Mukwonago Legion needs people who can sew to help with veterans’ project
By Tracy Ouellette
Editor
The Mukwonago American Legion Post 375 is calling for area residents who can sew to help out with its new project Clothes Covers for Vets.
The legion also needs donations of T-shirts and sheets for the project.
“After we collect all the supplies we need, we want to involve local sewing groups and individuals to help up make the clothes covers for the veterans at the Union Grove Veterans Home and the Mukwonago Legion,” Mukwonago Legion Post Commander Steve Plochocki said.
For the past two years, the District One Legion Riders, fronted by Rick Whalen and “Hunter” have been helping Cathy Wilkenson with her Clothes Covers for Vets program. The Riders solicit donations of new T-shirts and sheets, which Wilkenson then turns into clothes covers for the veterans at the Union Grove Veterans Home.
Staff at the Veterans Home have requested at least three covers for each vet who needs them, one for each meal. Wilkenson has completed 75 covers, but in order to meet the need, she needs help, said Plochocki.
“We want to make 385 covers,” Plochocki said. “We’ll keep 25 at our legion post and the rest will go to the Veterans Home.”
The legion needs 385 extra large new or gently used T-shirts with “manly” messages in them and sheets for backing. Donated T-shirts cannot have high school logos on them. Harley Davidson shirts are very popular with the vets, as is anything patriotic, NFL teams, tractors, horses, sports cars and anything sportsman related.
Donations can be dropped off at the Mukwonago American Legion Post 375, 627 Highway NN-E. Post hours are Wednesday through Friday, from 3 p.m. to closing and from noon to close on Saturday. There is a drop box in the entryway.
Tom Ludka and the staff at the Waukesha County Veterans Service Office in the Human Services Center, 514 Riverview Ave., Waukesha, are also collecting donations for the project. The office is open Monday through Friday, during normal business hours.
Wisconsin Harley Davidson, 1280 Blue Ribbon Drive, Oconomowoc, also has a barrel for donated items.
Anyone unable to get to a donation location can call Vern and Rose Roman at (262) 392-3607 to make arrangements for pick up.
