tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59841487406361269022024-03-14T04:33:28.973-04:00Operation Homefront FloridaOperation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-40612255832947176172012-02-17T19:34:00.002-05:002012-03-01T16:15:45.340-05:00Military Love Story<div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">In honor of Valentine's Day, OHFL has asked military couples to share their love stories with us. We chose to share the stories on our blog for everyone to enjoy. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">It takes a strong couple to make it in the military. Hearing the stories of how they met or how they're love overcame an obstacle reminds us of the sacrifices our military takes to protect our freedom. </span></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The contest ends February 24th and the winner should be announced within the following week. The lucky winner will receive a necklace and matching earrings donated by <a href="http://sites.liasophia.com/sites/lisabuben" target="_blank">Lisa Buben of Lia Sophia Jewelry</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;">My husband Michael and I met and fell in love at the very young ages of 17 and 18 and just graduating from high school. He asked me to marry him right after telling me that he had decided to join the Army so he could support us. He served 9 years and then decided to change his career and left the military. Little did we know that many years later our country would be at war and Michael wanted to do his part and serve again. He joined the FLNG in 2006. I have always loved being a military wife and being a part of that community. Being seperated in 2008-2009 while he served in Iraq was a test of our relationship (as it is for everyone). The seperation makes everyday of our time together so precious. He has now been in school for the last 7 months and I've only seen him a few times during that timeframe. As always it's been trying, but also as always, the distance makes our love grow stronger.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;">My husband and I meet June 1998 in Germany, we were dual military. I still remember the first time that I saw him. Ever since then the man has always made me laugh! Gerald and I had been dating for 17 months; he received orders to Ft. Bragg. During a phone conversation Gerald asked me to marry him and I told him not to ask me over the phone. After that, I obtain approved leave, flew to Ft. Bragg, bought a ring, proposed to him on one knee, got married, and then flew back to Germany. Since then I have given birth to two wonderful children, ended my career in the military in 2003, completed my four year degree (while working full time and being a single parent, during deployments), Gerald has completed 53 months deployed and scheduled to go to Afghanistan this year, and I currently work full time as a FRSA for the Army's Special Forces Command helping those family members that go through the same predicament as I do (for that is my way of finding peace and knowing that I'm not alone)."</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"My military love story involves me and my wife after every deployment I have. A lot of us have been there but if not just imagine you have been away from the one you love with all your heart for 6, 9, or 12 months what ever the case may be. For the last year you have been dreaming about how that day will be when you see each other again. So now after an 18 hour plus trip you finally landed in the states. You are in such a hurry to get off the plane you dont care if you leave something behind. Once through the gates you go running like a little kid to your love and you guys imbrace for what seems like hours but is just minutes. Crying, hugging, and kissing like you haven't done before. Once embraced the true feeling of love is felt. That is my love story between me and my wife. Every time I get back from a deployment which has been eight times already we just embrace and never let go because we love each other so much."</i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"My husband and I started talking through Match.com when he was stationed in Baghdad for his second tour. For 6 weeks we wrote back and forth. Two days after he got back, he took me on the best first day of my life.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Three months later we were engaged, and within one more month we went to the courthouse in Tampa to elope. We kept it a secret from everyone for four months.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Our families and friends were shocked, when asked why we didn’t wait to have a real ceremony we openly reply that we knew from our first date together we would never be the same. As crazy as it sounds to the rest of the world, we couldn’t wait to be married and start our lives together.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>Two years later, he is still the only person who can brighten my day in a simple sentence, make my heart flutter when he enters the room, and truly knows me more intimately than I know myself. I love that man!"