Members of the United Methodist Church of the Dunes (UMC-Dunes) in Grand Haven recently knit and contributed nearly 100 hand-made acrylic and wool skullcaps as part of a nationwide effort known as “Operation Shoe Box Skullcaps for Our G.I.’s.”
The skullcaps will help fill Christmas stockings for all branches of U.S. military members currently on duty in Afghanistan and Iraq.
“These skullcaps have been made by a number of people in our congregation. They supplied both the yarn and the labor, which takes approximately two-to-three hours to make just one hat,” said Joy Shimp, UMC-Dunes Skull Caps project coordinator.
Each skullcap contributed by UMC-Dunes members had a scripture tag attached from Psalms 91:15, which read: ”He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.”
The idea for the church members at UMC-Dunes’ involvement arose from Shimp’s interest in and attendance at cribbage tournaments throughout the country.
In Green Bay, Wisc., a cribbage friend told Shimp that she had made hats as part of “Operation Shoe Box Skull Caps” and asked Joy if she was interested in bringing back the idea to her local congregation.
Shimp brought the idea back, made the pattern and put out a plea to church members for help in making the hats. All conform to the pattern, which calls for four-ply yarn in acrylic or wool ― and there are both knit and crochet patterns available.
“The idea for making hats just blossomed. Our members have made all 91 of the hats, which I am shipping to my contact at The Villages, Florida. From there, the hats will go to our active G.I.’s in Afghanistan and Iraq,” Shimp said.
All hats were blessed and prayed over by senior pastor Dan Duncan and the UMC-Dunes congregation members at a Sunday service.
“As I knitted the hats I made, I also blessed them,” Shimp said, adding, “I feel the idea of adding the scripture tag will help military men and women want to hold it in their pockets as they go about their active duties.”
Anyone interested in receiving further information about “Operation Shoe Box Skull Caps for Our G.I.’s” should contact Donna Miller, Wisconsin project coordinator, at 715-832-8934 or via e-mail at dcmiller2104@hotmail.com.
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