Madison's Thursday Morning Club Supports Boatsie's Boxes

The Thursday Morning Club, a member of the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs and the General Federation of Women’s Clubs chose to support the Boatsie’s Boxes State initiative: Operation Christmas Stocking.

Boatsie’s originated in 2004 when Patrick R. VanVraken, a soldier in the United States Air Force, forwarded a personal request to his mom, Gail “Boatsie” VanVranken from the Deputy Director of Programs in Baghdad.

Personal items were desperately needed for troops in the hospitals. She proceeded to convert her basement and garage into receiving places for those donations. The soldiers also needed a little touch of home and to know that they were not going to be forgotten.

The mission of Boatsie’s is to support our men and women in the military in whatever way that will bring them comfort. Four other mailings go out a year and will continue as long as troops are away from home.

The Thursday Morning Club collected money and goods and are filling stockings with items to brighten up the holidays for our service people who are far away from home this holiday season. Individual tags were made by the summer BASCC children and inserted into the stockings prior to shipping. Beautifully hand-knit caps created by the club’s own SuPurlaKnits knitting group were also included and added a special homemade touch.

Some of the “SuPurlaKnits” stitching closed the stockings to ready for shipment in time for the holidays are from left: Susan Fleming, Pat Robertson, Mae Healy and Kay Leary.