Lois Wacken of John Day visits the Veterans Gift Shop window at Mosier's Home Furnishings to donate 48 handmade afghans. She works on the project year round. Contributions of gifts, from gloves to small appliances, may be dropped off until the morning of Nov. 14 for the gift shop which will allow veterans to shop for free this holiday season.

JOHN DAY – Lois Wacken crochets year round to donate warmth to veterans and their families.

Last week, she dropped off 48 colorful afghans at the Veterans Gift Shop window in John Day.

The blankets will be delivered to the Portland Veterans Administration Medical Center this weekend.

“Usually, I have 50-60 afghans, but this year, I made 10 or more baby afghans for the gift shop at the hospital,” she said.

If there is extra yarn laying around, at thrift shops or friends’ closets, she uses it.

“People donate yarn,” she said, adding she dislikes seeing it go to waste.

Blue Mountain Hospital also donated the yarn for her baby afghan project.

Wacken is a John Day resident and a retired teacher, instructing local grade school students for 27 years – her students now have children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren of their own.

She said she’s been crocheting since she was a kid and takes up the hobby while watching ball games on TV – her favorites are the Seattle Seahawks for football and Mariners for baseball – she also likes the Portland Trailblazers basketball team.

When the local Grant Union High School Prospector teams are playing, she’ll crochet while she listens to those games on the radio.

“It’s a good way to keep me busy,” she said.

She added she enjoys donating the blankets to veterans each year – she’s been contributing the afghans for vets for 10 years now.

“It feels good,” she said. “My dad served in World War I, and my brother served in the Army.”

When Wacken dropped off the afghans Monday, Nov. 2, she wasn’t ready to slow down and take a break.

“Today, I’ll start again for next year,” she said.