Operation Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep is finally going to bed

Some of Pam's students at BHS work on pillowcases.

This is one of the unique pillowcases donated by St. Mary's grade school in Bismarck.  Note the St. Christopher medal pinned to the note and pillowcase.  This was one of 150 pillowcases we received and sent to the troops.

Pam is wrapping up the Operation Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep project and sent the thank you letter below to many supporters.  It summarizes how goals can be met and exceeded when good people work toward a common goal.

Greetings!

As a contributor to Operation Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, I thought you would be interested to hear some final numbers for the project. You will recall the project originated when our son, Reed, who is stationed at Camp Ramadi in Iraq, emailed to ask if I could make a pillowcase that would fit his pillow, since the pillows they have access to over there are smaller than typical ones. That request prompted the goal of getting enough pillowcases for his entire 54th Engineer Battalion. Last Monday I sent off the last of 53 boxes containing a total of over 1500 pillowcases! So, with your help, we got enough so that each soldier would get not one, but three pillowcases.

The support for our troops is truly phenomenal, and I wish I could share with you everything that came together to bring this project to fruition. Here are a few highlights:

1.    Workers and staff at Able, a facility for developmentally disabled persons in Bowman, ND sewed over 300 pillowcases in an effort led by Della Wallman.
2.    Solheim Elementary School faculty and staff supported Rayne Kembel in her effort to sew over 100 pillowcases – all by herself.
3.    St. Mary’s Catholic Elementary School, in a project led by Joan Sieler, contributed over 150 pillowcases made by grade 1-8 students during Catholic Schools Week, many bearing a medal which had been blessed by the bishop.
4.    Children in the YMCA Preschool in Bismarck donated 250 pounds (which amounted to another 23 boxes) of snack foods, dry beverage mixes, games, and toiletries and sent pictures they drew, in a drive initiated by Mary Vinje-Shenk.
5.    Students in sewing classes at Century High School (Jess Bentz), Bismarck High School, Wachter Middle School (Patty Steinert) and Horizon Middle School (Joyce Schwartz and Sandra LaDuke) sewed more than 180 pillowcases with some fabric purchased by the Century HS Student Council and some donated by Renee Becker.
6.    Quilting groups from Phoenix, Arizona (Sew What Quilters/Linda Legreid); Greeley, Colorado (Pieceable Friends Quilt Guild/Daisy Boulter); Bismarck (Missouri Valley Quilters/Bobbie Grassel); Maddock, ND (Evening Stars/Janet Olson) and Parshall, ND (S & B Quilters/JoElla Westgard) sewed more than 275 pillowcases (it’s easy to spot a quilter’s work product!). Daisy’s group also sent $50 to be used for postage.
7.    Grimsrud and Jeannette Myre Elementary School children in Bismarck conducted fund raisers and contributed $200 to help with expenses at the impetus of Deb Steffeck.
8.    Creative Cool Kids 4-H club members, some as young as six years old, sewed many “cool” pillowcases.
9.    Nicole Gustafson organized a “sew-in” at Bismarck State College and contributed more than 40 pillowcases.
10.    My good friend, Shannon Kline, tirelessly campaigned for donations and is single-handedly responsible for collecting more than $200 which has been used for postage.
11.    Prairie Rose Lions, at the suggestion of Betty Steele, met at Bismarck High for a sewing night and contributed more than 60 pillowcases; Ken Erickson, principal, permitted use of the facilities.
12.    Several church groups, including Lutheran Church of the Cross WELCA in Bismarck, Steele (ND) United Methodist Youth and St. John’s Church in Upham, ND contributed money and fabric.
13.    Children in Judy Dodge’s Writers’ Workshop in St. Paul, MN, wrote letters and drew pictures to send the soldiers.
14.    Lael Hoerauf got men sewing when she hosted dinner club at her house and incorporated the project as an activity.
15.    Commercial Bank of Mott President Bill Vukelic provided a “no charge” checking account.
16.    Hancock Fabrics (Arlyce Malarkey, store manager) in Bismarck contributed nearly 20 yards of fabric and several staff members also sewed pillowcases.
17.    Numerous individuals from nine states sent pillowcases, money or fabric.
18.    My dear husband, Jim, did the “heavy lifting” getting all 75 boxes of pillowcases and other goods to the post office.
19.    Karen Herzog (Bismarck Tribune), Tracie Bettenhausen (KXMB TV) and Sarah Williams (KFYR TV) helped get the word out.

Upon receiving a batch of pillowcases First Sergeant Sean Reilly sent this message, “On behalf of B Co I would like to say thank you for the wonderful gift. All the pillowcases have been put to use. They have added quite a bit of colorful personality to the soldiers’ sleeping areas. Thanks for thinking of the deployed soldiers.”

And from First Sergeant Philip Chepenik and Company Commander Jon Stover from Headquarters Company, “I really appreciate the generosity that each one of you displayed by sending us pillowcases recently in the mail. For many of the soldiers currently in my company, this is their first deployment away from their families and their home. Even though we must endure rough conditions every time we leave the safety of our camp, I always try and find ways to make their time on camp as comfortable as possible, and you helped me accomplish this…. Once again, I really appreciate this incredible display of compassion. You have helped make our time here a little more like home for a group of engineers stationed at Camp Ar Ramadi in Iraq.”

One female recipient of three pillowcases wrote back to say the ones she received were too nice to sleep on – she was using them for wall hangings and window coverings.

About $50 remains in the checking account now that all the packages have been sent. Reed checked with company commanders who suggested the money be used to purchase board games for a new recreational facility under construction in Camp Ramadi. That is where any remaining money will be spent.

It has been tremendously rewarding to see your response to this project, to read the notes you’ve sent and to actually “handle” your beautiful workmanship. Your concern, love and support have clearly been evident to me, and I am sure translated to the troops as well. Thank you for being instrumental in the success of this project!

Sincerely,

Pam Vukelic