Monday, October 24, 2011

My Week

Looks like things will get busy again with the Rocky Horror Show coming.

Monday night I went to a VFW meeting. I laid info on the podium for the commander to tell about Wreaths Across America and Honor Flight fund raiser. The post voted to donate $60 towards wreaths and an individual slipped me an extra $20 on the side.

I resumed my Monday and Friday exercise class after taking a hiatus session while on vacation.
My office is right above the parking garage. I park out in the lot but the garage below was closed on Monday for major repairs. I’m wearing my headphones that I use on the firing range.

Monday and Tuesday we got a much needed rain and yet I still haven’t had frost on my cana and tomatoes.

Somehow, I do not trust drivers in front of me that have not checked their out tail light(s) to have checked their brakes either. Especially when the roads are wet.

Tuesday my cleaning angels did my house and it was nice to come home to a fresh smelling home. Normally they come on Friday. I picked up some chicken at the VFW in a to-go box. I pinched my fingers on the tongs and was bleeding. After giving my son his dinner, I went off to my Catholic group. I came home and watched Sons of Anarchy and during a commercial I remembered to pull my camera out of my purse to charge the battery. I couldn’t find my charger and went nuts. Went to bed angry and woke up and found my charger. I’m so sorry.

I put together a crock pot of beans for supper. Tuesday I got a new water meter in my crawl space and the man that changed it told my son there’s a pipe leak and I’ll need a plumber. Well I also need some work on my sink too. After work on Thursday there was a frost warning so I frantically picked the rest of my tomatoes. I did so till the wound on my finger broke open and bled. You see, I pinched my finger on the tongs at the VFW chicken dinner and the band aid doesn’t stay on the tip that well so it came off. My son helped after that. I’m fixing fried green tomatoes. · ·

Thursday evening I went to ABATE. After the meeting I went to the Haunting of Edwards Place where the theme this year is about the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. There was a horror bride, funeral embalming with a widow crying the name of ‘My Billy’, Mary Lincoln's séance for Wily, Dining Room with a General and his wife over a table of body parts including a head centerpiece of "Jeanie", a Navy sea captain that lost his arm and was looking for it (then a hand came out from under the bed and grabbed my leg), and a surgeon doing an amputation. ·

Saturday I put Sea Foam in the tank in case this day is the end of riding season. I got 67 MPG on that last tank. I'm a great cook today. I fixed schnitzel and sauerkraut noodles. Yum. I picked up some crescent shaped bricks to finish off the flower garden in my front yard. I had to pull up the wood fence that was rotted out and plastic edger. The garden seemed incomplete without edging. I had some crescent bricks but not enough. It looks much better. I also got “free mail” from Afghanistan thanking me for a box that I had sent.

Sunday morning I saw a little humming bird by my cana. I thought that their migration season had passed. I read the 1st reading at Mass. There was a little girl who came to communion with her mother and got a blessing. She smiled and pranced in a circle after the blessing. In the afternoon I went to the ABATE toy run to contact ministries. I took this picture of a dead lawn flamingo down the block as part of a Halloween decoration filled the tank on the little bike.

My son’s birthday is Wednesday so we’ll be going out to eat.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

10/11/11

Veteran Kelli Harmon knows what the support of Soldiersí Angels means to troops and their families, so she jumped at the chance to join the team in September. Kelli is the Soldiersí Angels Social Media Coordinator, a position in which she will focus on spreading the message of Soldiersí Angels through mediums like Facebook, Twitter and other online avenues.

Soldiersí 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 Kelliís efforts in the position. Toby and Kelli worked together on a number of large-scale events that Soldiersí Angels supported. ìDuring my two years as BOSS President, Soldiersí Angels was the most supportive organization and they truly showed that they do care about Soldiers,î 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 Brigadeís BOSS Representative. The Camp had no morale facilities when she arrived, so she set to work gathering resources to change that, including Soldiersí 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. Kelliís 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 Kelliís 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. ìI loved it and will go back at some point,î she says, ìbut I wasnít giving back enough as a firefighter.î

With her background and experience, working with Soldiersí Angels after her military service was a natural fit. ìThe dedication of Soldiersí Angels to the average Soldier and Veteran led me to choose Soldiersí Angels as my next place of employment,î Kelli says. ìIím really excited to be working with Soldiersí Angels.î

Soldiersí Angels is excited to have Kelli on the team! Thank you to Kelli for her serviceópast, present and certainly future!

Monday, October 17, 2011

Illinois Locations for Wreaths Across America 2011






Wreaths Across America


Our Mission: to Remember - Honor - and Teach
Remember the fallen; Honor those who serve;
Teach our children the value of freedom.

