Moose Munch for the Troops

Thanks to the generosity of gourmet gifts retailer Harry & David, troops far from home this holiday season will have an extra special treat in their Soldiers’ Angels care packages—Harry & David’s delicious and hugely-popular Moose Munch® Bars.

The “Support Our Troops Moose Moose Munch® Drive” previously resulted in over 115,000 bars sent to soldiers overseas and is returning just in time for the winter holidays. Harry & David stores nationwide are offering customers the opportunity to purchase two Moose Munch® bars for $4 (one bar is usually $2.50) and donate one of the two bars for the Moose Munch® Bar Drive along with a personal message to a soldier. Soldiers’ Angels will distribute this new round of bars in its Wrapped in Holiday Spirit care packages and Harry & David is assisting with shipping.

"We're delighted to support our troops on the front lines," said Steve Heyer, CEO of Harry & David. "The program gives our customers the opportunity to give back to soldiers who have already given so much of themselves for our country."

“This is a fantastic gift for deployed service members who will be so far from home during the Holidays and we are thrilled to be able to include the in our care packages,” says Soldiers’ Angels Founder Patti Patton-Bader. “Moose Munch® Bars will be sure to bring a smile to the faces of these heroes.”

Soldiers’ Angels is aiming to send a Wrapped in Holiday Spirit care package to every deployed service member this holiday season. Care packages will include snacks, candy, hot chocolate, socks, a handmade blanket, a travel mug and a personal note.

To participate in the Support Our Troops Moose Munch® Bar Drive, visit your local Harry & David store.

Fall Fundraiser for Soldiers' Angels

I know the flyer image is a little small, so here's the details:

Admission is free, donations will be accepted at the door, with plenty of opportunities to donate during the event. It's taking place at the Gold Coat Inn, 2901 C.R. 175, Leander, Texas, 4-8pm on Saturday, October 23rd. All donations will go to Soldiers' Angels. Contact Donna Aleman, (512) 699-2681 for more information.

Highlights:

• Live Music
• Silent Auction
• Raffle
• Hay Ride
• Photobooth
• Costume Contest
  

Troops in Touch

For military families with small children: Troops in Touch. They're on facebook here.

From the facebook page:

Website:
http://www.troopsintouch.com
Company Overview:
Beth Allen developed Troops in Touch specifically to serve military families.

Mission:
Our mission is to help deployed parents keep ongoing communication with their young children through coloring/art activities.

Products:
- Sets of interactive activity postcards
- Free downloadable coloring pages supplied to websites that support military families
- Art activity Coloring book
- Flat Brat - the "color-adorable" military kid
- Brat color-dorable kid's clothing & other products

Flat Brat & Color-dorable are tradmarks of Beth Allen

Crook Apprehended

SAN ANTONIO -- A crook broke into Soldiers' Angels last Sunday, stealing half a dozen flat screen tvs and laptops carrying valuable memorabilia.

"Certificates, awards, letters, inspirational letters," says the group's co-founder, Jeff Bader. "All of these were in the display modules and it feels like the loss of a loved one. Feels like we were violated."

The thief also vandalized the charity's exhibit room with flame retardant foam, right by the Fallen Heroes memorial.

"It was totally disrespectful," adds Bader. "It's unimaginable that someone would come into a place, a non-profit, and steal from a non-profit trying to help American soldiers."

Surveillance video from businesses next door led police to the arrest of 42 year old Charles Edward White. White is now charged with burglary of a building, but News 4 WOAI found this isn't his first time behind bars.

White has been in and out of jail since the late eighties for assault, kidnapping, drugs, and burglary.

Police haven't been able to recover the stolen items. Replacing the goods could cost Soldiers' Angels thousands of dollars... money that may have to come out of what they give to soldiers.

