Holiday Projects for the troops and Veterans

2008

Blankets of Belief (Soldier’s Angels need 180,00 home made blankets to send to all the deployed men/women for the holidays.)  http://soldiersangels.org/index.php?page=blankets-of-belief

Christmas Stockings (Operation Shoe Box is collecting/accepting home made and bought stockings to send out in their holiday mailing.  Continue reading below from 2007 - I put a picture of some of the many stockings that Kathy made:)  http://www.operationshoebox.com/

Soldiers’ Angels has teamed up with Moment of Thanks.com to broadcast messages of Support and Appreciation for America’s Armed Forces. Please take the time to check out this heart-warming site and upload your own message of thanks.  You can share video, text or photos at www.momentofthanks.com.  The goal is to get 100,000 messages to the troops by the end of the summer, so we need you to help us spread the word to your friends and most importantly, to the troops in the field.

They’ve made it easy to do and if we all participate, we can blow right past the goal all by ourselves!  This wonderful project goes to the heart of the Soldiers’ Angels mission:  May No Solider Go Unloved.  Join us in using Moment of Thanks to help complete this vital mission!

Wingtip to Wingtip,

Patti

P.S.  To learn more about Soldiers’ Angels’ involvement in this terrific project, visit www.soldiersangels.org and click on the “Moment of Thanks” graphic on the right.

Project Valour-IT

(Voice-Activated Laptops for OUR Injured Troops)

It was the first time I felt whole since I’d woken up wounded in Landstuhl.

–Chuck Ziegenfuss, on using a voice-controlled laptop

Every cent raised for Project Valour-IT goes directly to the purchase and shipment of laptops for severely wounded service members. As of October 2007, Valour-IT has distributed over 1500 laptops to severely wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines across the country.

Valour-IT accepts donations in any amount to support the purchase and distribution of laptops, but also offers a sponsorship option. An individual or organization may sponsor a wounded soldier by completely funding the cost of a laptop and continuing to provide that soldier with personal support and encouragement throughout recovery. This has proved to be an excellent project for churches, groups of coworkers or friends, and members of community organizations such Boy Scouts.

Originally Valour-IT provided the voice-controlled software, but now works closely with the Department of Defense Computer/electronic Accommodations Program (CAP): CAP supplies the adaptive software and Valour-IT provides the laptop. In addition, DoD caseworkers serve as Valour-IT’s “eyes and ears” at several medical centers, identifying possible laptop recipients. Wounded military personnel can also directly request a laptop through the sign-up form or through the Valour-IT/Soldiers’ Angels representatives at the following medical centers: * Balboa Naval Hospital

* Brooke Army Medical Center

* Madigan Regional Medical Center

* National Naval Medical Center (Bethesda Naval Hospital)

* Naval Hospital, Camp Pendleton

* Robert E. Bush Naval Hospital (29 Palms)

* Walter Reed Army Medical Center

Thanks to the efforts of the Military Order of the Purple Heart, Valour-IT is also able to reach patients in VA hospitals who would benefit from a Valour-IT laptop.

Sponsor a Wounded Soldier with Valour-IT

Dear Donor,

Currently there is such a large need for the laptops Project Valour-IT provides that many wounded heroes requesting laptops are put on a waiting list. But for $600 you can sponsor someone on the waiting list and pay for his or her voice-activated laptop, which will make these heroes’ wait much shorter.

If you are unable to sponsor a wounded soldier and fund the full cost of a laptop but would still like to help, we welcome you to donate what you can here. Or, consider coordinating a group of people such as co-workers or a community organization to raise the funds to sponsor one or two soldiers.

Thank you for your generosity and support for those to whom we all owe so much…

Have questions regarding our Valour-IT or Adopt a wounded soldier program? Please feel free to email us by clicking here. Thank you.

You are here: Teams & Programs » Project Valour-IT » Sponsor a Wounded Soldier

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Monday, December 31, 2007 Soldiers’ Angels “Operation Hug-A-Hero” - “Honoring Our Veterans One Stitch At A Time”

Final Tally on the Hugs For Heroes Project 21,537!!!!!

http://soldiersangelsvateam.blogspot.com/

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http://www.operationchristmastree.com/

“OPERATION CHRISTMAS TREE”

“Operation Christmas Tree” is teaming up with the Armed Forces Foundation, a registered non-profit in Washington, D.C. to collect donations for this project. The cost of a tree including lights, decorations, and shipping is $20. On our site we have provided a link for donations. You can donate $20 to provide one tree or you can donate any amount that you choose. All donations, regardless of amount, are greatly appreciated. This will help make the holiday season brighter for those who are away from home serving our country.

* A donation can be made to a specific military personnel member. Make the donation for the number of trees you would like. Then send an e-mail to james@operationchristmastree.com with the military personnel name(s) and APO address(es).

In lieu of money you can send these items in the picture or similar items. Mini Ornaments, C Batteries, Battery Operated Lights that are 10 per string, The lights can be purchased at the Dollar Tree. The ornaments can be purchased at Wal-Mart. The batteries can be purchased anywhere.

Thanks for any donation that you can make, it will be greatly appreciated. The items can be sent to:
Operation Christmas Tree
P.O. Box 391
Westminster, MD 21158

http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/world/ny-woiraq095493604dec09,0,7860994.story

Above link will take the reader to an article about the 5,000 trees that Operation Christmas Tree sent out this year. (from the article:) “This year’s 5,000 trees were a huge increase over the 75 that Operation Christmas Tree shipped last year - half to Ward’s Army medic stepdaughter, Spc. Luisa Gonzalez, and members of her unit.

