February 15, 2006
Scarves to Kosovo with love
Micki Rekiel enlists help in sending hundreds of hand-knit scarves to soldiers, including nephew and his wife stationed in the Balkans
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
Last week, Micki Rekiel sent her nephew and his new bride hundreds of hand-knit scarves as a surprise present.
Not meant just for Meredith and Kirk Ryan - who met and serve together in the National Guard - the scarves will help keep United States soldiers stationed in Kosovo warm during an extended deployment in the Balkans. Extended as in two years, her nephew and niece's term of duty there.
"My nephew was sent over the day after Thanksgiving, the weekend after he got married," she said. "He told me, 'You know, Aunt Mick, we could use scarves here, our necks are frozen.'¡"
With those words, Rekiel jumped into action. An experienced knitter, she did not create all the scarves herself, only five of them. She tapped her knitting group, the Rotary Twilight group and anyone she could find for help. A public service announcement on WTCM also helped round up the scarves, which came in all colors and styles. Some had angels knitted into them or the letters USA or were made using camouflage yarn.
Rekiel shipped everything at her own expense, with one monetary donation helping offset costs.
"What's nice about it is that everyone attached a note," said Rekiel, who with her husband, Bob, owns Northwest Title. "We have knitters from all walks of life, high school students, seniors."
Rekiel believes that the scarf gap her nephew noted in Kosovo reflects a male perspective about necessary equipment.
"They think of canteens or bullet holders, but not scarves," she said. "It must be a woman's thing."
A church in Lake City took the idea the next step and bagged each scarf they made, including a letter, CD of Christian music, Chap Stick, and a box of facial wipes. She said the pastor of that church, a Vietnam veteran, knew what the soldiers would want and need besides the scarf. The church also burned extra CDs to distribute to other soldiers.
"It's just a nice community service to do for our country and the war," Rekiel added of the project. "I'd like to get a hold of other services and see what they need."
With the scarves winging their way overseas, she is already putting together a second round of them to send. Word has spread beyond the region as a recent visit to a JoAnn Fabric store in Flint had someone asking her if she was the 'Scarf Lady' followed by a promise of fleece scarves to come.
Rekiel is also rounding up knitters and crocheters at the Pavilions, Tendercare and Birchwood assisted living facilities. She is also accepting donations of yarn for these seniors because she does not want fixed incomes to preclude anyone who wants to from participating.
"A lot of them are from the World War II era and they like to feel needed," she said.
Her nephew is a graduate of Suttons Bay High School and serves as a crew chief with his unit. His wife, a native of Hastings, is a mechanic on Black Hawk helicopters.
"He flies with the crew in combat in case something breaks," Rekiel said.