The Gallery Collection by Prudent Publishing, maker of fine personalized greeting cards, has been a very strong supporter of Soldiers' Angels, providing millions of dollars' worth of Holiday and Christmas cards for the last two holiday care package efforts. Last Christmas Soldiers' Angels received many thank yous from deployed heroes who were so grateful to receive the blank greeting cards that they could send to their loved ones back home--the cards were one of the most popular items in the holiday care packages.
Now Prudent publishing is holding a greeting card design contest! Teenagers from 14 to 18 years old are invited to compete for a three-week sailing camp in the Caribbean by submitting their idea for an environmentally-themed card to be presented to President Obama. An additional competition for a $10,000 scholarship is also underway, with the winner's holiday/birthday-themed card to be published by Prudent. Who knows... maybe your design will even get chosen to be sent to the troops next year...
The deadline for the sailing camp contest is only four weeks away! Click for more information about the Prudent Publishing greeting card contests: www.gallerycollection.com/write-greeting-cards-contest1.htm
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Showing posts with label America. Show all posts
Showing posts with label America. Show all posts
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Friday, November 28, 2008
1/2 boy 1/2 man
(this was emailed to me, and I thought I'd share. I took out the "pass it on or else" part and added some of my own comments at the very bottom. I spent Thanksgiving with my family, minus one Soldier that is a big chunk of my heart. We will likely not be spending next Thanksgiving with him either since he's in the process of deploying now and will be gone 15 months. Sometimes I am afraid to blog because it messes up my whole state of denial if I come here and share with you how I feel. I'm hoping I can dicuss it here in the next few days without turning into a big blob of Army Mom goo. In the meantime...read it, agree with it, don't agree with it...you can do either, it's what our country is all about...Freedom.)
1/2 Boy, 1/2 Man
The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's, but he has never collected unemployment either.
He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student , pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and a 155mm howitzer.
He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk. He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark.
He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must.
He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional.
He can march until he is told to stop, or stop until he is told to march.
He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient.
He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry.
He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts.
If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low.
He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands.
He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job.
He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay, and still find ironic humor in it all.
He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short lifetime.
He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed.
He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away' those around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking.
In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful.
Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the American Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years.
He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding. Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.
And now we even have women over there in danger, doing their part in this tradition of going to War when our nation calls us to do so.
As you go to bed tonight, remember this shot. . .
A short lull, a little shade and a picture of loved ones in their helmets.
When you see a yellow ribbon, an American Flag, a Soldier driving past...take a moment to be thankful for the Soldiers serving right now and those who have served in the past. They are the reason our country is as great as it is, they are the ones who stood up in the face of danger, knowing full well that they might not come back home...all because they believed in America.
Since it's thanksgiving, I'd like to add that while we should all be thankful for every single member of our Armed Forces, from the Revolutionary War Soldiers to our Soldiers serving today...we should also try to imagine what our world would be like if we all stood up for what we believe in. Whether anyone else agrees or disagrees with our views on a subject, every one of us has the RIGHT to stand up for what we believe in. It's a gift our Soldiers have paid greatly for and it would be an insult for us to waste it.
1/2 Boy, 1/2 Man
The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's, but he has never collected unemployment either.
He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student , pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and a 155mm howitzer.
He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk. He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark.
He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must.
He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional.
He can march until he is told to stop, or stop until he is told to march.
He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient.
He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry.
He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts.
If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low.
He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands.
He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job.
He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay, and still find ironic humor in it all.
He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short lifetime.
He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed.
He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away' those around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking.
In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful.
Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the American Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years.
He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding. Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.
And now we even have women over there in danger, doing their part in this tradition of going to War when our nation calls us to do so.
As you go to bed tonight, remember this shot. . .
A short lull, a little shade and a picture of loved ones in their helmets.
When you see a yellow ribbon, an American Flag, a Soldier driving past...take a moment to be thankful for the Soldiers serving right now and those who have served in the past. They are the reason our country is as great as it is, they are the ones who stood up in the face of danger, knowing full well that they might not come back home...all because they believed in America.
Since it's thanksgiving, I'd like to add that while we should all be thankful for every single member of our Armed Forces, from the Revolutionary War Soldiers to our Soldiers serving today...we should also try to imagine what our world would be like if we all stood up for what we believe in. Whether anyone else agrees or disagrees with our views on a subject, every one of us has the RIGHT to stand up for what we believe in. It's a gift our Soldiers have paid greatly for and it would be an insult for us to waste it.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Waiting for Fay and My New Proud Army Mom Bumpersticker
I'm frantically trying to catch up on work before she hits. IF she hits us. Who knows at this point? I have seen some wicked bands come through and they say she's going to skim past us and hit Jax, then sort of scoot along the GA border and just soak the states of Florida and Georgia for a few days.
woo
hoo
:P
Anyway, I had to take a break and get my Army fix. I printed up a bunch of stuff on our new dog to send Mike. We got a Belgian Malinois shortly after he left for Ft. Knox, so he has no idea what it is. I sent pics yesterday, but I thought I'd supply some details today. Then I realized that there is no post today. So....it's going to have to wait until tomorrow, I guess.
I made some bumper stickers over at Zazzle. It took forever to make the stars look sewn onto the flag. BUT it was worth it. I'm happy with how it came out. I just need to make a bunch of different ones now...I have "Proud Army Mom" and "Proud Army Parents" and "Proud Army Family". If I get done with the website for our gymnastics gym sometime soon, and before power goes out, I'll get the rest up there.
Here's a shot of the Proud Army Mom bumper sticker:
Ok, going to go back to work...
See you all later!
:)
woo
hoo
:P
Anyway, I had to take a break and get my Army fix. I printed up a bunch of stuff on our new dog to send Mike. We got a Belgian Malinois shortly after he left for Ft. Knox, so he has no idea what it is. I sent pics yesterday, but I thought I'd supply some details today. Then I realized that there is no post today. So....it's going to have to wait until tomorrow, I guess.
I made some bumper stickers over at Zazzle. It took forever to make the stars look sewn onto the flag. BUT it was worth it. I'm happy with how it came out. I just need to make a bunch of different ones now...I have "Proud Army Mom" and "Proud Army Parents" and "Proud Army Family". If I get done with the website for our gymnastics gym sometime soon, and before power goes out, I'll get the rest up there.
Here's a shot of the Proud Army Mom bumper sticker:
Ok, going to go back to work...See you all later!
:)
Monday, August 4, 2008
Sending Care Packages to Soldiers
After cassee01 asked about a good place to contact about sending care packages, I did a little searching and then found the mother lode of all links regarding care packages and other things to boost Soldier morale.
You can find a long list at America Supports You
:)
You can find a long list at America Supports You
:)
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Program for National Guardsmen's families going unused
I saw this in our local news and thought it would be good to spread the word: National Guard and Reserves Family Readiness Program going unused.
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