hand recently to meet Millstein and Reynolds, and thankfully accept their 13 afghans. "We will send some to Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, outside San Antonio," Duke said. "We will also send some to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in the Washington, D.C. area," she added.
In what all involved hope is a continuing process, afghans may also be sent to local veterans hospitals and to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Duke explained that Landstuhl is usually where our troops wounded overseas receive their first intensive treatment after the field hospitals. "So many of our troops go there first. We'd like to see some (afghans) go there to comfort them," she said.
Duke explained that the Army medical centers are used by all branches of the service. "These (the afghans) will go to soldiers, sailors, Air Force and Marines," she said. The afghans are 100 percent acrylic for comfort, and are machine washable.
Maxine Millstein was born in Minnesota but grew up in Brooklyn. (You can still hear a bit of that when she speaks.) She currently lives in Canyon Country, with her husband of 64 years, Dave Millstein. They have been residents of the SCV for six years and their adult daughter Susan lives in Valencia. Their other grown daughter, Marilyn, lives in Northridge. "I love this area," Maxine Millstein said. She noted that the valley is getting very busy, but loves getting up in the morning and looking at the beautiful sky.
Reynolds said she is a widow and has lived in Valencia for about a year. She also does her crocheting work in the class and at home. She noted that each afghan took her about a week to make. "I've been doing crafts since I was 6 years old," she said. She was born in Vienna, Austria and went to a Catholic convent school. "That's where they taught us crocheting and knitting," she explained.
Millstein has previous experience sending care-items to troops. She lived for a time in Lancaster, where she belonged to a quilting club, and the club sent some of their quilts to soldiers. She explained that, at the Senior Center, Robin Clough, director of recreation and volunteers, made the connection between Duke and the craft class.
Duke said that she and Clough met while working on another project, and that the afghans for troops was Clough's idea.
Duke's 21 year-old son, Alexander Mann, is a medic with the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne, and deployed in Iraq now. His being in the military was how she came to be a Blue Star Mother, but she noted that she has always been a "team mom," from the time he was a young boy on sports teams.
Though her son has not been wounded, friends of his have been, as have sons of other mothers in her chapter. She well understands the comfort any gifts from home bring our wounded troops. She also understands the value our seniors represent. "Our seniors are such an amazing resource for us. Many people don't understand that our seniors have so much to give to us in so many ways," she said.
Millstein enjoys the crafts class as much for the social aspects as the craft-production. "This is a wonderful craft group. They're family. You have a warm attachment to the group," she said. She added that the craft class is the one thing she does with other people, aside from her husband.
She enjoys sharing the group with her 12 year-old granddaughter, who comes in once in awhile. "I think it's important she sees what seniors are capable of doing," Millstein said.
And she will continue churning out those afghans, in class and at home. "I can't sit and watch TV without doing something," she said.
For further information e-mail bluestarcanyons@yahoo.com or call (661) 253-0811.
Ellie
By Jim Walker
Signal Staff Writer
On any given day the SCV Senior Center is a bustling hive of activity focused on the special needs of our local seniors. There are meals and exercise for their physical needs, there are group activities for their social needs, and there are classes for their intellectual needs. But the need many outsiders might overlook is the seniors' need to give. In that, they are like most of us, with one important plus - they have more time.
At 85, Maxine Millstein is the perfect example. She has the time, and the talent, to crochet miles of acrylic yarn into yards of colorful comfort, all with the unfailing output of an assembly line. "I used to be in the knitting business. I had a store in Long Island," she said. She works at home and in her crafts class at the senior center, and afghans are Millstein's usual creation.
Millstein also cares about others, and is most happy when her creations find those in need. "I make a lot of these. I give them to a lot of charities," she added. That's why, when the ladies in her crafts class were approached about donating afghans to comfort wounded U.S. soldiers, she stepped right up, offering 11 by collection day.
Trude Reynolds (who just turned 82) is another crochet queen in the class. She stepped up as well, making two afghans for this first shipment. "I did it because they were needed, and I know how," she said.
The Blue Star Mothers of the Canyons, Chapter 82, will now do their part. President Debi Duke was on hand recently to meet Millstein and Reynolds, and thankfully accept their 13 afghans. "We will send some to Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, outside San Antonio," Duke said. "We will also send some to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in the Washington, D.C. area," she added.
In what all involved hope is a continuing process, afghans may also be sent to local veterans hospitals and to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Duke explained that Landstuhl is usually where our troops wounded overseas receive their first intensive treatment after the field hospitals. "So many of our troops go there first. We'd like to see some (afghans) go there to comfort them," she said.
Duke explained that the Army medical centers are used by all branches of the service. "These (the afghans) will go to soldiers, sailors, Air Force and Marines," she said. The afghans are 100 percent acrylic for comfort, and are machine washable.
Maxine Millstein was born in Minnesota but grew up in Brooklyn. (You can still hear a bit of that when she speaks.) She currently lives in Canyon Country, with her husband of 64 years, Dave Millstein. They have been residents of the SCV for six years and their adult daughter Susan lives in Valencia. Their other grown daughter, Marilyn, lives in Northridge. "I love this area," Maxine Millstein said. She noted that the valley is getting very busy, but loves getting up in the morning and looking at the beautiful sky.
Reynolds said she is a widow and has lived in Valencia for about a year. She also does her crocheting work in the class and at home. She noted that each afghan took her about a week to make. "I've been doing crafts since I was 6 years old," she said. She was born in Vienna, Austria and went to a Catholic convent school. "That's where they taught us crocheting and knitting," she explained.
Millstein has previous experience sending care-items to troops. She lived for a time in Lancaster, where she belonged to a quilting club, and the club sent some of their quilts to soldiers. She explained that, at the Senior Center, Robin Clough, director of recreation and volunteers, made the connection between Duke and the craft class.
Duke said that she and Clough met while working on another project, and that the afghans for troops was Clough's idea.
Duke's 21 year-old son, Alexander Mann, is a medic with the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne, and deployed in Iraq now. His being in the military was how she came to be a Blue Star Mother, but she noted that she has always been a "team mom," from the time he was a young boy on sports teams.
Though her son has not been wounded, friends of his have been, as have sons of other mothers in her chapter. She well understands the comfort any gifts from home bring our wounded troops. She also understands the value our seniors represent. "Our seniors are such an amazing resource for us. Many people don't understand that our seniors have so much to give to us in so many ways," she said.
Millstein enjoys the crafts class as much for the social aspects as the craft-production. "This is a wonderful craft group. They're family. You have a warm attachment to the group," she said. She added that the craft class is the one thing she does with other people, aside from her husband.
She enjoys sharing the group with her 12 year-old granddaughter, who comes in once in awhile. "I think it's important she sees what seniors are capable of doing," Millstein said.
And she will continue churning out those afghans, in class and at home. "I can't sit and watch TV without doing something," she said.
For further information e-mail bluestarcanyons@yahoo.com or call (661) 253-0811.
Ellie