Friday, November 17, 2006
Wounded Warriors in Need
From an email sent to me from my brother-in-law this week. When he's not playing with massive amounts of explosives, he's keeping an eye out for his fellow Vets.
Remember Walter Reed Medical Center when you're shopping for Christmas.
---Karin and I were at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center yesterday and stopped by the Medical Family Assistance Center. The wounded, being treated at the hospital, include all branches of the Armed Forces (Army, Marines, Sailors, Air Force and Coast Guard, both men and women). The Family Assistance Center provides assistance to the wounded during their stay at the hospital and the family member (normally spouse or mother of the wounded individual).
Because of the land mines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), there are many amputees in wheelchairs that must be pushed from place-to-place within the hospital and grounds, and from their quarters to the various clinics. When wounds are from mines and IEDs, they include multiple wounds to all parts of the body involving all clinics from A to Z.
Because of the expedient method to get them from the battlefield to WRAMC, the wounded arrive with nothing. Their personal items are in Iraq or Afghanistan to be shipped to them later. Therefore, the wounded men and women need many critical items to sustain them. If you would like to contribute items, the address to mail the items to (or drop off items) is:
WALTER REED ARMY MEDICAL CENTER
MEDICAL FAMILY ASSISTANCE CENTER
BUILDING 2, 3RD FLOOR, ROOM 3E01
6900 GEORGIA AVENUE, N.W.
WAHSINGTON, D.C. 2001
Link to the Hospital Site.
WISH LIST FOLLOWS (Please, no used items or money.):
1. Prepackaged candy, cookies, and crackers (no homemade) (See NOTE Below)
2. Weight lifting gloves (for wheelchair patients - and there are many of them)
3. Pillows stuffed with polystyrene beads (very soft)
4. Postage Stamps
5. Pre-Paid Phone Cards
6. Flannel Pajamas
7. Shoes (size 9-12)
8. Sweatshirts / Jackets (zipped & hooded)
9. Break-away trousers (snaps or zips along legs)
10. Coats & Jackets (cold weather)
11. Gloves (cold weather)
12. Scarves (cold weather)
13. Backpacks (all black with single strap across the chest)
14. Carry-on size luggage (with wheels if possible)
15. Electric Razors
16. Umbrellas
17. Credit Cards, Prepaid (Gas, Gift cards & Food for Giant & Safeway nearby)
18. Portable DVD Players
19. DVDs -Action to Comedy (use common sense as far as content and subject)
20. iPODs
21. The wounded are normally very young and a nice stuffed animal cheers them up.
NOTE: The Commissary Manager at the Quantico Marine Base provides us with many goodies through the Vendors. All we have to do is deliver them to the Family Assistance Center.
posted by El Capitan at 10:09 AM
4 Comments:
said...
I've got it going the rounds in my circles. We'll see what happens. Thanks for the heads up. I'll probably cross-link in tomorrow's update.
12:47 AM
El Capitan said...
Hey Coach, every little thing helps. I can't imagine a better group of folks to help out. These guys are my heros.
10:33 AM said...
Found this by chance, while reading another post of yours. What a good idea, so obvious it is easily not thought of...Thank you. I have just increased my monthly donation to Fisher House, so adding a few of these items fits right in with what I believe is part of being American.
I once recovered in an Army Evac Hospital, and you're right...you get there with squat diddly. I will make this at least a quarterly thing to do...I'm not rich, but I can help.
Thanks again.
said...
Just a note....info update. The full Zip code for WRAMC is 20307-0001.
This info provided by the MEDFAC office by telephone today. Ineeded the full correct Zip to ship to, and figured so might a few others.