About us.....
WHAT IS OPERATION TOASTY TOES?
Originally, it was the making of handmade knitted and crocheted slippers. Now, it includes dickeys; headbands; helmets (a.k.a. ski masks); watch caps and wristlets (a.k.a. fingerless mitts). These items are mailed to our Armed Forces stationed overseas. It is a grass roots way to assist in America's fight against terrorism.
WHAT DOES IT ACCOMPLISH?
Besides warming the service persons feet, they send a message of support. That a stranger would take the time to make a pair slippers. This shows that we at home do care. It enables many in our local community to participate.
World War II had Rosie the Riveter. We have TOASTY TOES. Many, who have not knitted or crocheted in years, have found their needles and hooks. Those who can no longer craft have found the perfect solution for bags of yarn, old needles and hooks. These unused skeins have found a project, a very good project.
The Armed Forces are encouraging bright colors for the slippers, considering this a morale booster. To stress the slipper's importance, all one has to do is read the letters the volunteers receive. The slippers need and reputation is growing.
To those already making "booties," please continue to do so. Those who never learned to knit or crochet, financial donations are needed for operating costs.
WHAT IS COVERED BY FINANCIAL DONATIONS?
Postage, printing, publicity and yarn purchase when needed. It costs $30 to $35 dollars to ship to Europe and the Middle East. It takes twice that, for the Pacific rim.
Donations can be sent to: Mrs. Patricia-Lee Pirog, 105 Campbell Dr. Flat Rock, NC 28731, make checks payable to: OPERATION TOASTY TOES, Chapter 7.
WHY MUST ONLY OUR PATTERNS BE USED?
It's quite simple, they pack tighter, enabling the boxes to have no spaces where a box can be crushed. Chapter 7 is continually working on new patterns. We encourage the military to tell us what they need. We now have single strand items: dickeys, headbands, helmets, watch caps (a.k.a. beanies or helmet liners for land forces and with a cuff for sailors) wristlets (a.k.a. fingerless mitts). Many of these patterns are quite simple to work.
LOGO TAG:
A happy dog on its haunches, with a pair of slippers in its mouth.
The tag serves two purposes: 1) keeps the pair together
2) the crafters name and address is given, with an encouraging note.
PROGRAM HISTORY:
The initial goal was to send a box of 100 slippers in answer to grandson David's request for slippers. It was founded by Mrs. Irene Silliman of Madison, Ohio, now a 78 year old grandmother. Being at loose ends in Dec. 1997, the first Xmas after losing her husband Bob, Irene received a letter from her grandson, David Ward, who is a U.S. Navy cryptologist stationed on the U.S.S. Carney in the Persian Gulf. In this letter, he thanks his grandmother for some homemade brownies she'd sent him. David tells his grandmother how cold his feet are, could she make him and a few buddies her famous slippers, like grand dads. This letter's request was a perfect remedy to use up time.
Her husband Bob had a pair of these slippers with him, while being a POW for two years in Korea. Irene's slippers were well known amidst her family and friends.She and two friends sent the original 100 pairs. The box was dropped on the deck via a helicopter. The officer of the deck had no idea what this box labeled OPERATION TOASTY TOES was. He tells of seeing a young sailor, jumping up and down yelling "There here, the booties are here." The 100 pairs were gone in no time at all.
David contacted Irene again asking for 220 more pairs for the remaining crew. Irene went into action, enlisting the aid of 50 family and friends to knit. These ladies made the commitment to send 1000 pairs by the end of January, six weeks away and they did it.
Reading the information packet made me realize how special these slippers are. To quote her friend Mary Snyder "This silly pair of slippers isn't so silly when you're far away, homesick and some old lady sends you slippers" I wish I was 25 instead of 78.
There have been times, when Irene didn't know where the next skein of yarn was coming from or how the next box was going to get mailed. Somehow, they always got sent. From the original three ladies, there are now 21chapters.
PROGRAM in HENDERSON COUNTY!
The program has been well received. Many have already volunteered. The reason remains constant "as Americans' we must do what we can to support our military." Winters are cold in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Korea, in Japan, in Alaska. These comfort items are sent to land bases and to ships.
Thousands of pairs of slippers along with the single strand items: dickeys, headbands, helmets, watch caps (a.k.a. beanies or helmet liners for land forces and with a cuff for sailors) wristlets (a.k.a. fingerless mitts) have been sent from this chapter. As long as we are America, as long as we have Americans away from home, the reason to send these "booties" as they have been nicknamed, will remain.
As Irene said "We're too old to get out there and fight. This is the way we fight: with knitting needles." This is the manner that crafters of America fight. Once you read the notes and letters, we know that many will choose to become involved in whichever way you can.
OPERATION TOASTY TOES, Chapter 7
Patricia-Lee Pirog, chairlady
Email: info@operationtoastytoes.org