"This is going to cost money that could have gone to help wounded soldiers, deployed soldiers," says Bader. "It could have been used for better purposes than that, so we're going to need help replacing some of these items."
http://www.woai.com/news/local/story/Soldier-support-group-vandalized-calls-for-help/9zXIULf6fkW2WZ8JPEDn7g.cspx

Nonpoint Rocks for the Troops

Nonpoint Rocks for the Troops
Soldiers' Angels extends its deepest appreciation to musicians of Nonpoint for their generous donation. All profits from their new single, "Frontlines" will be split 50-50 between Soldiers' Angels and the USO. Thank you, Nonpoint, for being such great supporters of the troops!

NONPOINT RELEASE OFFICIAL FRONTLINES VIDEO
BAND DONATES PORTION OF DIGITAL SINGLE SALES TO MILITARY CHARITIES

LOS ANGELES - Ft Lauderdale hard rockers NONPOINT have unveiled the official video to their new single,Frontlines. Inspired by the bravery of our military, lead vocalist Elias Soriano explains,When I wrote the concept for Frontlines, I wanted to make sure the focus was on the commitment of what our soldiers do for us. The weight they carry, and the intensity they hold steadfast to protect people they don't even know.
NONPOINT will be donating proceeds of the digital single sales of Frontlines to the USO and Soldier's Angels foundations. Jeff Bader of Soldier's Angels says, We are honored NONPOINT is donating proceeds from their new single to support Soldier's Angels. The circumstances surrounding this generous gift from the band seems to be a natural fit. Many of our returning veterans tell us that the warriors on the frontlines regularly listen to Nonpoint!
I say this with as much meaning as I could possibly have,says Soriano. God bless the men and women of our military, and thank you for allowing me to be what I am, and do what I do. Every single one of you are the reason I'm free to do so.
(YouTube video of "Frontlines" is on the Soldiers' Angels news page for this item)

Books For My Father

Author Richard Jackson is making a special donation to Soldiers' Angels in celebration of his father, a tailgunner in WWII who passed away on Easter Sunday this year. Richard's two newest thrillers are now available on Kindle, and he will be donating $2 from each download to Soldiers' Angels in tribute to his father's service.

Dollar Tree and Operation Homefront Toy Collection 2010

Operation Homefront and Dollar Tree have teamed up to help military families provide toys for their children at Christmas.

Over 3,900 Dollar Tree and Deals stores around the country will be collecting toys from November 1st through December 6th, 2010. We have a goal to collect 6+ million toys. This is why we need your help!

Here’s how the program works:

Operation Homefront chapter volunteers, Family Readiness Group Leaders, Family Support Specialists, VFW Posts, AUSA Chapters, Soldiers Angels, Blue Star Moms, and other key volunteers – you can register to be a volunteer for the Dollar Tree and Deals stores in your area, by clicking the link at the bottom of this post.

Once you click on the link to volunteer, you will be prompted to create a user name and password. You will then be required to enter your name, military affiliation, and contact information. Once you have entered the necessary contact information, you will be able to access a listing of Dollar Tree and Deals stores within a 100 mile radius of where you live.

You will then be able to select up to 15 stores you would like to serve as the pickup point of contact. Each store will have one point of contact, and that person is responsible for collecting the toys from that store during the collection dates.

Beginning November 1, 2010, store customers will be given the opportunity to purchase toys for military families. Once the items are purchased, they are placed into a drop box located near the checkout counters.

In order to streamline the process, it is recommended that the volunteer contact the Dollar Tree store manager before the kick off of the campaign to work out a pick up schedule. It is possible to have a pickup schedule of once or twice a week depending on the volume of toys the store collects.

Once you have picked up the toys, you can distribute them to the military families you serve, or if instructed, return the items to the Operation Homefront chapter that services your particular state.

*Operation Homefront Chapter staff and volunteers have priority in selecting stores. Operation Homefront reserves the right to make adjustments to registered volunteers, i.e. limit the number of stores picked up by one person or make any other necessary alteration if in the best interest of the program.

In order to register as a volunteer click the link and follow the instruction on our registration page. Thank you for your help with this program! http://www.operationhomefront.net/collectionvolunteer.aspx?id=6061

For questions about this program, please contact your local servicing Operation Homefront Chapter or Brad Claus at Brad.Claus@operationhomefront.net or 210-659-7756.