Through the generosity of a few skillful women in Pacific, wounded soldiers are receiving some comfort of home.

For years, a group of volunteers have knitted, crocheted and cross-stitched bundles of donated yarn into beautiful lap robes for soldiers injured in the conflicts of Iraq and Afghanistan.

“It’s a very purposeful program,” said Beverly White, a member of the Touch of Home group that comes together each week at the city’s community center to knit the robes and share conversation. “It is a good thing … My family has seen the need for this. It’s a nice way to help service people.”

White regularly joins her friends – Fran Mann, Hazel Brown, Donna Gallaher and others – to produce the colorful robes so they can be shipped to wounded soldiers recovering in hospitals here and abroad.

“We talk as good as we knit,” Mann said.

The original idea of the senior program came from late colleague Irene Kadlec, and soon the goodwill program took shape. The women began to stitch the garments in 2005 and have made more than 150 to date. The group’s “labor of love” also knitted stocking caps and mittens for needy Romanian children overseas.

For the group, good medicine comes from the comfort of spun thread.

The program was recognized by honored by Maj. Gen. Timothy Lowenberg, the Adjutant General and commander of all Washington Army and Air National Guard forces, and Brig. Gen. Gordon D. Toney, commander of the Washington Army National Guard.

Many of the lap robes have and will continue to be delivered – with assistance from the Washington National Guard – to healing soldiers at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Walter Reed in Washington, D.C., and a regional military medical center in Germany.

In fact, Pacific Mayor Richard Hildreth is personally delivering lap robes to soldiers this week at Walter Reed. Hildreth is visiting D.C. area as a guest speaker at a national conference on community emergency preparedness.

“The robes are more for their mental comfort than physical warmth,” Hildreth said.

“I’m honored that I’m able to help these ladies and hand deliver them. I’m always proud of their work.”

The group meets each Tuesday from 10 a.m.-noon at the community center, 100 3rd Ave. SE. New members are welcome.