thedrifter
07-22-09, 08:25 AM
Posted on Wed, Jul. 22, 2009
Learn to make a clay heart to show support for the troops
By Angela Woolen
When Katy Peters brought the idea for Hearts 4 Heroes to Gena Vaughan, the single mother of two boys didn’t hesitate to say yes.
The idea is simple: make a heart from polymer clay with an instructor who is willing to donate the time, and send it to a serviceman or servicewoman overseas.
Vaughan, who owns Flamingo Follies on Commercial Circle in Warner Robins, is donating space in her shop for a series of monthly classes in which people can make the clay hearts. The first class is Saturday.
“There’s a lot of our soldiers that don’t have a lot of family.” said Vaughan. “Our community should be that link.”
Hearts 4 Heros is a national organization started in 2004 and so far it has sent nearly 40,000 hearts to troops.
Families and service members can visit Facebook and Twitter pages to pick out their hearts.
When a soldier sees a heart he or she likes, the organization sends it to the soldier. The person who made the heart is then able to correspond with the recipient.
And the hearts are not limited to the military. “If you are overseas with our troops, then you need our support just as much.” Vaughan said.
Vaughan has networked with children who have a parent overseas, spouses of military members, church groups and clubs to get the word out about the program.
So far, Vaughan has about three dozen requests for hearts. She hopes to have more once additional hearts are made.
“I don’t want to turn anyone away” because there are not enough hearts, she said.
She added she thinks that the community wants to feel like it is doing something to help the troops, and this is a more personalized way to show the community cares because it’s more hands-on than just an e-mail.
Vaughan should know. Her oldest son is in basic training for the U.S. Marines Corps at Paris Island, S.C. He says that he and his fellow Marines live for their mail but some of the men haven’t had mail in over a month, according to Vaughan.
A kick-off party is scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday at Flamingo Follies with the first heart-making class set for 1-4 p.m. Saturday.
The hearts take about 20-30 minutes to create. Anyone can make a heart, even if you have no artistic talent. “I can’t make anything but a mess” Vaughan said with a laugh, but she has made a clay heart.
The instructors will be Peters, who had the idea for a Warner Robins chapter of the organization, and Marsha Vandervort. They are donating the clay as well as the other materials needed to make the hearts.
People making the hearts pay the postage to send them overseas. There also will be candles for sale to help defray the cost of the materials.
When troops realize someone cares, that helps morale, Vaughan said.
Ellie
Learn to make a clay heart to show support for the troops
By Angela Woolen
When Katy Peters brought the idea for Hearts 4 Heroes to Gena Vaughan, the single mother of two boys didn’t hesitate to say yes.
The idea is simple: make a heart from polymer clay with an instructor who is willing to donate the time, and send it to a serviceman or servicewoman overseas.
Vaughan, who owns Flamingo Follies on Commercial Circle in Warner Robins, is donating space in her shop for a series of monthly classes in which people can make the clay hearts. The first class is Saturday.
“There’s a lot of our soldiers that don’t have a lot of family.” said Vaughan. “Our community should be that link.”
Hearts 4 Heros is a national organization started in 2004 and so far it has sent nearly 40,000 hearts to troops.
Families and service members can visit Facebook and Twitter pages to pick out their hearts.
When a soldier sees a heart he or she likes, the organization sends it to the soldier. The person who made the heart is then able to correspond with the recipient.
And the hearts are not limited to the military. “If you are overseas with our troops, then you need our support just as much.” Vaughan said.
Vaughan has networked with children who have a parent overseas, spouses of military members, church groups and clubs to get the word out about the program.
So far, Vaughan has about three dozen requests for hearts. She hopes to have more once additional hearts are made.
“I don’t want to turn anyone away” because there are not enough hearts, she said.
She added she thinks that the community wants to feel like it is doing something to help the troops, and this is a more personalized way to show the community cares because it’s more hands-on than just an e-mail.
Vaughan should know. Her oldest son is in basic training for the U.S. Marines Corps at Paris Island, S.C. He says that he and his fellow Marines live for their mail but some of the men haven’t had mail in over a month, according to Vaughan.
A kick-off party is scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday at Flamingo Follies with the first heart-making class set for 1-4 p.m. Saturday.
The hearts take about 20-30 minutes to create. Anyone can make a heart, even if you have no artistic talent. “I can’t make anything but a mess” Vaughan said with a laugh, but she has made a clay heart.
The instructors will be Peters, who had the idea for a Warner Robins chapter of the organization, and Marsha Vandervort. They are donating the clay as well as the other materials needed to make the hearts.
People making the hearts pay the postage to send them overseas. There also will be candles for sale to help defray the cost of the materials.
When troops realize someone cares, that helps morale, Vaughan said.
Ellie