Texas Stars Military Appreciation Weekend
From: Amber Cooney [acooney@texasstarshockey.com]Subject: FREE Military Tickets for Texas Stars Military Appreciation Game
Good evening military families,I am proud to announce the first Texas Stars Military Appreciation Weekend of the season.I have complimentary tickets to the November 12th (6PM) game for veterans, active service members, military serving organizations, and military families. We would love to recognize your service and treat you and your friends/family to a Texas Stars hockey game.Please respond to this email with the information below to reserve your FREE tickets:- Name- Branch- Qty. of Tickets- ADA (if necessary)Thank you for your service and I hope to see you at the game!Amber Cooney, Texas Stars Foundation Director
Texas Stars Hockey ClubD: 512.600.5186 | M: 512.919.6172 | F: 512.600.5020
Cedar Park Center is located at 2100 Avenue of the Stars, Cedar Park TX, 78613.
Soldiers' Angels is proud to announce... Day of the Deployed, October 26, 2011was passed with 100% yes votes by the US Senate to become a NATIONAL DAY OF HONOR!
"Day of the Deployed is a day to honor the many selfless actions demanded of military members and their loved ones across the globe serves as a tangible reminder of the sacrifice being made in homes across America every day. Every deployment reflects the deep commitment of not only the deploying member, but of the many friends and loved ones who are left behind to aid in answering our nations call. Selfless men, women and children who are called upon to set aside their personal comfort and convenience to support the heroes they call mom, dad, father, mother, brother, sister or friend." --Patti Patton Bader, Soldiers' Angels Founder
WASHINGTON, October 18, 2011 – Senator John Hoeven announced today that a resolution he introduced to continue honoring the nation’s deployed service men and women with a Day of the Deployed has unanimously passed in the Senate. Hoeven launched the first Day of the Deployed in 2006 while serving as Governor of North Dakota and spearheaded the effort to bring the initiative to the national level this year. The resolution, passed last night, calls on all Americans to reflect on the service of the nation’s deployed service members and to offer support to their loved ones.
“Our U.S. service men and women currently deployed, along with their loved ones, make untold sacrifices as they serve our nation,” said Hoeven. “A national Day of the Deployed pays tribute to their commitment to our country and their work to protect our freedoms. We want to ensure that our military members and their loved ones know of our appreciation and support before, during and after their service.”
On Oct. 26, 2006, then-Governor Hoeven launched the first Day of the Deployed in support of Soldiers’ Angels, a nonprofit organization that aids deployed American military personnel and their families. The effort spread, and in 2010, 40 states had proclaimed a Day of the Deployed.
“Working with John Hoeven on Day of the Deployed since 2006 in North Dakota has been an honorable way to extend appreciation to the deployed service members and their families. Day of the Deployed is recognition for their hard work, dedication and commitment to the United States of America. This day is all about them,” said Shelle Michaels, Soldiers’ Angels Deputy Director of Development.
“More than 2 million Americans currently serve in the Unites States Armed Forces. These men and women are making great scarifies to ensure the safety and security of our great nation.
Next Wednesday, October 26, is the Day of the Deployed. I encourage people in North Dakota and across our nation to take a moment to recognize and celebrate America’s heroes — our men and women in uniform. They deserve our support and the thanks of a grateful nation,” said Senator Kent Conrad, a cosponsor of the resolution.
Currently, more than 2.27 million people serve as members of the U.S. Armed Forces, including those in the active guard and reserve components, with thousands of members deployed each year to 150 countries around the world. The resolution calls on Americans to reflect on the service of the nation’s soldiers and encourages ceremonies and activities on Oct. 26 to mark the Day of the Deployed.
Mr. HOEVEN (for himself, Mr. CONRAD, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. BLUNT, and Mr. BOOZMAN) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
Designating October 26, 2011, as `Day of the Deployed'.
Whereas more than 2,270,000 people serve as members of the United States Armed Forces;
Whereas several hundred thousand members of the Armed Forces rotate each year through deployments to 150 countries in every region of the world;
Whereas more than 2,300,000 members of the Armed Forces have deployed to the area of operations of the United States Central Command since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks;
Whereas the United States is kept strong and free by the loyal military personnel who protect our precious heritage through their positive declaration and actions;
Whereas members of the Armed Forces serving at home and abroad have courageously answered the call to duty to defend the ideals of the United States and to preserve peace and freedom around the world;
Whereas members of the Armed Forces personify the virtues of patriotism, service, duty, courage, and sacrifice;
Whereas the families of members of the Armed Forces make important and significant sacrifices for the United States;
Whereas North Dakota began honoring the members of the Armed Forces and their families by designating October 26 as `Day of the Deployed' in 2006 ; and
Whereas 40 States designated October 26, 2010, as `Day of the Deployed': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) honors the members of the United States Armed Forces who are deployed;
(2) calls on the people of the United States to reflect on the service of those members of the United States Armed Forces, wherever they serve, past, present, and future;
(3) designates October 26, 2011, as `Day of the Deployed'; and
(4) encourages the people of the United States to observe `Day of the Deployed' with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
Veteran Kelli Harmon knows what the support of Soldiers’ Angels means to troops and their families, so she jumped at the chance to join the team in September. Kelli is the Soldiers’ Angels Social Media Coordinator, a position in which she will focus on spreading the message of Soldiers’ Angels through mediums like Facebook, Twitter and other online avenues.