</i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"Serving as a Marine Security Guard at our nation's embassy in Tunis, Tunisia was an honor and a privilege. But it was pretty lonely duty. Two secretaries, one from the American Embassy and one from the Canadian Embassy arranged a dinner party where Stella and I can meet for the first time. Stella was serving as a Foreign Service secretary for the Canadian Department of External Affairs. I don't recall what we had for dinner or how many guests were there. I do remember standing on a balcony with a glass or red wine when I stole my first kiss. Four short months later, on Canadian Independence Day (July 1st) I proposed and she accepted. Within a couple of months I receive orders to Capetown, South Africa. The following year of separation was difficult. A year later we reconnected and were married in a simple ceremony in Southern California. We meet in 1977, 35 years ago and our journey continues."</i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"My husband, Thomas, and I met in a very different way. I was on vacation in Dec. 2008 with my now ex-boyfriend in Texas & For New Years Eve, we decided to go out with some of his friends, who had consequently brought along one of their single friends to be their designated driver, whose name was Thomas. We all hung out and a few words were exchanged between myself and Thomas. We went out separate ways and things ended up going sour with my boyfriend and I and eventually ended on Valentine's Day 2009. Later that year in August, I had received a facebook message from a stranger. So, I checked out his profile and realize who he was. It was Thomas! We talked online for about 2 weeks before we moved to conversing via the phone. We just felt an instant connection and everything felt right. We ended up getting engaged 9-15-2009 & were married at the Courthouse 10-15-2009. We have been married for almost 2 and a half years & have never been happier! It was the best decision of my life."</i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></i></span></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"Eric and I met in High School when he was 16 and I was 15, we dated off and on over the years and he joined the military at age 17. We fell in love and were married at the court house in 2000, its been 18 years since we first met, 4 daughters later, & our love is even stronger. During his first deployment to Afghanistan in 05, we almost didnt make it. Things were rough everywhere and divorce was a real possibility. Financial issues mixed with the fact that I believed he would not make it back home safely to be with us caused serious issues. When he finally did come home in 06, he made me remember who I fell in love with. With time and patience, we worked on our marriage and made it better. In those last 5 years, I finally realized that I am married to my best friend and wouldnt change a minute because it brought us to where we are today ~ happily celebrating 12yrs of marriage in September."</i></span></span><br />
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</i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"I met my husband while we were both stationed in Alaska. We were friends first, but 4 months prior to his next assignment, we decided to date. For the next 4 months, we were inseparable. It was the most wonderful and exciting time of my life. He then moved to California, and I stayed in Alaska. When he left, we had no plans for the future, but it wasn’t long before we knew that we wanted to give a long distance relationship a try. It was one of the hardest times of my life. Six months later he asked me to marry him. We were to be married on 4 February, 2009 in Hawaii. I had designed my wedding dress, and the plans were all set. I had taken my dress to be altered 1 week prior to the wedding, but when I went to pick it up, the shop had burnt to the ground! I was shocked, but determined that I was going to marry this man and I did! It has been 8 years and counting, through a burnt wedding dress, multiple deployments, and so much more! But I wouldn't change a thing!"</i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br />
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</i></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>"We met on Match.com. He found me and messaged me. I was a bit hesitant at first, but then I saw his picture. I knew right then and there that I had to meet him in person. So, I drove 2 hours to meet him. (he lived on base in China Lake, CA) When I got there he was wearing a tie and looked so handsome. I knew he was the one, my Sailor Prince. We dated for a while and then he popped the question! I said yes and a month later he left for Japan... That was hard, being apart for 3 years! We only saw each other a few times, but that is the Navy life! Near the end of his time in Japan, he came home we got married and a week later he returned to Japan for 5 weeks. It was love at 1st sight and we have been in love ever since. We now have a beautiful baby boy and could not be happier! I LOVE MY SAILOR PRINCE!!"</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><b><br />
