In Loving Memory: PurpleHeart

I wanted to create a line in memory of my grandfather, Raymond J. Wysocki, an Iwo Jima survivor and Purple Heart participant. He passed away while I was abroad, in September, and he continues to be on my mind and in my heart.



In light of his service and passion for his country, I create the purple heart line. This is going to be marketed and distributed as the Positivity: OneWord and Tide Shirts have been, but my vision is on a much larger scale. I want to enact a financial plan that will allow me to donate a portion of all sales to wounded veterans and their families, ideally through Soldier's Angels - the great organization I rejoined last month after a year break.



After the first marketing research phase as "PurpleHart", which was a graphic design decision, I decided to go with the correct spelling. (That, and I was sick of doo-dahs saying, "You know 'heart' is spelled wrong, right?" ((insert snooty remark here))

The design is embroidered on 100% organic tshirts, bags, and military caps. I decided the writing portion was too much on the tshirts and hats, so it's completely on the bags, which are funky designs and in coordinating color schemes of tan, brown, and green. I've got a great-quality messanger bag that I'm completely in love with and use all the time, and there's also a chocolate brown bucket bag, and a green tote.



The hats are tan, gray, and camo, all sporting the simple Purple Heart graphic, as do the t-shirts. We've also got a great hoodie that we're eyeing and threw some skulls on at the moment because the sizing was a bit too big.

I'll keep you posted as the Purple Heart line continues to develop. Please check back in and see how you can help and when the different products are available for purchase at my etsy site. Thank you!

Soldier's Angels

Okay,
So when in high school, I did community service via joining an organization called Soldier's Angels. It is a non-profit organization that matches up deployed soldiers in "adoptions" with its members. The adopt-ers then send a letter a week and a care package a month to their adoptee.

It was SO rewarding, giving back like that - my soldier was the sweetest guy, and I saved his letters. I also joined the Letter Writing Team, which I continued to do after my adopted guy came home. I started a scrapbook of all my letters, and it's so great to pull out and browse through.

I became a team leader of the LWT, but in my junior year of college I just had too much work, so I stepped down. But ever since my grandfather passed away, I've been thinking about SA a lot. I finally rejoined in honor of him last month, and have a brand new adoptee. She's my age, and I've gotten two letters from her.

So if you are interested in giving back, this is a GREAT way to do it! Here is the website to sign up: http://soldiersangels.org/

They have teams, a store, and a community forum. Browse around and check it out!

Also in honor of my grandfather, who was a Purple Heart recipient, I have developed a line of clothing, bags and hats called "Purple Hart". Pics will be up soon, and I'm going to throw them in my etsy shop. I want to donate a majority of the proceeds to SA, as they have a wounded veterans program. Stay tuned!