2014 Face of America bike ride and Banners and Friend Riding this year :)

It's that time of year again! April 25-27 will be the 2014 World TEAM Sports Face of America bike ride

Once again this year, my family and I will be collecting banners to hang along the route to cheer the riders on!! We've already received several banners from Madison County primary school !! Thank you!!

Also this year, friend Greta from Hooh Wife & Friends will be riding again !
She and I first met in person at the Face of America bike ride :) So looking forward to cheering her on again as a rider!

Regarding banners..we do have some left from last year's ride and I am Very Late in posting this, but we'll be accepting banners from anyone who can get them here by April 23,2014. 
Instructions for how to make the banners can be found HERE

(you can email me at kasee60 (at) gmail (dot) com for mailing address to send them)

Operation Warrior Watch

Wanted to pass on the word that  Operation Warrior Watch (which was formerly Toys for Troops) is a great way to support our deployed troops!  They helped support our own soldier while he was deployed, and every single time I have passed on to them the name and address of a servicemember who needs support.....they have responded with fantastic love, support and care(packages:) !

So, check them out  here  , great bunch of folks! :)

Ready for the Face of America bike ride! Many,many Thanks! to all the Banner makers!!

More banners came in within the past few weeks!

some from family members..

                               
                               and these were from the great folks at United Cerebral Palsy of Eastern Connecticut !

                                 
                                and these banners were from some great kids at
                                   Roundy Elementary school in Las Vegas, NV !

 Can't say Thank you! enough to all the great banner makers! :)

and now, the weekend of the World TEAM sports Face of America bicycle ride is upon us!!

More to come after the weekend!!

The 2013 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards

National Volunteer Week is April 21-27th.

As in years past on this blog, I'm celebrating the spirit of volunteerism by sharing the stories of some state honorees with the Prudential Spirit of Community awards program. 

The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program is the United States’ largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer community service. Since 1995, more than 345,000 young Americans have participated in the program. Each year, the program’s judges select 102 State Honorees to receive an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C. where, on May 6th, 10 of them will be named National Honorees. You can watch the live webcast of the May 6^th event here
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Because this blog is a milblog, out of the many, many outstanding young people who have been chosen as state honorees, I like to feature particularly those young people who have worked to support the U.S.Military.

They are:

Eric Curl 14, of Flower Mound, Texas, an eighth-grader at Shadow Ridge Middle School, purchased and collected supplies that are needed, but not always available, for wounded soldiers in Afghanistan. Eric had earlier helped out at a USO appreciation event for servicemen as they prepared to depart for Afghanistan. “I was inspired that day by the soldiers I spent time with,” he said. “They are our heroes.” So when he later learned that military medical units overseas often lacked certain supplies needed for the care of wounded troops, “I knew I had to step in and take on this opportunity,” said Eric.

He reached out to a nonprofit organization called Soldiers’ Angels to identify the specific items needed and find out where to send them. He asked friends and family members to help him collect donated items and contributions from local businesses and community members, and organized a car wash to buy additional supplies and pay for shipping. Eric had planned on securing enough supplies – including sheets for evacuation gurneys, sweat suits for evacuating soldiers, and personal comfort items – for 50 service members, but ended up with enough to help hundreds. He then recruited adults and fellow Boy Scouts to help sort and package the supplies. “I will never know the names of the soldiers I was able to help,” said Eric. But “there is no way we as citizens of the U.S. can thank them enough.”

 

and

 

Darlee Hyatt 19, of Riverton, Wyo., a senior at Wind River Middle/High School, helped raise $20,000 over the past two years for veterans and people with cancer in her community by working on an annual week of fundraising activities at her school. The first year, when her school began planning an event to assist two local women who were fighting cancer, Darlee immediately jumped in to help. “I felt it was important to be part of a group who touched the lives of others in a positive way,” she said. The $10,000 raised was split evenly between the two women to help pay for treatment and other needs.

Darlee was even more motivated the following year when the school chose local veterans to be the beneficiaries of its fundraising, since her cousin had served two tours in Iraq. Darlee helped plan the week of fundraising activities, visited local businesses to seek donations, and helped conduct a silent auction during boys and girls basketball games. Again, the week produced $10,000, which went to support the families of two local military veterans. Darlee has volunteered to be the main organizer of this year’s event. “I love the idea of helping someone when they need it most,” she said.

 

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It is always a privilege to be invited by the Prudential Spirit of Community awards to share the stories of these inspiring young volunteers like Eric and Darlee, and it's always so uplifting to hear how these young people have worked to support the U.S.military service men and women.

