Sussex County Drops their Jeans-all for a great cause!

Brodhecker Farm Staff "Drop their Jeans" for campaign kickoff

Generosity and support for our troops is in the DNA of Sussex County residents and they're proving it   by contributing clean, worn denim jeans in this local effort to support  OPERATION QUIET COMFORT. The denim donations will be collected at centralized sites throughout Sussex County. Brodhecker Farm-2 Branchville-Lawson Road Hampton Township kicked off the campaign early in February and invites area residents join in their "JEAN POOL"  by bringing their denim donations to the farm until March 15th.

Precut squares are signed with messages of hope

The donated jeans are repurposed by OQC volunteers into 6 " squares which are then signed with messages of hope, comfort and thanks for our boys and girls overseas. All are welcome to add their message-no donation of jeans is required.

The Sussex County signed squares will then integrated with squares collected by volunteers from all across the US before being returned to OPERATION QUIET COMFORT volunteers who will carefully craft the squares and cotton batting into quilts. The finished quilts are sent to US field hospitals and distributed to our wounded soldiers.
A uniquely American icon, these cotton denim quilts, covered with messages from home are a valued reminder of back-home for our troops.

Finished quilts are sent to US field hospitals

Sussex County "Drop Your Jeans" is receiving support from area businesses and community groups who are volunteering to collect denim-sign squares and ensure that our soldiers receive a thank you from all. The Drop Your Jeans collection site will be moving to Newton in March-as the NJ Herald makes plans to house the collection barrel and to make unsigned, pre-cut squares available to anyone interested in participating.

Garden Of Life Massage Center in Wantage and Franklin Sussex Auto Mall will also take a turn at hosting collection sites in the coming months. Other donation sites and square signing events will be held at area schools and will be made available by the Sussex Shepherd's 4H club during the 2011 NJ State Fair/Sussex County Farm and Horse Show in August.

To date, Brodhecker Farm reports an amazing outpouring of denim donations and square signing. "The response from the farming community, residents and fellow businesses has been awesome," said Janice Elsishans, coordinator of the DROP YOUR JEANS campaign. "When my colleagues in Somerset invited me to spearhead this Sussex County opportunity, I never expected such an amazing outpouring of interest and support. It's been just wonderful!"

The volunteers are thankful for the great response and hope that one day they will "retire" from quilt making-as there won't be a need-but for now-they're efforts have already produced over 40 quilts.


If your business would  like to participate as a DROP YOUR JEANS host site-or if want to learn more how your organization can participate in the Sussex County DROP YOUR JEANS campaign contact Janice at: gldg@nji.com
Learn more at Operation Quiet Comfort          operationquietcomfort.com