Soldiers’ Angels and Kelli have been partners for several years already. She initially encountered the organization in 2008 when Toby Nunn stopped in at the Fort Hood BOSS (Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers) office while she was the BOSS President for Ft Hood. As a previous Fort Hood BOSS President himself, Toby was interested in supporting Kelli’s efforts in the position. Toby and Kelli worked together on a number of large-scale events that Soldiers’ Angels supported. “During my two years as BOSS President, Soldiers’ Angels was the most supportive organization and they truly showed that they do care about Soldiers,” Kelli recalls.
In April 2010, Kelli was deployed to Camp Marmal, in Regional Command-North, Afghanistan with the 4th Infantry Division, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade and soon became the Brigade’s BOSS Representative. The Camp had no morale facilities when she arrived, so she set to work gathering resources to change that, including Soldiers’ Angels. Her efforts brought about MWR opportunities that included a gym, USO facility, basketball and volleyball courts, a movie theatre and a number of special events. Kelli’s tremendous work during her deployment garnered her two Army Commendation Medals and a Bronze Star.
Giving back to those around her has always been a part of Kelli’s life. Before spending 6.5 years in the military, she chose a career as a firefighter before discovering that she felt as though she still was not contributing enough to her country. “I loved it and will go back at some point,” she says, “but I wasn’t giving back enough as a firefighter.”
With her background and experience, working with Soldiers’ Angels after her military service was a natural fit. “The dedication of Soldiers’ Angels to the average Soldier and Veteran led me to choose Soldiers’ Angels as my next place of employment,” Kelli says. “I’m really excited to be working with Soldiers’ Angels.”
Soldiers’ Angels is excited to have Kelli on the team! Thank you to Kelli for her service—past, present and certainly future!
Please join us as we celebrate Americas Heroes, past and present for their service and sacrifice to our country.She still need help and donations:
The event is being held at the Boy Scouts of America Fickett Center and they along with the Fairfield Inn and Suites are generously allowing us to use their property for the day as well as sponsoring this event! We will have soldiers and veterans in attendance from all branches of the military to hug, shake hands with and thank for their service to our country! Military vehicles and GI Johnny (ARMY mascot) will be there and other kid friendly vendors too.
We will have letter and card signing tables, a donation station for hygiene and food products to go to the Warehouse in San Antonio for care packages, a small craft table for the kids, bands playing through the day and quite possibly some motivational speakers who are current and former military! I will keep you updated!
Opening ceremony's will include the Boy Scouts of America leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance and Hernandez School performing our National Anthem!
I need water, ice, craft items for the kids table, a bouncy house or two, face painter, photographer and video person. Decorations for our tables, donation jars and still working on trying to get the items for crafts for the kids.So, if you have help get some of the items she's still looking for, or you can donate your services, please contact Austin CNC Lisa Luhrman at cnctx06(at)gmail(dot)com. She will be able to connect you with Becky.
During the first month of school, the 715 students of Baker Elementary (Pre-K to 4th grade) collected 2137 pairs of socks for the troops, an average of three pairs of socks per student. They also gathered over 100 letters written independently at home.
The “Socks for Soldiers” drive culminated in a third “patriotic assembly” for Baker Elementary, an annual tradition that began two years ago when registrar Leigh Moore reconnected with a friend serving in the Army as a chaplain. When Leigh discovered he was collecting freezer pops for troops in Iraq, she and the school leadership helped the kids collect 9,000 freezer pops. Last year they collected 3,000 rolls of Life Saver candies, which were given to deploying troops at the Dallas airport USO.
This year Leigh and her team wanted to collect something more need-based instead of merely fun. Looking at various troop support websites, her team was moved by what they saw at Soldiers’ Angels and decided to collect an item from the needed supplies list. Leigh says they chose socks because “It’s something the children could relate to and was affordable.”
For the patriotic assembly announcing the collection totals, the middle school drummers visited and joined the elementary Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts in leading a parade to the assembly hall, picking up each classroom of students as they passed through the halls. Attendance at the assembly included about 175 visitors such as military guests, veterans, parents and the school district’s supervisor.
The assembly began with a brief mention of the 9-11 Memorial, then focused on how the socks would “make life easier for the soldiers and let them know we are thinking about them,” Leigh reports. Children with military connections were invited to contribute a picture of family members who are active duty military or veterans, which was displayed during the assembly. The highlight of the event was the announcement of the total number of socks collected, which was accomplished by the gradual uncovering of each digit in the number 2,137.
Reactions to the assembly were powerful. Leigh reports that the children “roared” when the total of 2,137 socks was revealed. and Soldiers’ Angels Events Coordinator Twyla Choate, who was in attendance, was moved to tears at the size of the gift. Parents mentioned that they were very grateful to have experienced “that kind of assembly.”
Twyla presented the school with a Golden Wing Award for their amazing efforts, but the appreciation is mutual. Leigh has nothing but good things to say about her experience of working with Soldiers’ Angels. “It was so easy,” she says. She and her team were very moved by the many ways the organization supports the troops, and feel that it’s the perfect group to partner with for future troop support activities. “We’ve found our home,” she says.
Huge thanks to the parents, students and staff of Baker Elementary. What an amazing group of Angels and Angels-in-Training!
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2nd graders and their teacher lined up excitedly to join the patriotic assembly parade and discover how many Socks for Soldiers had been collected. (scroll down for more) |
Socks for Soldiers
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