During the holiday season many families and soldiers like to concentrate on giving back to their local, national or world communities. But for some family members this year who will not be sharing in the festivities as usual, will still maintain their goal to give back to charity.
While the soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 17th Field Artillery Regiment are deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, their families are at home volunteering time for The Foundation for Hospital Art to provide a special gift for those who are sick or recovering in medical facilities.
"My dad was a business man who also dabbled in painting on the side and he also had a desire to go out and help people. So one day he started going into hospitals because he knew that's where people were hurting," said Scott Feighting, Foundation for Hospital Art executive director. "He would paint murals at the hospital and on his second mural a little girl asked if she could paint as well. As he worked on this elaborate mural, she made a mess of it. But he realized it wasn't about the art, it was about the people. It is pretty simple, if you are thinking about painting, you can't be thinking about hurting. From there he decided that he could get to more hospitals doing it full time and the organizations began."
While the families are home without their soldiers this year, many still feel it is important to stay positive and remember the spirit of giving during the holiday.
"It is important for everyone to remember to reflect the spirit of the holiday. It is about taking your time to share with others and to give back," said Sharon Brewer, friend of the 1-17 FAR. "We all belong to a bigger picture, we are all part of a unit or section and we can share this across the ocean."
Regrettably, most family members will not be able to visit their completed works of art. But fortunately their creativity will be seen by the sick, half a world away.
"The paintings we did today will be going through the battalion and they will be donating them to a health care facility in Afghanistan,"said Feighting. "This project is a joint gift to the Afghan people and I believe this is what the season is about. I also think that it is a tough time to be separated from your family. But ultimately everyone will share in the success when the paintings are hung up and a lasting impression is made as part of the battalion's deployment."
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