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October 26, 2006
Operation Santa Needs You!
You guys know I do not ask for much. But this holiday season I am going to depart a bit from that tradition.
I do not have a PayPal button on my site and I never will. I don't have an Amazon gifts thingy. I don't really want or need anything from you all except the gift of your company and your conversation. But this year, there is something you could give me that would mean everything.
Wounded soldiers and Marines are pouring into Walter Reed and Bethesda. I listen, and I watch, and I hear my husband's Blackberry go off, and there are a few of us who talk every day. And it is a hard thing, but not as hard for any of us as for these men and women and their families. And for every one of them, there are many more who will still be over there, thousands of miles away from their homes and their loved ones on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I would so love it if you all could open your hearts and give something back to these young men and women who are laying it all on the line for us. They would never ask it of you. But I am asking it of you. During the next few weeks I will be featuring a few ways you can help.
If you have kids, maybe encourage them to do a few extra chores and donate the proceeds? If you go to church or belong to a club, why not bring some of these worthy causes up? We can all do our part. And know that I will be giving too, not just from my regular budget, but from my long-term savings. We can all do without a few geegaws and extravagances during the holiday season, if that makes it possible for families to be together, for a wounded vet to get the help and encouragement he or she needs, if it ensures our troops know someone remembers them on Christmas morning. Some of these young people don't have families who can afford to send them anything. Some don't have family at all. Think how bleak Christmas would be in a desert, at war, half a world away from everything you know and hold dear.
VC's first project is Operation Santa. This is something that has been near and dear to the Blog Princesses' heart for several years now. Deb Conrad and her angels have been bringing Christmas to Iraq and Afghanistan behind the scenes quietly, without a lot of fuss, but with lots of love. What you may not know is that our own Carrie headed up a Herculean effort last year, and she is doing it again this year. And I want to make sure Deb and her merry band of elves bring a whole lot of smiles to a lot of faces on Christmas morning.
So please, head on over to Marine Corps Family Foundation Site and show them you care. Your donation is tax deductible (as if that matters). What matters far more is the priceless smile you'll bring to those young faces on Christmas morning, because they will know their nation values the selfless service they provide.
And that is something that truly can't be measured in dollars and cents.
Posted by Cassandra at October 26, 2006 06:55 PM
Comments
Sounds like a great idea. I generally give to the USO, but I'll consider it.
Posted by: camojack at October 27, 2006 01:30 AM
Deb's done some neat things. She doesn't like to brag on herself but I will. I think it was last year, she actually sent pancakes and sausage over (griddles too!) on Christmas morning for some of the Marines who hadn't had real food, just MREs, for the longest time. I just thought that was the most amazing idea in the whole world - who else would even have thought of doing such a thing?
But she made it happen. They are some incredible ladies over there. And this year they are including the wounded vets here at home in Operation Santa - so the men and women at Walter Reed, etc. will get something on Christmas morning. I think that is something worth supporting.
Posted by: Cass at October 27, 2006 05:31 AM
Would this be our Marine Corps Mom, Deb?
I usually go to the local Army base as
they have ways and means to get Stuff
there, but I will email her and ask what I can do.
Posted by: Cricket at October 27, 2006 08:04 AM
Deb and her partner in crime, Connie Rieke, are absolute angels.
I have 80 thank you notes from Marines from last year. Deb and Connie's efforts were greatly, greatly appreciated.
Don't forget that for some over there, the stocking or the pancake breakfast will be the only thing that they receive for Christmas and for some, it will be the only mail that they receive the entire deployment.
For many, this will be their first Christmas away from home.
Many, many thanks to Cass for writing about Operation Santa.
Posted by: Carrie at October 27, 2006 09:13 AM
Heh. Somewhere (I think it's on my old PC downstairs) I have a photo Connie sent me of some Marines with their Santa hats on. It's great - it used to make me smile every morning when I trekked down to the basement to turn on my computer.
Posted by: Cass at October 27, 2006 09:54 AM
I have a picture of a platoon of Marines, some with reindeer ears.
The thank you note that went with it was so sweet.
When you mentioned the picture on your pc, I thought of that one. That one makes ME smile.
Posted by: Carrie at October 27, 2006 10:16 AM