 

If you'd like to learn more about this year's honorees, you can go by the awards website ,  or 'like' their page on Facebook , or follow on Twitter , or check out their YouTube channel   for interviews with past honorees.

 

Many thanks,to this wonderful program that recognizes the extraordinary volunteers among young people each year! and many thanks for contacting this blog again to help share their stories.

 

 

 

Time to send Stripes Holiday Messages :)

Stars and Stripes is welcoming Holiday Messages from now until December 14.

Messages received by the November 26 deadline will appear in the newspaper edition of your choice (Europe, Mideast or Pacific) on December 15, right before the holidays!
 All messages received by December 14 will be viewable online.

Submit a greeting for your loved ones stationed or deployed overseas to find in the pages of Stars and Stripes!

To Submit Your Message, click the link  HERE
 

Surfing the Web..

my dear faithful readers..my apologies for the long stretches without posting on the blog lately, I'm continuing to recover well from my recent surgery, but don't always find it comfortable to sit for long stretches at the computer (plus I've been having some computer 'issues' off and on,sigh)...at any rate, just before my surgery got moved up two weeks earlier than originally scheduled, I had bookmarked a few things to pass along in a 'Surfing' post, and I'm just now getting to finally passing them on to you. Thank you, for continuing to check in here, and...enjoy the 'surf'!

via The Seattle Times  I came across Help Bring Leonidas Home from Afghanistan
and you might also wish to check out The Puppy Rescue Mission

from The New York Times Lens blog, a powerful, powerful story
Joao Silva:"This is what I do, this is all I know"

via PRI's The World  I found the website for a new documentary  Where Soldiers come From  that follows a group of young men from Michigan who joined the National Guard together and were deployed..the film follows them for 2 years, including after they come home.

speaking of documentaries, The Kitchen Dispatch passes on the word that
Restrepo Wins the Emmy

A gem of a blog that I've been following for awhile, Marion's Meepings
has a post up celebrating  Pax's 200th Blog Post and a prize  go check it out, she's offering a lovely prize and the contest is open till Oct.8th!

Airman Mom has a son who will be deploying soon, please stop by and offer words of support

JP over at Milblogging.com posted the word about Warbird Doctor Military Blog from A-stan
a new 'must-read' blog to follow

via Missouri Soldiers' Angels  I was alerted to Operation Walk USA


lastly, via ABC News Ft. Hood Shooter's Cousin Speaks Out against Violent Extremism 
and here is the website for The Nawal Foundation

That's the 'surf'..until next time!

Surfing the Web

Time for another 'surf' of posts I think you might find of interest out there on the ole World Wide Web..

via The Sandbox  comes Good Things Will Happen  , one of the most gracious 'Thank You's' I've ever seen written....and even if you don't like hip hop? I think you'll enjoy  Joe Roos' video  Troop

I sure did! (and how in the heck had I missed that before? only a little under 13,000 views on the RedBulls channel, really? another video that should be going viral, for whatever this granny's opinion is worth :) and if you're interested ,Joe's blog is The Average Joe

for more things 'Red Bull' (and it's Not the drink, y'all).. from Charlie Sherpa at Red Bull Rising 

The Footlocker Time Machine  

moving on 'down under' to Australia, Pax at Marion's Meepings announced her Caption Contest Winner from the contest I had linked in a previous Surfing the Web (although 'winner' may be a term used loosely in this case,lol )

Milbloggie Winner I'm big in Japan checked in briefly after a Long Hiatus.... 

The Olmsted Scholar over at Traveler of Morocco writes about Monkey Business

Consul at Arms II highlighted a good post (with his own accompanying remarks)

WSJ-While My Son Serves 

I read the individual blog posts and links from Laughing Wolf over at B5 and Concrete Bob while the latest from Cooking With The Troops was going on in July, Laughing Wolf has the round-up of all the links at

An Amazing Time at BAMC  DO take the time to read everyone's posts about these events!!

(I've had the privilege of meeting both LW and Bob a number of times--although I think Bob is never really sure who I am?lol, I just say .."Z-list blogger"..and I just want to say that it is so extraordinarily cool to see the amazing way these guys have taken a dream and made it into the reality of Cooking With the Troops ! )

Via Off the Base was a story about a program I hadn't heard of before

The Mission Continues for Wounded and Disabled War Vets

and lastly,

this post was making the rounds in the milblogging and mil-spouse circles recently,

a sobering reminder of the ultimate sacrifice that can be made by those who choose to serve, and their families 

Three Knocks at the Door 

(you will need tissues)

That's the 'surf', until next time..

