Loops Of Love in Lynbrook

Barbara Barnhart, LT. Liguori, and Chairman O’Grady, join with firefighters from Lynbrook and surrounding communities who are active in Nassau County Firefighters Operation Wounded Warrior.

Courtesy Steve Grogan

Chairman Joe O’Grady spoke about Nassau County Firefighters Operation Wounded Warrior.

Courtesy Steve Grogan

Loops of Love member Ruth Williamson personally presented LT. Liguori with his own blanket.

Courtesy Steve Grogan

Loops of Love, led by Barbara Barnhart, and formerly known at Stitches of the Heart, is an organization of volunteers who love to knit, crochet and quilt.

Courtesy Steve Grogan

Those in attendance watch a video on Nassau County Firefighters Operation Wounded Warrior. OWW is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

Courtesy Steve Grogan

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Last Saturday, members of Loops of Love gathered at the Lynbrook Library to present 215 hand-sewn blankets for wounded servicemen and women to representatives of Nassau County Firefighters Operation Wounded Warrior, who will then personally distribute the blankets to wounded warriors at hospitals at Fort Bragg, Camp Lejuene, and Bethesda, the first week of December. 

 Loops of Love, led by Barbara Barnhart, and formerly known at Stitches of the Heart, is an organization of volunteers who love to knit, crochet and quilt. The core group is located in Lynbrook and they presently supply approximately 29 hospitals and institutions along the East Coast. 

Loops consists of three main sewing groups, the Lynbrook Library group, Sunny Lane of Bethpage, a senior community group, and individual volunteers who work from their homes. The three groups number over 100 members who rely totally on donations to assist in the expenses of sewing supplies and the mailing of gift boxes.

 This is the seventh year that Loops of Love and the prior Stitches of the Heart have provided blankets to Nassau firefighters for Operation Wounded Warrior. Over these seven years, the members have presented more than 1,000 blankets to the firefighters to wounded warriors.

 During this year’s presentation, U.S. Army First Lieutenant Steven Liguori, a soldier wounded in Afghanistan, a Lynbrook resident and a member of the Lynbrook Fire

Department, was a special guest.  He spoke about his tour of duty in Afghanistan and expressed his thanks to the members of Loops of Love for their efforts to help our wounded warriors. 

 Joe O’Grady, Chairman of NCFF-OWW, and a member of the Floral Park Fire Department, presented a video to the membership, which showed how Nassau firefighters are helping to make life a little easier for our wounded warriors.  “Nassau firefighters are doing everything possible to thank and support our wounded warriors who have sacrificed so much for us,” said O’Grady, who also thanked Loops of Love for their continued support and assistance.

Barnhart said that the sewing of the blankets is “a small way for our groups to say thank you to our servicemen and women for protecting our country and our families.”