[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 50 (Tuesday, May 2, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E689]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING DANIEL AND CHRISTINA FINN OF THE PATRIOTIC PILLOW PROJECT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. DANIEL LIPINSKI

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                          Tuesday, May 2, 2006

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Daniel and Christina 
Finn, founders of the Patriotic Pillow Project, also known as Operation 
Comfort.
  Daniel T. Finn is a Vietnam veteran who proudly served his country 
during the years of 1966 and 1967. Upon return to the United States, 
Mr. Finn received a teaching degree and currently teaches at Carver, 
the Nation's largest public military academy in Chicago.
  Christina Finn serves as a medical health professional. In this 
career, she has observed that the healing process includes both 
emotional and psychological healing, as well as physical repair. For 
this reason, when Dan and Christina's oldest son was deployed to Iraq, 
the Finn's founded the Patriotic Pillow Project This project lovingly 
and respectfully collects pillows to send to wounded GIs to lift their 
spirits and honor the recipient.
  United Airlines and an organization called C.A.R.C. in Chicago have 
provided the pillows. Then, anyone who can stitch a straight line and 
follow the pattern provided is encouraged to handcraft a pillow cover. 
The pillow covers are quilted replicas of our Nation's Flag.
  Since September 2004, the Patriotic Pillow Project has received 4,350 
pillows and delivered more than 2,350 finished gifts of gratitude. This 
is quite an accomplishment for a project that started out as a single 
page document distributed to friends and various organizations.
  It is my honor to recognize Dan and Christina Finn, founders of the 
Patriotic Pillow Project for their many achievements in supporting our 
heroic American GIs.

                          ____________________