Armed Forces Day

Saturday is Armed Forces Day 2011

where we as citizens of these United States thank all those who are serving our country.

I decided to take a short look around the web tonight, to see what folks are posting about the day...which actually was quite informative and inspiring.

While you might not live by Ft. Benning or Joint Base Lewis-McChord

from Arizona  to  Michigan , communites are holding events to honor and thank all those who serve.

I was not aware that Bremerton holds a parade every year, there's a nice post here to Educate our young citizens on this day, and This was one of the most interesting articles I've ever read about Armed Forces day.

And , in the end, it's the families of those serving who have the most heartfelt thoughts about this day, such as this post  or  this sweet post

So, I'd like to close by saying  not only to all those serving in every branch of our Armed Forces,

but also to our own Army MP

THANK YOU!

We are forever grateful for your service to our country, and we hold you in our hearts, thoughts, and prayers each day.

Huskers, The 2008 Milblog Conference, and Letters from Home Needed

Here's an event you might want to check out, if you're a military Husker fan

Husker Fans Salute to the Troops
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JP at Milblogging.com has UPDATES on the 2008 Milblog Conference

( which I won't be able to attend this year, sigh....but if you have a chance, consider going!!)
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Lastly, Major Pain at One Marine's View is asking for Emails of support for his Marines

LETTERS FROM HOME-WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

Can you send these Marine's a good word?

(and pass the word on about this,please)

History in the Making...Effort to Send Care Packages to the Troops!

MoveAmericaForward has launched an effort to send the largest shipment of care packages Ever to our Troops!



** THE GOAL: **
To send the largest single shipment of care packages to U.S. troops in history. The shipment is scheduled to go out days before the 4th of July, as a gift from the American people to our military men and women - to thank them for ensuring that our nation remains safe and free. The entire effort is being organized by Move America Forward - the nation's largest grassroots pro-troop organization. Individuals can sponsor care packages via the MAF website: http://www.moveamericaforward.org/


Between now and June 26th they're asking Americans to sponsor personalized care packages that they will then ship over as part of a mass shipment to our troops - just in time for the 4th of July holiday!

Check out their Campaign Store HERE

and read more about the effort HERE

The grand finale for the push will take place on June 26th when a Jerry Lewis style 8-hour Internet Telethon ("From the Frontlines") will take place. This cutting edge production “From The Frontlines” will be broadcast live online by UStream.tv and hosted by Melanie Morgan &Michelle Malkin. Live and taped reports will be broadcast from our troops serving in Iraq & Afghanistan during the historic 8-hour event.



A few other postings about this drive:

Soldiers Angels

Soldiers Angels Louisiana

Gathering of Eagles

Michelle Malkin

Melanie Morgan

The Radio Patriot

SWAC Girl

Please spread the word!

Operation Love From Home, and Toys for Troops

A few more things I've had sitting in my inbox to pass on.

Friend Kat at Yikes! , who's been doing card drives for the troops for quite awhile, like her current 4th of July Card Drive

is in the process of getting Operation Love From Home set up as a non-profit entity
and has a website set up for Operation Love From Home

Kat is one of the staunchest troop supporters I know, and one of my very first 'blogging friends'.....and also just an all around Great Person :) Please check out the Operation Love From Home website , and here's sending good wishes to Kat on her new venture!!


(and, have you sent a card yet, for her latest card drive? the deadline to get them in by June 7th is fast approaching!!....correction, she's extended the deadline to June 14th...but that's still coming up soon!!)
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I've also mentioned Toys For Troops before, and got an email recently that included the news that many of the soldiers they've been shipping Beanie Babies to, to hand out to children, have now come home. (including the son of the Toys for Troops founder, whose blog is here ) Hurray! and Welcome Home! to them!

These redeployments, though, mean that Toys For Troops is looking for new soldiers to send boxes of Beanie Babies (among other things) to....so, if you know a deployed soldier who has contact with children and might be interested in receiving a box of Beanie Babies to pass out to local children? stop by the Toys For Troops blog and see how to contact them!

Voices From America-Send a Holiday Message to Our Troops

This is just awesome!
My thanks to CJ over at A Soldiers Perspective for alerting me to this one !




Click here: Voices from America - Support the Troops :: Mozes

Voices from America
Major recording artists are joining forces to support our U.S Troops this holiday season.Call 1-888-312-2612 (toll free) and leave your message of support for the troops.The troops can access your messages through the support of Armed Forces Entertainment.
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Please pass it on!!