thedrifter
10-05-09, 11:10 AM
Mom recruits help to knit for Marines
By Bronwyn Turner
Correspondent
Published October 5, 2009
GALVESTON — Mary Viegas has been shopping out yarn and a heartfelt assignment to nursing home residents and friends across Galveston.
Now, she’d like to recruit Daily News readers as well.
The mission: Produce hand-knitted helmet liners for the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines deploying to Afghanistan this month. Viegas’ son, Joey, who just turned 22, will be among them.
She hopes to help in a nationwide project of providing one homemade liner for each of the 800 Marines.
“This makes me feel like I’m able to do something,” Viegas said, speaking above the buzz of voices at a knitting class at her home in Galveston.
“I can’t protect him, but this will help.”
The Tuesday night class was the third such gathering in as many weeks at the home of Mary and her husband, Dr. Steven Viegas. She also has been delivering yarn and needles to retirement home residents and sending instructions by e-mail.
Those who have responded include an Edgewater Retirement Community resident in her 80s whose knitting skills date to World War II, when she made socks for her husband in the Marines.
One of the 27 women who have gathered at Viegas’ house is Jacqueline Luxon, who is honing knitting skills also forged in the 1940s. She grew up in France when children learned knitting at home and at school.
Lorraine Miller is on her fifth helmet liner. She started knitting in 1943, when Red Cross workers taught students at her high school how to knit squares to be made into afghans for soldiers.
One of the knitting newcomers in the project is Julie Schmid, Galveston Independent School District Educational Foundation executive director. Schmid’s son, Danny, grew up with Joey.
She has completed only about a 2-inch swath so far.
“I’ve got a Barbie scarf right now,” she admitted, but she strongly encourages other novice knitters to take up the cause. “We’re helping keep a Marine warm.”
Joanne Griffin, who taught algebra to Joey at Ball High School, started knitting as soon as she heard of the need. She now teaches other women at the informal classes at the Viegas home.
“I think it’s a wonderful project,” she said. “If anyone wants to learn to knit, I’d be glad to help them.”
Shelley Kessler, director of accounting at the Transitional Learning Center, just finished her first crocheted helmet liner. Her children grew up with Joey.
“When you’re doing something, it helps alleviate the worry,” she said.
“It makes you feel better about him being so far away and with all the troops in harm’s way.”
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At A Glance
WHAT: Helmet liner knitting project for 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment being deployed to Afghanistan. The liners will replace government-issued ones that are not as comfortable.
WHEN: Deadline for completing the liners is Nov. 11, Veteran’s Day.
CONTACT: Mary Viegas will pick up all finished liners, and mail them all together. E-mail mcmaryv(at)aol.com, or call (409) 744-7387. She also has information on knitting classes and crocheting instructions.
DONATIONS: If you can’t knit or crochet, you can send a check, made out to Roxanne Robertson. Mail it to 4649 Haskell Ave., Kansas City, KS 66104-3332. She is the care package coordinator and will be purchasing socks, toilet paper and disposable razors to be shipped along with the helmet liners.
Ellie
By Bronwyn Turner
Correspondent
Published October 5, 2009
GALVESTON — Mary Viegas has been shopping out yarn and a heartfelt assignment to nursing home residents and friends across Galveston.
Now, she’d like to recruit Daily News readers as well.
The mission: Produce hand-knitted helmet liners for the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines deploying to Afghanistan this month. Viegas’ son, Joey, who just turned 22, will be among them.
She hopes to help in a nationwide project of providing one homemade liner for each of the 800 Marines.
“This makes me feel like I’m able to do something,” Viegas said, speaking above the buzz of voices at a knitting class at her home in Galveston.
“I can’t protect him, but this will help.”
The Tuesday night class was the third such gathering in as many weeks at the home of Mary and her husband, Dr. Steven Viegas. She also has been delivering yarn and needles to retirement home residents and sending instructions by e-mail.
Those who have responded include an Edgewater Retirement Community resident in her 80s whose knitting skills date to World War II, when she made socks for her husband in the Marines.
One of the 27 women who have gathered at Viegas’ house is Jacqueline Luxon, who is honing knitting skills also forged in the 1940s. She grew up in France when children learned knitting at home and at school.
Lorraine Miller is on her fifth helmet liner. She started knitting in 1943, when Red Cross workers taught students at her high school how to knit squares to be made into afghans for soldiers.
One of the knitting newcomers in the project is Julie Schmid, Galveston Independent School District Educational Foundation executive director. Schmid’s son, Danny, grew up with Joey.
She has completed only about a 2-inch swath so far.
“I’ve got a Barbie scarf right now,” she admitted, but she strongly encourages other novice knitters to take up the cause. “We’re helping keep a Marine warm.”
Joanne Griffin, who taught algebra to Joey at Ball High School, started knitting as soon as she heard of the need. She now teaches other women at the informal classes at the Viegas home.
“I think it’s a wonderful project,” she said. “If anyone wants to learn to knit, I’d be glad to help them.”
Shelley Kessler, director of accounting at the Transitional Learning Center, just finished her first crocheted helmet liner. Her children grew up with Joey.
“When you’re doing something, it helps alleviate the worry,” she said.
“It makes you feel better about him being so far away and with all the troops in harm’s way.”
+++
At A Glance
WHAT: Helmet liner knitting project for 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment being deployed to Afghanistan. The liners will replace government-issued ones that are not as comfortable.
WHEN: Deadline for completing the liners is Nov. 11, Veteran’s Day.
CONTACT: Mary Viegas will pick up all finished liners, and mail them all together. E-mail mcmaryv(at)aol.com, or call (409) 744-7387. She also has information on knitting classes and crocheting instructions.
DONATIONS: If you can’t knit or crochet, you can send a check, made out to Roxanne Robertson. Mail it to 4649 Haskell Ave., Kansas City, KS 66104-3332. She is the care package coordinator and will be purchasing socks, toilet paper and disposable razors to be shipped along with the helmet liners.
Ellie