A
Message about Volunteering:
from
Vicki Foster, Cincinnati
The
friends and family members of the 215th QMCO, and of all of the
units deployed to I ra q, Afghanistan, Kosovo, and other points around
the globe have all been affected by the departure of their loved
ones to faraway, and possibly dangerous places, to do jobs that
they never would have thought of doing just a few months ago. For many of
us, this is a hole in the heart that we are finding very difficult
to fill. The worry is endless, the anxiety overwhelming. We ask
ourselves, “How am I going to get through the next twelve
months, until my soldier comes home?”
For me, and
for many of the people I have had the good fortune to meet since
this adventure began, the answer is simple:
GET INVOLVED! Take control
of your situation; don’t wait for things to happen
to you. There is strength to be gained by facing this challenge
head-on, and you’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish.
You’ll meet new people; many of them will soon look to you
as the one in charge.
VOLUNTAS,
the organization that coined the phrase, “Random Acts
of Kindness”, says in its brochure:
Like
all revolutions, guerrilla goodness begins slowly, with a
single act. Let it
be yours.
This section
of www.soldiersibs.org is here to provide opportunities within
the 215th FRG, to share good ideas for getting involved in your
town or church, and to shine a few lights on people who are doing
great things. Read on, and find out how to get your “brand
new state of mind”.
 Ideas and Opportunities for Volunteering During Deployment:
Do
you have a great idea? Send it to Admin@soldiersibs.org.
- 215-K2K
Project – This
is something you could do on your own, or you might want to
do with your church, scout or school group:
While out on their convoys, the unit comes across local families
... they would like to help them by giving them packages of
treats and supplies, mostly for the children.
As a family support group, we are calling it the 215-K2K project
(kids to kids). It is a way for the American kids to get an
idea of what the local kids have been through, and also a way
to help them now. Click here
for a flyer (requires Adobe
Acrobat) that we drew up for groups
to use. The flyer includes several photos taken by
the soldiers on one of their visits. For
information on where to send the items you collect, contact Admin@soldiersibs.org.
- Operation
Save the Day – Here’s another one you might
do on your own, or with a community group:
Under his current assignment, Captain K. has
started an effort similar to the 215-K2K project. He calls
it “Operation Save the Day”. Click
here for a flyer with details (requires Adobe
Acrobat). For
information on where to send the items you collect, contact Admin@soldiersibs.org.
-
At
church, I added all of the names of
deployed
soldiers on our prayer list and posted a world
map showing the countries where
they are serving. People look at the board
regularly, and everyone has begun to talk much more about the
soldiers and what
we can do for them. We sent valentines
to all of
them, each with a handful of notes with personal
prayers from
parishioners. (Vicki - Cincinnati)
- We
set up a mailing station at church*; you can do
the same at work or school. Each station has kits
that consist of a flat-rate Priority Mail box (free
from the Post Office), a customs form, and a list of instructions
(what
people can send, what not to send, etc.). People are
invited to take a box, fill it, and send it to one of the soldiers
on our list. (Vicki - Cincinnati)
*
Note: For security reasons, we are using the church return
address
for all of our
packages,
as we used it when we sent the Valentine cards. This
way, the soldiers know that the package is coming from
a trustworthy address.
We have also alerted the families to the fact that we
are sending things to their
soldiers.
- We
know how our soldiers LOVE to get mail!
Write a letter to the mayor of your city or town, or to
your local congressman, and ask him to send your soldier
a letter. (Vicki - Cincinnati)
- Check with
your local American Legion or VFW to see what they are doing
to support the troops – The Legion’s website has lots of
good information on ways to get involved. Check it out at http://www.legion.org/support.
FRG Activity
Ideas:
“10
Birthday Cards” – What
if every soldier got 10 extra cards on his or her birthday? Please
consider volunteering to send a card
on another soldier’s birthday. It will connect you to more
members of the unit! We
need a volunteer to collect birthdays and other volunteers
to send extra cards.
Everyone can and is encouraged to participate in this project!
Another
security note: Neither the US Army or the 215th FRG is authorized
to give out personal information about soldiers or their
families. To participate in projects such as birthday cards,
etc., you must provide information about your soldier to
the person or family coordinating the activity.
“Party
in a Box” – Let’s
send a party! For fun holidays, we can send a BIG box of decorations,
games, etc.
We need a volunteer
for each holiday to collect decorations and other party favors.
We’ll let unit families know where to send their donations
of supplies or postage money. Everyone can and is encouraged to
participate in this project! |
