SOUTH BRUNSWICK – Residents are invited to help troops overseas stay cool while in the depths of military action.
Operation Gratitude is a non-profit organization that sends care packages to military personnel and first responders.
Barbara Battles, head of Outreach Services for the South Brunswick Library, has a nephew who is in the U.S. Air Force. She said she knew of the need for knitted or crocheted scarves and hats, but recently learned of cool-ties that are better for troops in the desert.
On Aug. 16, library patrons helped add 2 tablespoons of special crystals from Watersorb in Arkansas to camouflage fabric to create 19 ties. The items are sent to troops in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Africa and elsewhere that have triple-digit temperatures.
Battles said she is also collecting Beanie Babies since Operation Gratitude sends the stuffed animals so that the soldiers “feel a little bit of home.”
In addition, Battles will instruct crafters on how to make survival bracelets, also known as a Quick Deploy Paracord.
“If they’re in a situation where they need rescuing or a tourniquet or bow string … in three seconds they can get an 8-foot cord,” she said.
Battles has also led sewing classes at the library to make skirts, stuffed animals, pillows and a warm tie filled with rice that can be microwaved to soothe the neck. She would also like to have a group create fabric sanitary napkins for girls in third world nations.
“Pinterest is great,” she said. “People like to walk away with something.”
Battles received donated samples of discontinued fabric samples; she hopes to hold a denim apron-making class soon. She also accepts pieces of broken china and ceramics for projects.
She credits the resurgence of homemaking and low-tech projects to the popularity of Makerspace projects.
As such, she said she is building two free libraries via donations of Home Depot. The boxes will be placed in township parks so that residents can freely exchange and receive books at will.
For more information, call the library at 732-329-4000.
Contact Jennifer Amato at [email protected].