The “Comfort Campaign” we want you to join!
If you could do something to make a Canadian soldier comfortable in Afghanistan, would you? We think you would.
That’s why we want to tell you about Cpl. James Hayward Arnal.
Comfort is scarce for soldiers in Afghanistan. While on patrol, most soldiers sleep outside and use their helmets or packs for a pillow. On his first tour of duty, James strapped a Natura pillow to his leg to use at night. On his next 2 tours, he took Natura pillows to share with friends.
Each time James returned home, he left his pillows behind for his friends. The small travel pillows ($20 retail) were often auctioned off after he left – one sold for $450 (it was sold more than 10 times).
On July 18th 2008, James died while on duty – he was 25 years old and the 88th Canadian soldier to die in Afghanistan.
James can no longer take pillows to his friends. But you can. It’s your turn to help our soldiers find comfort while they serve.
JS Furniture, Natura and the Canadian Government need your help with Pillows for Troops. For a cost of $5, you’ll be able to buy a pillow, personalize it with a postcard and send it to a soldier serving in Afghanistan.
JS Furniture Gallery and Founding Partners (City of Winnipeg, CJOB, Destination Winnipeg, Envisage Design Group, Natura World, Winnipeg Free Press, WA Print Management) have made a commitment to provide 5,000 pillows, one for each soldier leaving Canada, until the end of 2011.
Pillows for Troops will ensure that all Canadian soldiers serving in Afghanistan will have a Natura Dream Travel Pillow of their own, in memory of Cpl. James Arnal.
A non-profit foundation managed by JS Furniture Gallery will allow you to contribute to other special programs, such as scholarships for cadets, a school in Afghanistan, supporting Canadian children whose parents are stationed in Afghanistan and military family Christmas parties.
The official launch for the event is November 20th at 12:18 pm Central Time. The mayor of Winnipeg, His Worship, Mayor Sam Katz will be in attendence.
Natura will be there too, documenting the story in realtime on Facebook & Twitter.
From now until November 20th we’re going to tell you about James and his story – and why it’s so important to us. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating and honoring our troops and James.
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by JuliaRosien: Please join me in celebrating, honoring and thanking our troops for all they sacrifice for us everyday: http://bit.ly/3KslUf…
I’m a war veteran myself; Vietnam 1968 & 1969. I was with the 101st Airborne Assault, Support Helicopter Battalion. We supported hundreds of troops in the field. The sleeping conditions were miserable. They are miserable today in Afghanistan. I wish to give my heart felt thanks for the Canadian soldiers who are fighting along side our U.S. troops. Thank you, and God bless. Providing the men and women with these pillows is a small expression of our appreciation; however, I can say with personal experience…they will be GREATLY APPRECIATED BY THE TROOPS. All who read this message, please keep supporting our soldiers where ever they may be. Whooo Yaaa
Thank you so much for leaving such a great comment. Everyone at Natura is very excited to be part of this program – it truly is a great honor to be able to help – even in a small way. Hope you’ll check back often – we’ll be posting many more stories about the Pillows for Troops comfort campaign!
One of my cousins just returned (safely thank GOD!) from Afghanistan and another is scheduled to leave in January. What you are doing is so powerful – most people have no idea how much these soldiers give up when they go. There is NO comfort on patrol – life is harder than any of us can imagine.
Thank you Natura for all you’re doing to bring comfort to Canada’s peacekeepers!
We employee many Veterans and even active military personnel. They all have given, and keep giving so much for their country, and it shows in their dedication to work. Most cannot fathom what they have gone through, or will go through while overseas. Thank you Natura for making their lives as comforting as possible.
Thanks for stopping by to share this with us Harden Furniture. We are always so moved at how much our veterans and soldier keep giving – even when they retire. It is an honor to share this moment with you.
I love this! We are an American military family but feel that all those who fight for freedom, no matter where they live are our family. I will blog about this and donate! WONDERFUL!
How do we donate? This is a wonderful cause that I would like to participate in…please let me know how to donate. From Kitchener, Ontario. Thank you and bless you for doing this!
Hi Lori, thanks for asking. Starting November 20, 2009, you’ll be able to donate at http://www.pillowsfortroops.com. Or, since you’re so close to our head office, you can also stop in and we’ll take your donation to Winnipeg on the 20th.
If you stop in, you’ll also be able to fill out a postcard for a soldier – we already have more than 150!
Our address is One Natura Way, Cambridge Ontario.
I am going to purchase at least one pillow–maybe more, I was just wondering if a purchase can be made for a particular soldier, as my son is currently serving and I would like to see him get one.
Hi Arlene,
The program we’re currently running does not allow us to send pillows to specfic soldiers. But if you’d like to buy one for your son, you can find the pillows on our site here: Dream Travel Pillow
If you’d like to send a pillow to other soldiers, you can do it here: Pillows for Troops
Please tell your son that we all say thank you – from everyone here at Natura!
Julia
Stunning, I did not know about this topic up to the present. Thx!