The Pentagon trip was a total success. We were welcomed with open arms. For those of you that enjoy your freedom you need to thank our men and women that serve our country and also the men and women that are civilians that help the armed forces. When I asked for your help to make sure all the wounded and victim's families receive quilts those that came to my aid I'd like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. You have no idea what this means to them. As times passes by the pain they are still feeling is still great. That's why we must not forget and must continue to bring them comfort. While Dennis and I were in Virginia we meet so many loving and brave people. Your heart could not stop breaking as we listened to them tell their stories. As caring Americans we have to continue this project. I still need everyone's help because there are many that we need to reach. If you think they don't understand the meaning of these quilts you are totally wrong. They do and they welcome our love and prayers, and quilts with open arms. They know we put our love into each of our quilts along with a part of us and they welcome it. Dennis and I made new friends. Kathy Dillaber is one. Kathy works at the Pentagon and was one that made it out alive but her beautiful sister Patty Mickley didn't. When Kathy talked about her sister her face would glow and her eyes twinkle. She talked about how special her sister was and how close the family is. Kathy has history in her family. Her father was in World War II. He was at Normandy D-Day plus one and her mother is French. Kathy gave us a tour of the Pentagon. She showed us where the plane hit the building and where they were at the time the plane hit and how some of them survived. We were shown the memorial they have inside The Pentagon. We went to Arlington Cemetery where the Pentagon victims are buried. We meet Meg Falk a lady that works in the Pentagon making sure that the wounded and victim's families are taken care of. Aaron is a survivor who worked with Kathy's sister Patty. He showed around areas of the Pentagon. We were also given a tour of the other areas of The Pentagon by Jerry Henson, a survivor who was interviewed for the Sept 2002 issues of the Smithsonian Magazine. Every single person whether children, parents, sisters, brothers, or spouses they all touched us in one way or the other. One thing so many of the families told us is, please do not stop this project for it's a great comfort to know that someone still cares and we are all united. We still need donations to continue this project whether it is material, money for supplies, batting, quilts, quilt tops or quilt blocks. We welcome all that you can do to help and the families appreciate that you still care. Let us join in and heal them. Hetty Irmer with the Northern Virginia Survivors' Fund Project did a great job lining up the event. She is a total delight. The Pentagon families all wondered about the WTC families and ask how they are handling their grief. I told them the same way they have been. Many families have told me that if it wasn't for God in their lives and people like us that care they wouldn't made it. Unlike the families that lost loved ones in the WTC, the Pentagon families have been able to recover their loved ones bodies. Some of the civilians that work in the Pentagon have had to quit due to the memories that they cannot deal with. They lost loved ones and co-workers and just to walk the halls of where the plane hit is just to much for them. Some that are still working have questioned themselves how much longer they can last working there. They need counseling to deal with all the pain they are living with. The pain is deep and will take a long time to heal. There are times they think we have forgotten them. When they receive this gift it brings healing. The kindness of remembering them by making a Freedom Quilt is something that they know it takes a long time to make and it gives them a good feeling that America still cares. Please join me in their healing.
We do presentations of our experiences with Freedom Quilts in order to keep the project alive. We also share with you what the families want you to know.
Thank You and God Bless Everyone
Betty