Operation: Bandana

To the editor:
    It was in November 2003 that Jill Boyce from Texas had a vivid dream “to provide a Psalm 91 handkerchief to every military man or woman that wants one.” Jill designed the bandana after hearing that soldiers from previous wars had memorized Psalm 91 and it had brought them comfort. Jill had the idea to imprint the verse on a military-style bandana, which she did initially by hand. As demand grew, she used money from her income tax refund and had the bandanas screen-printed with the Psalm and delivered to deploying troops at Ft. Hood.
    Cathy Brooks, the Georgia President of SOAR had a special interest in wanting to see every soldier with a bandana — her son was stationed at Ft. Hood. It was through her daughter-in-law she got in touch with Jill Boyce. Cathy continues to advocate and promote this cause. Jill vows to continue her project to put a bandana in the hands of every service man and woman “until they all come home.”
    Will you help SOAR of Houlton support Jill’s efforts here in Maine? At a deployment ceremony recently at the Alfond Arena in Orono for C Co 1-126th Avn Reg (AA),140 bandanas were given to CWO Perry for dispersal. Over the past few years, SOAR chapters in Maine have sent and presented hundreds of these bandanas. SOAR sent 500 bandanas to Kerry Birmingham in Augusta when the 133rd Engineer Battalion returned home. 114 bandanas were presented to 1-152 Maintenance as they departed out of Augusta and 112 were presented to the 152 FA as they stepped off the bus at their reception in Bangor.
    A father from Illinois heard about the bandanas and requested some for his son’s unit; 146 were hand-delivered via a truck driver who ‘just happened’ to be going that way. This father ironed each of the 108 bandanas for his son’s unit, placed them in a bag with Psalm 91 in full view, then placed a tag with each soldier’s name on that bag; they were given out at a ceremony at the Salem Armory. Then he called the Mt. Vernon Armory and told them he was coming over to present them with a gift. Little did either of them know they would be the answer to the other’s prayer. The Armory had been searching for weeks as to how they were going to get 38 bandanas for their guys before they were deployed; the 38 bandanas were his present to them.
    This is your opportunity to bless a soldier with one of these prayers. These bandanas are more than just words on a piece of cloth that are sent and worn by our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bandana provides protection from the elements. The soldiers place them in their helmet as a cushion, wear them around their face to keep out the sand and on their heads to block out the sun, and provide strength to lean on through the battle being fought. The bandana design has been upgraded and digitized to keep in line with the soldier’s uniform.
    At this time, our supply of bandanas is all but depleted and we need to replenish it before the next unit is deployed. Any donation you could make toward this effort is greatly appreciated. Please mail your check to SOAR of Houlton, 34 Corner Road, Hodgdon ME 04730. SOAR thanks you in advance for your generosity.
SOAR of Houlton