Checkers for soldiers

[leaette]

My sister's fiance recenty got out of the Army. He served 2 tours in Iraq and several tours in various other places. He said that there is a HUGE need for games for the soldiers to play with in down times. He said that they make their own checkerboads out of scraps of cardboard and paper but they never last long due to the weather. So they have to continuously make more.

 

So that got me thinkin'......

 

Let's crochet some up for them! I did a quick search for "crochet checkerboard patterns" online and came up with a few. Lionbrand website has one too. The "page a day" calender for 2006 has one in January (if you kept your calendar). You can either crochet the "checkers" or use coins (I think that's what the page-a-day calendar used). And I think making a little case for it to store in would be best so it's all contained together.

 

I've seen some patterns for tic-tac-toe game boards too.

 

I don't have a specific address of anyone. But if you know of a soldier, ask him/her for some addresses, I'm sure they'd love to give some addresses out.

You can also go to http://www.anysoldier.com/ This is a FANTASTIC website and they will help you get your checkerboards/games to a soldier.

[Jimmie Lu]

good idea

[Vickietoria]

That sounds like a neat idea! Do they ask for those specifically on anysoldier.com, or would it be more like you just send one there, and pretty much anyone would use it? Just wondering.

Victoria

[momma2many]

not crochet but when I was in saudi I amde a chess set out of the little tabasco bottlets that came in the mre's and yes games that they can play during downtime is a great idea. If you have a local unit deploed I would send it to them I like to take care of the people I know.

 

Anna

[leaette]

the way that www.anysoldier.com works is that they just give you an address to send things to. you can send whatever you want. to make it easy on you, and cheaper for postage, send a few checkboard sets to one person and they can pass them out to their friends.

 

you don't send the anysoldier organization anything. they just give you addresses.

[tamugrad02]

I love this idea....I'm always looking for creative things to send to the troops. I have quite a few friends that are still over there (or over there again) and I know they would love something like this. I'll add it to my to-do list.

[tamugrad02]

I just had an idea, don't know if it's a good one or not though......a few of us have been making things out of "plarn"...plastic bags made into yarn. Would a checker board made out of this be better, more durable? Everyone let me know what you think......

[leaette]

I just had an idea, don't know if it's a good one or not though......a few of us have been making things out of "plarn"...plastic bags made into yarn. Would a checker board made out of this be better, more durable? Everyone let me know what you think......

 

hmmm. might be a good idea. i've never worked with plarn. can it be folded up to be put in a case? i think the checkerboards really need a case so it can all be kept together and thrown into a backsack.

[tamugrad02]

Yeah, it can be folded up. It won't be as compact as one made out of yarn, but it can be rolled, or folded, or whatever. It will be thicker than one made out of yarn, but it would also be more durable (I think). It was just a thought.

[Shell]

i just made a tictactoe game for the small toy swap. i crocheted a square and just stitched on some lines, did a nice edge and some flowers and hearts as counters. sounds like a great cause, good luck

[Sojourn1960]

This is one crochet along that I will join. My son will be deployed for his second tour soon and this will be a great thing to send along in his care package.

 

Just an aside about care package. During his first tour he requested that we send him a toilet seat because most were he was located were to gross for words and some toilets didn't even have seats. We bought the seat and we had all his friends sign it, then we sent it to him. There was some very inventive poetry on that seat and it was a big hit with the troops.

 

So you just never know what will be appreciated by our boys in uniform ;o)