USS Abraham Lincoln CVN72, an aircraft carrier-Sue's heart

[Sue-Pillowcase lady]

The USS Abraham Lincoln will be deployed for Christmas and has given approval for the ship to receive pillowcases while on deployment.   That will be 5,000 or more strong. 

 

The main postings for this project will be in the Lincoln group under the thread called "The Lincoln Family Love Pillowcase Project".

 

I will update here as well so you don't have to join the Lincoln group.

 

Let us know what you can do to help us get the ship done!

 

 

[Sue-Pillowcase lady]

Comment by Sue-Pillowcase lady 1 second ago Delete Comment Moms,
I am going to ask you to NOT mail anything right now anywhere. Just sit tight and continue to sew if you have fabric.
There has been much confusion over this project, and even more today.

I must tell you that in early Sept I spoke to Jackie about my concerns and we agreed as the "oldies" of the group, to start an investigation on it. She went 1 way and I went another.

Jackie's contact is Shannon, the president of ALFA. I am working with someone who is in direct contact with the command of the ship. She assured me tonight that we do indeed finally have command approval for this project.

There is much to consider when taking on a project of this size. Even Shannon's plan has many flaws. I am working with my contact to see if a different approach can be taken. Don't know if it will be accepted or not.

All I can do is to say, please wait and don't mail. We don't want to spend any more money on postage than necessary.

I have been praying about this for days. For those of you who don't know me, I have a group called Heads at Ease pillowcase project, that I started when my son was deployed on the Lincoln in 2008. A story for another time.

I got my official name in January 2009 when I worked with Molly's adopt a sailor, but split off to my own group in Sept 2009 when Molly went 501c and I would have to absorbed into it. Molly and I talked and we both agreed that I am too independent for that.

I have personally packed and mailed thousands of pillowcases in the 2 years that I have been doing this.

So I am asking for your patience alittle longer until some further details can be worked out.
Thanks.

[Sue-Pillowcase lady]

This is what I posted this morning on the pillowcase page:
I am still going to ask everyone to wait on mailing for right now. And MM, Jackie is right. Command approval from the ship was only granted the past few days. The ship didn't know about them.

For a project this size, you must have the ship's approval. Jackie's right, there is a protocol to follow.

Jackie and I both did Tiger Cruise in 2008, so we feel very attached to the ship. We want to see this succeed.

HAE is not in charge of it, but many red flags were raised for me, and I felt strongly that the project was in serious trouble. This represents roughly $10,000 in fabric costs alone, and then add the shipping costs! I don't have that kind of money to throw around and felt it was my obligation as a Lincoln mom to ask some hard questions.

so I contacted Jackie to see if she saw the same red flags that I did. She has made 700 pillowcases MM and has already begun to ship to Everett. She has alot of $ invested already, so knew she was the right one to talk to.

She saw the same thing that I did and we agreed to do some behind the scenes checking.

My contact is getting with the command again to present an idea that I gave her last night for how to do this project. Whether they will accept it or not, I can't answer. But this needs to be done decently and in order.

And honestly moms, I know that we don't have the numbers to finish it. And many moms have been working on the timetable of them needing to be there by 12-10 and they can't be ready to ship before 11-1. It would be hard for me.

And really, if you think about it, why do they have to be in Everett by 11-1? to sit in a room somewhere? Why? or to go on the ship and sit there for 6 weeks until Christmas? why?

I sent Shannon, the ALFA president a list of questions yesterday and until I get those answered, I would recommend that no one mails anything.

Dolly, I love your response. This is the long work day for me, with a mini break mid day, so probably won't be back on until tonight.

And the biggest wrinkle in Shannon's plan is this. Many of the moms have been sewing unit specific. Like me and the CS unit. I've had pcs made with food on them specifically for them. Do you think that I want them in the general distribution? No way? Kim has been doing helos-she will want hers to go there ETC.

Please, just be patient a couple of more days until we can get more information. This can be done, we just have many details to work out.

Comment by Jackie D 4 minutes ago Sorry, the question is really how they will be distributed. The new address you get from Stephanie Alice will be the one to send the boxes too, we just want to check out the distribution process. Comment by Jackie D 7 minutes ago Mary, I'm Jackie... Ryan's mom! I'm the one right from the beginnning that asked if ALFA was involved cause I knew they needed to be. Shannon is the ALFA president. We do have permission to do this so keep at your sewing and don't worry, they are going to get them, its just the logistics of how at this point. That is what Sue is working on and making sure all is on the up and up. This project is seperate from HAE, but they are doing a lot like I am and we both have a HUGE Investment in this project for it to succeed. In the end its all going to be fine, but its

[Sue-Pillowcase lady]

Delete Comment Ladies, This is an official announcement that Heads at Ease of taking over the USS Abraham Lincoln pillowcase project. I was contacted yesterday by the VP of the ALFA group and asked to head it up.
I spent 2 hours on a conference call last night and have agreed to do it. As far as HAE is concerned, I am not asking you make any more pcs than you have already committed.
There are many details to yet be decided, but know that HAE is now on the project and we will see it thru.

DO NOT MAIL anything until you hear from me! All dates and addresses are OFF. I can not stress that enough.

What I do need for you to do if you are sewing for the Lincoln, is to email ME with the unit information you are working on and how many you have made. Her email address is: [e-mail].

Thank you for your support!!!

[Sue-Pillowcase lady]

Dori is working on a logo for the Lincoln project. Very cool. Please email ME with your pc count. We are very close to having this figured out with the Command.

[Sue-Pillowcase lady]

If you are making a pc for a specific sailor, then you will need to put it in a clear plastic bag with a label on it. I would put the label inside and outside the bag.

do not wrap it in tissue or any other kind of paper, like I had planned to do.

[Sue-Pillowcase lady]

got some pcs from another 34 mom today. here's what she said about them:

Thanks for doing what you are doing for our boys. As Andrew said they will be a much needed perk. I never made a pillowcase before but I was really happy with how they turned out. Glad we are on the same team also.

Very exciting to see the moms respond that I got in contact with. Her son is in my son's shop and he mentioned the project to him. He gave me his mom's email address to contact her.

Networking, that's what it is all about.

[Sue-Pillowcase lady]

From my legal advisor for this project:

I will send you the the picture of the "shipping box label" which will show how our packages should be addressed. This is the directive from CMC. Once approved by CMC, I will upload as a PDF. This might take a day or two, but we will get it and it will or should make everyone realize that we will still be on-target.

The information is coming alittle at a time.

[Sue-Pillowcase lady]

Cathy, I got the TX longhorns pc today! Thank you so much. My son will love it and he will be glad to give it to someone in his shop.

I like the use of the 2 different fabrics and how the flange matches. You did a great job.

[Matt's Mom/Cathy]

Thanks Sue! I am glad that you like it. I didn't take a picture of it before I mailed it to Sue.

[Sue-Pillowcase lady]

I'll take one this weekend. I have one from Brenda and Amanda to take a photo of too. Lisa, did you take one of your pcs?

I need to get my 34's done. I am anxious to mail them.

[Jackie D]

Do we have a special label that needs to go on our boxes?
TKS!

[LLovesmysailor]

Do we have any idea how many female pcs to send. I have about 10 that I can send.