Knitting group makes hats for soldiers deployed overseas

A group of women in a Phoenix home are knitting something special: caps. The caps go to soldiers overseas to make them feel a little warmer and a little closer to home.

In 2008, Marlys Anderson sent her grandson a knit cap to keep him warm while he was stationed in South Korea. Her grandson liked the hat so much he asked if she could send a few for his buddies. Today, "a few" has turned into more than 17,000.

Anderson calls it Caps for Soldiers, and she and her knitting circle write a personal note along with each hat to remind the soldiers that even though they may be far away, people back home are still thinking of them.

And the caps have done more than just keep soldiers warm. The knitters said they've even saved lives, including the time one soldier decided to wear two of the hats under his helmet.

"The second hat saved him from getting hit," one of the women knitting told Fox 10. "It raised his helmet up enough to avoid getting hit in the head."

It's a small gesture that can make a big difference to a soldier and let them know that even though they're overseas, back home they're still on our minds.