Marine wives put love on pillowslips

By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer

KANE'OHE — Pillowcases decorated by Kane'ohe Marine wives and made possible by contributions from across the country have been distributed around the world to let troops know that somebody cares about them and appreciates their sacrifices.

Sharon Kostic of Kane'ohe irons personal photos onto pillowcases which will be sent to Marines in Iraq. Erin Neill, Mary Holmes, Shannon Sims and Amber Gleason, from left, all participated in the pillowcase campaign. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

Another 1,000 pillowslips will soon make their way to American troops in Iraq.

The project was much smaller when Sharon Kostic, 41, and other Marine wives decided to send personal gifts to their husbands for Father's Day.

"The idea was to put a picture of a loved one on the pillowslip for the fathers so they can sleep with their loved ones when they're deployed," Kostic said. "Then I thought, 'Nobody does anything for the single Marines.' "

Kostic took the idea to the other battalion wives, who, she said, thought she was crazy. The cost alone would be daunting for Marine wives, and the number seemed staggering, she said.

Then she came up with the idea to solicit help via the Internet. Kostic contacted some companies for donations, and word of the project began to spread thanks to the Web. Once that happened, all hurdles fell by the wayside, Kostic said.

"The American people made it possible," she said, adding that the dozens of donations small and large sent a clear message to the troops: "We're not all out there protesting."

The Marines who received the pillowslips were surprised and thankful for the unique gift, said 1st Lt. Rob Lafferty, who received a picture of his two boys.

"It brightens my day every time I look at it," Lafferty said in a phone call from Okinawa. "It's like having a little bit of home."

"It showed us that you don't have to be family for them to care about us who are serving overseas," he said.

People across the United States sent contributions — some as little as $5 or one pillowcase — but all the donations were inspiring, said Kostic.

The first donation came from Air Force Lt. Col. (ret.) Gary W. Pierce of northern Virginia.

"My first shining light," she said. He sent a check for $50, no questions asked, like so many others who contributed, Kostic said.

"They were so trusting and giving to a complete stranger just because I said I was doing it for the Marines," she said.

The list of donations includes 900 pillowcases from American Linen in Hawai'i, 800 pillowcases from Linens 'N Things and 1,000 stickers each from Need Decals and Webstickers.

Office Supply Outfitters provided ink cartridges.

Country-western singer Daniels allowed the wives to print a letter he had written — "An Open Letter To The Hollywood Bunch" — which criticizes actors who spoke out against United States' war actions. He later donated $600 to cover the unmet costs of the project.

Once all the materials were assembled, some 50 wives gathered for three days at a beach cottage on base to iron on prints, the letter and a print of a beautiful blonde that was sent to the single guys, Kostic said.

Kindergartners from Mokapu Elementary School addressed the pillowslips to the single troops with the salutation, "To My Hero."

Each wife was asked to provide a photograph for their pillowcase.

Most gave shots of themselves or their children, but one wife sent a photograph of a husband's cherished car and one ex-wife sent a photograph of her former husband's dog.

The project was successful on many levels, said Donna Fearn, whose husband is the battalion commander.

"It was a real morale booster for everyone involved," Fearn said.

Soon the women will get together to decorate the remaining 1,000 pillowcases and send them off to troops in Iraq, said Shannon Sims, who worked on the project.

"I'm sure they're worried, but at least they'll know people are thinking about them," said Sims.

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.