</b></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>The contest is still open! If you would like to share your military love story with us for a chance to win a necklace and earring set, please <a href="http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e5k2i649gy4j089l/start" target="_blank">click here</a>.</b></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br />
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</i></span></span></div></div>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-86816435288848706512011-10-19T05:03:00.002-04:002011-10-19T05:05:13.866-04:00Faces of Military Families: Being a parent during deployment<div class="MsoNormal">By Michael Baltz, OHFL Intern</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Since 9/11, more than two million military members have deployed to the Middle East and more than 40% of them left a child at home. That means almost a million parents in the past 10 years had to step up and play both roles for their children during these deployments.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The following story was submitted by a U.S. Air Force spouse living in Florida as a part of the Hero Campaign and Rucksack Walk, Faces of Military Families Survey:<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQIN8cciUvigyzUF39hz1_ZpR3izkC4or21SvGmLWUNmg1-0EXXLD5tPD4FAQkv_wwMxweoOD-5kOocy8bQg_NDrhbvkFn0bOG133opDIixX_MdxIM35ICd5PbNTQJ2X10lZhu5poTgNH/s1600/iStock_000003906170Small+-+Copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQIN8cciUvigyzUF39hz1_ZpR3izkC4or21SvGmLWUNmg1-0EXXLD5tPD4FAQkv_wwMxweoOD-5kOocy8bQg_NDrhbvkFn0bOG133opDIixX_MdxIM35ICd5PbNTQJ2X10lZhu5poTgNH/s320/iStock_000003906170Small+-+Copy.jpg" width="199" /></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br />
“Currently, my husband is deployed. So I have three little ones at home: ages 4,3 and 1. This is a challenge as simple everyday tasks (getting everyone dressed, cooking meals, going to the doctors) is all on mommy's shoulders. This is not our first deployment, but it has been the hardest. <o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Without my husband here, I have to find ways to incorporate daddy into our everyday lives. We have a daddy kiss jar. Basically, it is full of Hershey kisses. The girls get one a day. Once all the kisses are gone, then daddy will be home. It is a challenge and there are days that I wonder how we all survived, but then I remember how difficult it is for him. He is far away, has little contact with us and is missing out on a lot of firsts. We recently learned he will be gone longer than initially projected.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /> <o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“We are so proud of him though. And thankful that we have a husband/daddy that supports our country and us. We just can not wait for his return.”</i> <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">During deployment, everything falls onto one person’s shoulders for an entire year or longer. But while juggling the activities of daily life, military families also worry about their loved ones serving in harm’s way.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As the days of raising children become more and more challenging in this fast-paced world, it is even more of a challenge for military spouses who are left behind. The ones who have to step up to the plate, alone, and get the job done while worrying about their loved one at war. Not everyone is aware of this challenge with military families.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The 2011 Hero Campaign and Rucksack walk will raise funds to provide emergency assistance to Florida's military families and wounded warriors. The campaign culminates with a rucksack walk in the Jacksonville Veterans Day Parade on 11-11-11 where we will walk together and symbolically support military families by carrying military rucksacks or backpacks. Visit <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=bsbds8cab&et=1107378521104&s=0&e=001FzGYGVXx9ktaH0QY2oYDg8BIUWbMgMPZ5H36Qe1yIQxQr9YDwCNxwOzjRJWXvsqOu0xu5xFL-lZN2lWRiiEv3C71rhlsxH08jH86_Eu9Zagw-Axx7YDl9g=="><span style="color: #0000ee;">www.herocampaign2011.com</span></a> to donate to the campaign, register for the Jacksonville walk, or host a walk in your city. Raise funds as a team or individual.</span></i> <o:p></o:p></div>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-18299183251763903762011-10-10T12:31:00.000-04:002011-10-10T12:31:36.722-04:00Security First Insurance Supports OHFL<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">Operation Homefront-Florida received a generous donation from Security First Insurance Company. The Florida based insurance company is military friendly with extensive military ties dating back generations to present day.