This week we feature Janet Goodhart, a volunteer from Rhode Island who has been with Operation Gratitude for two years. Janet primarily crochets hats and scarves, but she has also made hundreds of paracord bracelets and handwritten thank you cards, as well as donated beanie babies, blank greeting cards, and made financial donations in memory of her late husband, Bill. Janet Goodhart began volunteering at Operation Gratitude two years ago when she was looking for additional places to donate her hand-crocheted items.

Although crocheting is her favorite method of volunteerism, Sonyia enjoys sewing cool ties and drawstring bags. She’s also ventured into card making because of the many options for creativity and color. Even while working a full-time job, Sonyia said “there’s not a day that goes by where I’m not doing something for Operation Gratitude. I just enjoy it so much.”

The eighth blog in the Every Day is a Day On series features Mary Sayers from North Carolina. A dedicated volunteer who has served with Operation Gratitude for over 10 years, Mary is involved with her church’s Knitting for Charity group. Her love of making connections has created a large web of volunteers and donors. Mary loves to knit and shares her passion whenever she can.

Operation Gratitude gives every American the opportunity to let their servant’s heartbeat stronger and more loudly with every act of gratitude and kindness. From our more experienced Handmade With Love crafters who have discovered a true sense of purpose with Operation Gratitude, to first-grade classrooms learning the value of service from their teachers, the heart of this organization is our volunteers, and they make a difference with every single beat.​​​​

Lori Carroll, a retired Navy veteran, and caretaker who currently lives in Florida. Lori has been crocheting for 47 years, sharing her talents with a multitude of charities. She brings that experience to Operation Gratitude by crocheting hats and scarves. She is heavily involved in our Facebook group, Operation Gratitude in Action.

On a Saturday morning at the end of a very long COVID year, I had a conversation with one of our volunteers that I will never forget. When I called Penny Stewart to say thank you for the beautiful Marine Amigurumi figures she had crocheted for me and our COO, Paul Cucinotta, I didn’t anticipate her saying something that will stick with me forever.

Prior to the pandemic, Regina was volunteering at Operation Gratitude’s warehouse, the FOB. She would also consistently volunteer at our monthly care package assembly days. Regina worked in the knits section, rolling handmade with love items and assembling them into care packages. Regina Bevacqua began volunteering with Operation Gratitude in 2020. A friend's neighbor told Regina about assembly days at the old armory location. It sounded fun, so Regina began to attend assembly days herself. She even brought her nephews who are active-duty service members.

The Every Day is a Day On series spotlights volunteers at Operation Gratitude who go above and beyond to support servicemen and women, their families, and first responders.

Our second spotlight features Jeanne Bauer, a former middle school teacher who has been involved in community outreach in the San Carlos United Methodist Church in San Diego for more than ten years. The main focus of her congregation’s involvement with Operation Gratitude involves knitting hats and scarves and writing Christmas cards, which are all sent during the holiday season in care packages to those currently serving in the military.

The Every Day is a Day On series spotlights volunteers at Operation Gratitude who go above and beyond to support servicemen and women, their families, and first responders.

Our series begins with two sisters--Mary Ausloos of New Mexico and Mona Wolverton of Colorado--volunteers whose focus with Operation Gratitude has been the handmade card program and spreading holiday cheer through their cards. 

The story in today's post is very personal to me, and I am sharing it with you because it illustrates so clearly what many young men and women experience when they are deployed — many of them separated from their families for the very first time.