As some know I do custom leather work and have my own line of tools. About two months ago a friend in Wyoming asked me if I would donate some tools to a group that needed some but could not afford them. I was in a hurry with something that was important at time that I can not even remember now, I did not ask who, where or why I just sent them to him.
I opened the package and inside was a leather folder that was tooled with Hides to Art basket stamps. Inside the folder was a simple picture of solders from the wounded warriors program working leather with my tools and smiling. Each had signed their name with a thank you. Being a Vet myself I was ashamed that I had not done this before or sent more. In my haste to get off the phone I never asked what they needed I just sent what I had extra of. I will fix my short coming in the morning and ask for forgiveness tonight when the lights go off.
Thanks for listening to my confession
Here is the card they sent
I made that trip! On Jan 22, 2014 I checked in at the front Gate of Ft Leonard Wood. We drove to the Family service building and started to unload. When I walked in with the first load I was welcomed by my students. Each of us paused looked at each other for a moment as though we were not believing the other was really there. I started with 6 students and then a great thing happened. About 15 minutes into class others that Terry had tried to get to join the class for sometime asked if they could join. That put us up to 9 and Terrys hard work had paid off as more were joining in.
We had from a Full Bird to a SPC all sitting around the table working and cutting up together. We talked about the Army from when I was in to what it is like now.
I had visits from some of the top brass on the base on down to the lonely PVT just to say thanks for stopping by. At lunch time we pooled our funds then we were trying to figure out who was going to make the run a SGT that had been working on a laptop in the day area stepped forward and said he would. He came back with a Pizza that I swear was 40” across that was baked in a brick oven.
After lunch we went back to work until 4:00 when they closed the building. A trip to Cracker Barrel for dinner and more talk we went back on post and went to the dayroom in the barracks where I showed my tricks of the trade and how too until 10:00. When we were saying good by there were real heart felt thank you’s from all of us.
I have friends there now that call just to say hello, some call to just ask a question & some call just to have someone to talk to.
The good news is there are 2 more post that are starting this program one is FT. Sill OK. and the other is to be announced in 3 weeks.