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free."
Ronald Reagan 40th United States President (1911 - 2004) The Wreaths Across America story began over 20 years ago when Worcester Wreath Company (a for-profit commercial business from Harrington, Maine) began a tradition of placing wreaths on the headstones of our Nation's fallen heroes at Arlington National Cemetery during the holidays. Over that period of time, Worcester Wreath has donated 90,000 wreaths which were placed by volunteers in a wreath-laying ceremony each December. But as word spread, the mission to Remember; Honor; and Teach about the sacrifices made by our veterans has captured the hearts and minds of many communities across the Country. December 10th 2011~ National Wreaths Across America event to honor veterans at Arlington National Cemetery, All 50 States and Puerto Rico. and at the locations listed below in Illinois.

We invite you to join us for the Statehouse wreath ceremony to be held 11:00AM on December 7, 2011 at the DAV during the Pearl Harbor Day ceremony – Springfield, IL. This statehouse wreath symbolizes the departure of the wreaths from Harrington, MA on their trek to Arlington.
Contact Information Location Leader: Chaplain Steve Holden, United States Emergency Chaplains Corps Contact Number: (217) 963-2772

We invite you to join us in 2011 at any of the wreath-laying ceremonies to be held nation-wide concurrently on Saturday, December 10th, 2011 at 12:00 local (noon EST silmultaneously with Arlington NC).

Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery - Elwood, IL Contact Information Lead Squadron or Group: Operation Care Package (www.operationcarepackages.org) Location Leader: Debbie Smothers Contact Number: 815-723-6960

Alton National Cemetery - Alton, IL Contact Information Lead Squadron or Group: N/A Location Leader: Margaret Hopkins Contact Number: 618-474-2005

Camp Butler National Cemetery - Springfield, IL Contact Information Lead Squadron or Group: American Legion Riders Post 32 Location Leader: David McKnelly Contact Number: 217-415-6464

Danville National Cemetery - Danville, IL Contact Information Lead Squadron or Group: Patriot Guard Riders - Illinois Location Leader: Dave Switzer Contact Number: 217-497-6682

Mount Hope & Funks Grove & etc McLean Contact Information Lead Squadron or Group: DAV #60- Illinois Location Leader: Cleo Jordan Contact Number: 309-874-2717

Glendale Cemetery - Washington, IL Contact Information Lead Squadron or Group: Location Leader: Carol K Moss Contact Number: 309-444-9076

Korean/Vietnam Memorial - Bloomington, IL Contact Information Lead Squadron or Group: State Farm Military Affinity Group Location Leader: Larry Wilder Contact Number: 309-766-6954

Middle East Conflicts Memorial Wall - Marseilles, IL Contact Information Lead Squadron or Group: Middle East Conflicts Memorial Wall & Marine Families Support Group Location Leader: Craig Herkes Contact Number: 815-462-5932

Mound City National Cemetery - Mound City, IL Contact Information Lead Squadron or Group: Patriot Guard Riders - Illinois Location Leader: Brian Samuel Contact Number: 618-559-2849

Military Memorial Tuscola- IL Contact Information Lead Squadron or Group: 328th Composite Sq based out of Mattoon Volunteer Location Leader: Tammy Brandt Telephone: 217-637-0244

Pulaski Park - LaSalle, IL Contact Information Lead Squadron or Group: Location Leader: Toni Lucas Contact Number: 270-703-9799

Rock Island National Cemetery - Rock Island Contact Information Lead Squadron or Group: Quad City Composite Squadron CAP Location Leader: Lt. Col. Thomas Nielsen Contact Number: 309-797-1588

Springdale Cemetery Peoria, IL Contact Information Lead Squadron or Group: Location Leader: Jon Austin Contact Number: 309-681-1400

Sunset Cemetery at Veterans Home - Quincy, IL Contact Information Lead Squadron or Group: Amvets Post 104 Location Leader: Teresa Pickle Contact Number: 217 222 9571

Quincy National Cemetery - Quincy, IL Contact Information Lead Squadron or Group: Amvets Post 104 Location Leader: Teresa Pickle Contact Number: 217 222 9571

Wreaths Across America was formed as a non-profit organization (501-C3 status - EIN 20-8362270) in 2007, in direct response to the many letters and requests from supporters all around the Country, about how they too could get involved and bring the Arlington Wreath Project experience to their local communities. If you would like to help sponsor one or more wreaths to be laid at one of the over 200 state and national cemeteries all across the Country, please sponsor a wreath at http://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/act-now/ What started over 20 years ago, as one's man's dream to honor Veterans with Maine wreaths for the holidays, has become an annual event cherished by many. Humbled with a new understanding about the impact the Arlington Wreath Project has made, not only in honoring the dead, but recognizing the sacrifices of the living, Morrill Worcester - President of Worcester Wreath Company committed himself to doing more, by reaching out across the country. Morrill Worcester - President of Worcester Wreath Company explains his desire to develop the Wreaths Across America project: "Our goal is to expand the recognition of those who serve our country, both past, present, and future, as well as their families who deserve our support. Without the sacrifices of our veterans, there would be no opportunity to enjoy the freedoms, the life we live today."
WAA Press Release

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