AFMC civilian represents Air Force as award nominee Published Sept. 2, 2009 WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) -- An Air Force Materiel Command civilian is the Air Force nominee for the 2008 Spirit of Hope Award. The Spirit of Hope award is inspired by the United Service Organizations and named after entertainer Bob Hope. It honors armed forces members and civilians alike who epitomize the values of duty, honor, commitment, integrity and selfless dedication by enhancing the quality of life for service members. Air Force officials nominated Virginia Dosedel, the founder of Sew Much Comfort, a nonprofit charity that provides specialized adaptive clothing to cover prosthetics and external frame devices. In less than five years, Ms. Dosedel transformed the charity from a small group of friends to a corps of more than 1,000 volunteers. Together, that group has provided nearly 100,000 free items of adaptive clothing to severely injured military members with amputations, shrapnel injuries, broken limbs and severe burns. The clothing improves lives by enhancing appearance, minimizing the visual impact of injuries, providing wound protection and increasing comfort and dignity as service members recuperate from injuries sustained in battle. Sew Much Comfort was inspired by Ms. Dosedel's son, a cancer survivor who suggested she continue making the adaptive clothing she had made for him during his numerous surgeries. Ms. Dosedel was initially nominated for the Spirit of Hope award by her co-workers at the 754th Electronic Systems Group at Maxwell Air Force Base-Gunter Annex, Ala., where she worked before coming to Air Force Materiel Command financial management. Ms. Dosedel has been honored for her work before. She was lauded for her efforts by former President George Bush during a visit to the White House in which President Bush recognized military support organizations. She was also chosen as ABC Nightly News Person of the Week and was awarded the Air Force Materiel Command Spouse of the Year Award.