Gonzalez, 23, now stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, came home to help with the tree packing. “I’ve been that person on the other end and it just meant a lot to be there to see the next wave,” she said. “In Iraq, every day’s the same - no holiday - so that little piece of home gives that holiday season something special.”

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From Operation Shoebox ( www.operationshoebox.com ):Each Christmas our volunteers sew Christmas stockings for the troops to try and brighten their holidays. We also send any kind of Christmas decorations that we get to try and help them lift their spirits. This year we are asking for people to help sew stockings made from materials of your choice as long as its a Christmas type fabric. We encourage you to include your name and address and a card if you want to so that the troops know who made their stockings. Once you are done and it can be any amount you want to do, we are appreciative of anything we can get, then you can send them to us here at Operation Shoebox and we will stuff them with goodies and send them over. The troops will know that you made that stocking just for them and it really makes them happy.

Our volunteers purchase material at Walmart because they are the cheapest we have been able to find. They have Fabric at $2 a yard and we have a pattern that will yield 6 stockings per yard. We can mail you a pattern if you would like. You can send your address to us at this email address - HOMEOSB@aol.com -and we will get the pattern in the mail to you.

We ask that you try and have all the stockings to us by the end of October beginning of November.

Since we have to have them stuffed and out by the first week of December. If you decide to make stockings for us, you can mail them to us at:

Operation Shoebox
PO Box 1465
Belleview, FL 34421-1465

You can also write letters, and we will send them over as well. If you have any questions, please let us know and we thank you so much for your interest in supporting our troops! This is a hard time of year for them to be away from their families and we can make a difference for them!

Thank you!

Mary
Operation Shoebox

GOAL IS TO SEND EVERY DEPLOYED SERVICE MEMBER A STUFFED STOCKING.

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PLEASE CONSIDER SENDING PRAYERS, SUPPORT TO THIS GROUP

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/

ABC News featured the 503rd/173rd in Afghanistan (last night). They’ve taken a beating carrying out an operation. The village elders who they have been helping and receiving their help/aid - -have been giving information to the Taliban. The program is on Nightline.

(Thanks Lois for the link to the show/article.) There is an address at the bottom of this post to send carepackages to the 2nd/503. Winter is fast approaching there. They will need warm flannel sheets, fleece/wool blankets, indoor recreations (video game systems, games, DVDs, cards, puzzles, board games…, boot liners, long johns, face mask hats (we have a page with directions to knit as well as other suggestions for Care package ideas.)

Consider sending a card, a box full of some goodies- maybe even with a theme such as:

Salty Snack Box: Beef Jerky, potato chips, pretzels, Nacho chips, cheese doodles, pop corn, corn chips, Bugles, Salsa, cheese (Velveta) plain corn chips…

Coffee/Tea/Hot chocolate Box: Sealed can coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cookies, granola bars, biscotti, Little Debbie Snacks……..

Winter Warm Box: Flannel sheets or pillow case, wool socks, gloves, face/head hat, long johns/under armour leggins Mens Medium - Large, fleece blanket…..steel travel mug to keep beverage hot….

Anything will be appreciated and the connection back to home is priceless.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/11/ambush-video-sh.html

ABC News: The Blotter

Ambush: Video Shows U.S. Troops Being Hunted, Killed

November 12, 2007 8:21 AM

Brian Ross Reports:

Dramatic new video shows how American soldiers in Afghanistan are being set up for deadly ambushes after trying to make peace with village elders in Taliban-controlled areas.

The effort to win the “hearts and minds” of village elders in the Korengal Valley of Kunar Province in Afghanistan has proved to be a dangerous one for U.S. troops, with elders often suspected of tipping Taliban fighters to the soldiers’ schedule and whereabouts.

The video to be broadcast tonight on ABC News’ “World News With Charles Gibson” and “Nightline” was shot by “Vanity Fair” contributing editor Sebastian Junger and photographer Tim Hetherington embedded with the 2nd Platoon, Battle (B) company of the 173rd Airborne on a joint assignment for ABC News and “Vanity Fair” magazine.

Photos: The Forgotten War in Afghanistan

Six soldiers from another 173rd Airborne company, C Company, 1st Platoon, were killed in an ambush over the weekend in Afghanistan as they returned from a Shura, a meeting, with village elders.

The new video shows the men of the 2nd Platoon of Battle Company twice walking into traps after leaving meetings with village elders, one called to discuss details of a U.S.-financed water pipe project.

“We went from being the hunters to the hunted,” said photographer Tim Hetherington who was with the troops when they were attacked last month.

Good Morning America Video: The Forgotten War

Three U.S. soldiers were killed and six others wounded in the October ambush. A medic was killed in July as the platoon left a similar meeting with village elders.

The video also shows a contentious showdown between U.S. commanders and village elders, who deny hiding Taliban fighters.

“Are you calling me a liar that I got shot at last night?” Lt. Matt Piosa, the 2nd Platoon leader, shouts at the elders.

In the five and a half months the 173rd Airborne has been in Afghanistan, it has been involved in an estimated 450 enemy engagements, commanders say.

Watch the full report tonight on “Nightline.”

And look for more in “Vanity Fair’s” January issue on the newsstands in December.

To Send Letters to the Soldiers:

Many of our readers tell us they want to send their wishes to the soldiers of the 2nd Platoon, Battle Company, 173rd Airborne. As the forward unit in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley, they are being profiled for a special project appearing in “Vanity Fair” and on ABC News.

Letters can be addressed to:

2nd Platoon, Battle Company, 2-503rd PIR
c/o SFC Patterson
Korengal Outpost
APO, AE 09354

(Thank you:)