A staffer at the Lexington VA Medical Center in Kentucky has come up with a unique way to turn dress shirts into clothing protectors so veterans can enjoy a dignified dining experience at the facility.
The effort began with a question that speech pathologist Jessica Hatterman posed to her fellow medical professionals during a clinical conference, according to a VA blog post.
If a veteran needs a protective cover over their clothing during meals, is there a better option than placing a standard towel over the veteran’s shirt? It seems like a little thing, but it can rob a veteran of their dignity and the towels don’t provide adequate protection. Was there a way to protect veterans’ clothing and dress in a fun way?
Hatterman continued to brainstorm and search for solutions to the question she asked, looking at blogs for inspiration. The Do-It-Yourself (DIY) communities had several ideas.
Then, her husband began working from home and no longer needed many of his dress shirts. That sparked the solution to Hatternan’s quest for an answer.
With her husband’s dress clothes and a sewing machine, Hatterman created a functional clothing protector that allows veterans to get dressed up and ready for meals. She brought her design to the Community Living Center at the medical center and The Dress Up for Dinner Project was born.
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“By turning a dress shirt into a clothing protector, we can create something functional and fun that allows our veterans to get dressed up,” she said.
Dress Up for Dinner’s design was given to the Lexington VA Center for Development and Civic Engagement, which partnered with civic groups like Blue Star Mothers and medical staff to expand production.
Hatterman hopes the project will continue to pick up and expand beyond the Community Living Center.
Julia LeDoux can be reached at Julia@connectingvets.com.
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