Sunday, May 27, 2007

Thank You Vets!

I want to take a minute this Memorial Day week-end and thank all the veterans out there who make it possible for me to speak my mind freely, attend the church I want without fear of being shot, for being able to walk down my street without the fear of being attacked by a car bomb or kidnapped.

You don't have to support the war to support our troops, but you do have to be thankful you can protest in this country the way you feel fit to do because if you were in China or other countries, you wouldn't have these freedoms.

So, for those that don't like war (I don't either) & feel they need to protest at funerals, speeches, parades, etc. Have the heart and guts to go up to a vet or active duty personnel and tell them thank you for serving and giving you the chance to protest. These men and women weren't drafted into service, they chose to serve this country and like it or not, they chose to protect the rights that give you the chance to act the way you do.

To my Uncle Biddy who has passed on....thank you! To my cousin Chuckie who served in VietNam...thank you! My dad served VietNam...thank you! Sgt. Tony B served VietNam 3 times...thank you! My husband Jerry, United States Navy who sat off the coast of Iran during the first Iranian crisis and who is now a civilian...thank you! My brother-in-law Scott M.... thank you! John S. United States Navy, now civilian...thank you! My brother-in-laws Kent and James K (United States Navy and Marines), thank you!

For those I missed, I appreciate all you do, the long hours, low pay, time away from home and family. God Bless You and Keep You All Safe!

Thursday, May 24, 2007

One Week & Nine Quilts Done

Whew!! I am exhausted but feel very satisfied as I managed to complete eight small lap type quilts for the police dispatchers of Virginia Tech University and got them mailed off yesterday.

Can we all say eek to the new postal costs and way of doing business which looks a lot like (FedEx and UPS)? Sending eight quilts in a small bubble wrap box, with confirmation and insurance cost me over $30.

Thank you to those special peopole out there who believed in me and helped to support my effort in this cause, I will be forever grateful!

Thursday, May 17, 2007

$50 Arrived Yesterday

I am so very grateful to the Novi, Michigan dispatchers union for their donation of $50 towards the quilts I am making for the VA Tech dispatchers. How awesome is it that they stepped out in faith thanks to one of their dispatchers and trusted me this will get done.

Thanks also to the following for lending a hand in a special way:
Sgt. A. Bisulca (Ret. Army) $30
Tracy McDonough (Dispatcher) $25 gift card WalMart
Sara Lyons (White Tanks Baptist Church Member) Fabric
Autumn (Wife, US Air Force) Fabric & Thread

As of today, I have 6 quilts done and finishing the last two and they should be mailed out to VA Tech dispatchers on Saturday. Only 18 more to go!

Look around people, none of these people sent hundreds of dollars or scads of fabric, each sent a little which turned out to fit the needs and be a lot when put together. It is like the old story of making stone soup. One person starts the pot and adds a stone and then everyone is invited and adds their own ingredients such as spices, vegetables, meats, etc. in the end, the stone is removed and everyone partakes in the beautiful dinner they created a bit at a time.

It costs less than $4.00 for a crib batting at WalMart, thread is less than $3.00 spool and fabric can be bought at many second hand stores very reasonably and when it is all put together, you have a quilt made by one but added to by many.

Stop believing someone else will step up and get this done, they won't so please, just reach out and help. These dispatchers are hurting and trust me they will smile, they will return to their jobs, but this will never leave them. Help me make them feel a bit warmer.

If you don't trust me, send donations to 911 Cares: http://911cares.com
and tell them, Ranny Jean sent you their way. I can't say enough wonderful things about this group and all they do to help those dispatchers in need. Today, reach out and help them help others.

Monday, May 14, 2007

All talk...No action/Compassion

It is truly a sad day when I have busted my butt all week-end and made the eight quilts needed for the VA Tech dispatchers and yet, I have come up short on the others. Short by 18 quilts to be exact.

What is up? I know people are reading my blog, people are letting me know they will send me fabric and money to help get this project complete and yet, I have received a total of $$60 in donations, some great fabric and then a bag of used rags.

Wake up people, is this what we have been reduced to? Telling lies to each other to make ourselves feel good? I sure in the hell hope it works because lying to me must give those of you some sort of warped pleasure.

While most of you are bitching and complaining about the man who immediately set up in bad taste web sites on this tragedy, how many of you actually really care? You don't, all you want is a cause to bitch about!

You are the same people who sit on your butts and complain about so many things and yet never once try to do anything to make it better with the exception of making a bunch of false donations to me that never materialize.

As a child I remember going Trick or Treat for Unicef and no one questioned me about turning in the money, they expectred I would, so they gladly gave to a great cause & now we are all so doubting of our fellow man we stoop to lying to each other to feel better about ourselves.

How sad!

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Virginia Tech Dispatchers

As a police dispatcher who knows what it is like to work officer involved shootings, drownings and other tragedies, I can only say my heart and prayers go out to those that manned the telephones that day during this tragedy.

Now, I want to reach out to all three departments that were involved and I am asking for YOUR help. I don't care if you are American, Asian, European, etc. I want to help those that kept people on the telephone save and on the line to help officers.

I want to help the dispatchers of all three departments know someone cares and loves them and appreciates the job they do.

I am making individual lap quilts for every dispatcher (26) in these departments. Today, I completed designing eight of these and will sew them over the next few days and hope to get them shipped out early next week.

Now, here is my dilemma: I still need to make eighteen more quilts and I do not have the money or the fabric to do so. I am asking anyone who reads this to please reach into their hearts and pockets and help me with this project of love and caring.

The first eight will go out with a card and note of thanks and acknowledgement to Sgt. A. Bisulca (Retired US Army) & T. McDonough (Police Dispatcher) for their monetary contributions, Autumn (spouse of active duty military USA) for contribution of fabric and D. Jackson-Blackmon for allowing me the use of her sewing machine and home to put these together.

So, please reach into your heart and contribute to this quilting project by sending fabric or money to: J. Kester P.O. Box 1652 Avondale, AZ 85323 ASAP as it is my goal to have these all done and shipped out by June 1st.

Fabric can be found in most second hand stores, I only ask that you pre-wash it first prior to sending it to me.

Be a part of the heart for Virginia Tech Dispatchers.