As regular readers of this blog know, I’m a devoted member of Heartmade Blessings. Part of this charity is to do afghans (called comfortghans) for the families of soldiers killed in the line of duty. We’ve just started doing them for Canadian soldiers, and really need donated squares. We’re looking for cherry red and/or white worsted weight square, 12″ in size, acrylic yarn only. For example, Red Heart Cherry Red #912.
We absolutely respect the soldiers families’ right to privacy, we just want to help them understand that many of us support them in their duties and try to help them ease their pain as much as anyone can.
When my mom passed away in 2003, Heartmade Blessings did a comfortghan for me, and when I’m feeling particularly lonely, I wrap myself in it. I know how much it means to someone who’s lost a loved one and just want to let people know that they aren’t alone.
This is a excerpt of an email I received for one of the ghans I did for one of the soldier’s sisters. I’ve removed the soldier’s information for privacy reasons, but this one was particularly important for me because the soldier was from my significant other/boyfriend/husband’s (what else do you call someone you’ve been living with for 10 years 
home town.
Hello all you wonderful ladies!
My family received your wonderful comfort Afghan and tote just the other day. My name is XXXXXXXXX, sister of the late Private XXXXXXX. My father received the blanket and thought that I should be the one to receive it. Thank you so much! It is so touching to know that there are so many amazing people in this world, people who take time out of their lives to make something gorgeous for someone else in their dark days. I think it is just nice to be thought about or remembered…..and to know that so many people all over North America worked on it is outstanding : ) When I wrap myself up in it I hope to visualize giving every single women a hug (assuming that everyone who worked on it was a women, though if a man worked on it I give you a hug too!).
He passed away in a LAV accident on the Afghanistan highway on November XXX. I don’t feel like he is gone, I can’t imagine that I will never see him again….. and I can’t wait till I see him again.
Thank you!
I hope that you might be able to help us with squares. If anyone is interested in sending us squares, please contact me and I will send you a mailing address of where to send the squares.
If you have contacts in the military who might be able to help us track down the families so that we can give them the comfortghans, please email me.