Volunteer Hopes To ‘Sock It To ‘Em’ To Support Soldiers

By Nancy K. Crevier

As a Soldiers’ Angels volunteer, Joanne Brunetti is on a list that periodically receives pleas for a particular need. This past week, she received a request from the organization to assist in collecting 180,000 pairs of white socks for the “Wrapped in the Holiday Spirit” Christmas packages being put together to send to service people stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ms Brunetti is hoping to collect as many of those 360,000 socks as she can, right here in Newtown.

“Soldiers’ Angels is putting together baskets for 180,000 soldiers, and since many of them are in great need of white socks, they are hoping to include at least one pair in each basket,” said Ms Brunetti. “My grandson, Hunter, and I have volunteered to head the sock drive for Newtown,” she said this week.

Soldiers’ Angels is a nonprofit, volunteer-supported organization that sponsors more than 20 teams and programs to provide for members of the US Armed Forces serving overseas with letters and care packages, as well as to offer support to the families at home. Among the many programs are Adopt-A-Soldier, Blankets of Belief, First Response Backpacks, K-9 Support, and Operation Phone Home.

The sock drive is not Ms Brunetti’s only involvement with Soldiers’ Angels. Two years ago, Joanne Brunetti decided she was going to do something to help the men and women who are members of the United States Armed Forces.

“I had heard that you could ‘adopt’ a soldier and I had heard that these service people had basic needs that were not being met. So I went online and found Soldiers’ Angels and have been a volunteer with them since,” said Ms Brunetti.

As a volunteer, Ms Brunetti has adopted two soldiers serving in Iraq since she first contacted Soldiers’ Angels, is involved in the Blankets of Belief program that collects handmade afghans, scarves, and quilts to send to service people, and now is sponsoring a group of female soldiers who are in need of basic supplies.

“When I first adopted a soldier, I thought I would be sending all fun stuff to help them pass the time. And while they do appreciate that kind of thing, what my soldiers asked for were the necessities: toilet paper, socks, underwear, and shaving cream. It’s shocking what they don’t have, and many of them are stationed where they are not near a PX to buy these items,” Ms Brunetti said.

 Her grandson, 9-year-old Hunter Brunetti, helps Ms Brunetti, drawing pictures to accompany letters and this past month, learning to crochet. “Since last month he has already crocheted 15 rows of an afghan that will be sent overseas,” Ms Brunetti said.

Donations of new men’s basic white crew socks can be dropped off at Ms Brunetti’s home, 77 Butterfield Road, the first home off of the Hanover Road end of Butterfield, through October 29. A large plastic bin for “Operation White Socks” is on the front porch.

Ms Brunetti is confident that Newtown will put its best foot forward in supporting the effort. “How hard is it to go to the Dollar Store, even, and buy some socks?” she asked. “If you’re here, you’re lucky. You need to show your gratitude to those who have volunteered to go overseas.”

She is also looking for assistance in shipping costs. The socks must be shipped to the Soldiers’ Angels East Coast center in North Carolina no later than November 1, a cost that is variable, depending upon how many socks are collected.

For more information about “Operation White Socks” contact Ms Brunetti at 426-7991. Information about Soldiers’ Angels can be found at soldiersangels.org.

“I want to make a difference to just one person, if I can,” Ms Brunetti said, “and this is a good way to do that.”