The Holidays & our Troops:
 

For most of us, this week is the start of the Holiday Season. The beginning of all the family gatherings, the parties, and seeing of old friends and talking about old times.

However, there are families whose gatherings are just a bit emptier; whose table may have an empty chair or two.

There are those whose gathering maybe held on sand, dirt, snow, or water far from home and family.

So, if you have the time and interest, please check out some of the following links.

Happy and Healthy Holidays to you and yours.

http://mrmom.amaonline.com/asoldier.htm

http://mrmom.amaonline.com/asoldierschristmas.htm

Sites which help Support our Troops:
http://www.americasupportsyou.mil/americasupportsyou/index.aspx
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6568316/
http://anysoldier.com/index.cfm
http://www.oidelivers.org/
http://www.adoptaplatoon.org/
http://www.gi-bracelet.org/GIBracelet/index.html
http://www.uso.org/
http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1024.html
http://www.defendamerica.mil/


O Valiant Hearts
O valiant hearts who to your glory came
through dust of conflict and through battle flame;
tranquil you lie, your knightly virtue proved,
your memory hallowed in the land you loved.

Proudly you gathered, rank on rank, to war
as who had heard God's message from afar;
all you had hoped for, all you had, you gave,
to save mankind — yourselves you scorned to save.
John Stanhope Arkwright’s hymn “O Valiant Hearts”.

Thank you, Jon! I've sent things before through a woman whose son is in Iraq and in the K-9 corps. It's good to have options - and a chance to thank those in the military for all they do!

Thanks Jon
 

I just got this information today... I believe it is for the Fort Lewis soldiers in Washington state. But other personnel, at Whidbey, etc. can attend... They just said they have it together and didn't ask for volunteers. I may email them and ask...

For those of you with a more academic or bibliophile bent:
http://www.booksforsoldiers.com/

A website that accepts requests for books (DVDs and games) from US troops...

Thanks for the URL, that actually sounds like a great program.

can we add http://soldiersangels.com/ to the list??

myself and some close family members been angels for a few years now - we have just adopted a unit in kuwait and are sending care packages to them every week.

If you want to send something, but don't want it to look "little", there's a woman in West Virginia nicknamed "Boatsie" who sends hundreds of boxes a month. Her name & address are as follows:

Boatsie's Boxes/Gail P. Van Vranken
33 Forest Hills Drive
Wheeling, WV
26003
304-232-5277
www.boatsie.com

This thread could use a bump right about now.
Besides the great sites to aid our Troops, the first two links are also well worth a long see.
If make one pause to think just what we are doing this weekend and what they are doing.

Thank you for bumping this.

It is never to late in sending something from home to our troops over there!:)


May the be safe and come home soon.