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/mTJzMMIi6qw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="MsoNormal">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTJzMMIi6qw&feature=player_embedded </div>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-86218824768254861922011-06-24T13:57:00.002-04:002011-06-24T14:51:01.426-04:00Congratulations Father's Day Photo Contest Winners!This Father's Day, Operation Homefront-Florida accepted nominations of pictures to salute military dads. We were overwhelmed by the truly beautiful pictures posted. We received many comments that people were moved to tears as they read the captions. It was incredibly difficult to choose 3 winners because each submission was so special. Thank you to everyone who submitted and thank you to all of the military dads for all you do. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The 2011 winners are</b></span> </div><div style="text-align: center;">(in no particular order):</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_c1fgIVZU4y-2TA5558rdQ17lUQ-hmi77hXEZG_THpqenDcmznVb9I7y4vcMAqIVcXFxDwAm7UnWa8o1UJl43iBOG9JtivzfVTGw1ykDHzJrHCVm7ztEhGiJqiBiygbwM1zb18_tv_p_/s1600/248440_217841218237658_100000353447523_800825_8247294_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc_c1fgIVZU4y-2TA5558rdQ17lUQ-hmi77hXEZG_THpqenDcmznVb9I7y4vcMAqIVcXFxDwAm7UnWa8o1UJl43iBOG9JtivzfVTGw1ykDHzJrHCVm7ztEhGiJqiBiygbwM1zb18_tv_p_/s640/248440_217841218237658_100000353447523_800825_8247294_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">A Salute to the Military Father<br />
My husband is the greatest father to my step son. I couldn't ask for anything more! This photo was taken moments before he deployed for 8 months. He is telling my son to take care of me. :) He is an amazing father for many reasons, but before me he was a single father to his son and provided him with the best dad any little boy could ask for!</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8JSjJqisFkVXlnbXC7nX9D9ccJs9D7ImYTewg_IKQTLqwbX4sWHsIadFDuR__cSopxEMCfx_2Hr7lff6B2IrMYHRwUHArglPJUx0aec5A-w04B03bIGC7Jce-FqiPLF4VypM_amkQBGr/s1600/249798_10100231110454830_23909729_48275776_4494187_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit8JSjJqisFkVXlnbXC7nX9D9ccJs9D7ImYTewg_IKQTLqwbX4sWHsIadFDuR__cSopxEMCfx_2Hr7lff6B2IrMYHRwUHArglPJUx0aec5A-w04B03bIGC7Jce-FqiPLF4VypM_amkQBGr/s640/249798_10100231110454830_23909729_48275776_4494187_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">"A Salute to my Military Father" This picture was taken just a few months ago the night when husband left for his 3rd deployment. My 3 year old daughter did not want to let go. I am blown away each day at how strong my beautiful baby girl has been. Every night she prays to God to keep her daddy safe and thanks God for giving her such a special daddy. I know she misses him dearly but realizes even at such a young age how important what her daddy is doing and how sometimes she has to share him. I never thought I would say this but its through her I gain strength. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful husband and I couldn't have asked for a better father and role model for my child :)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmn0fNRCPFxV8NTkHg9aHpoSgbczjUEROvg7JCgfkTd15H02N-TgPfOR4Wo918yUZcj7rj8VkHAF7ve7VEQbmZPhPAG96KiW_D_pr7oWeBImdV73hjP1o-BlJhTtprburzEfgXp_OsOml2/s1600/243973_2157787784957_1254367915_32652314_5499453_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmn0fNRCPFxV8NTkHg9aHpoSgbczjUEROvg7JCgfkTd15H02N-TgPfOR4Wo918yUZcj7rj8VkHAF7ve7VEQbmZPhPAG96KiW_D_pr7oWeBImdV73hjP1o-BlJhTtprburzEfgXp_OsOml2/s640/243973_2157787784957_1254367915_32652314_5499453_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="fbPhotoCaptionText">A Salute to My Military Father, by Morgan Silvis age 8. My dad is special because when he is home he coaches my softball teams, volunteers at my school, and spends as much time with me as he can. He has to leave to go on deployment with the Navy but he calls and writes a lot so I can talk to him. This picture was taken of him and me when he was getting ready to leave. I got to watch him get on the plane and he signed " I Love You" a bunch of times. He reads to me on videos and always takes me to Build-A-Bear before he leaves to record a message in the bear to me. I cant wait until December when he gets home. He is the best daddy ever.</span></td></tr>
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</div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">Operation Homefront-Florida will contact the 3 winners to arrange delivery/ presentation of Mizuno Prize packages.</span> </span><br />
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<i>Operation Homefront-Florida would like to honor all nominated fathers with a special certificate. If you submitted a picture and would like to receive the certificate please send your name, the nominee's name and rank, mailing address and email address to OHFL marketing intern, <a href="mailto:reinaprax@gmail.com">Reina Praxedes.</a></i>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-71758587694705158202011-05-06T06:37:00.002-04:002011-05-06T06:44:04.981-04:00My Mother, My Hero<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2644xLBUdoyUEc8ZihlqVFYIGAB4LNMAt55Skmq7dv3TTxFEUuNqFNkYNney3iKke0dWf3G1kw-mxMnTNv2oPtLhyphenhyphenVscaTo4j44HJkBAeMgAnJHgQfKPmadIHEVjqUuJGXRlT7iX5kajW/s1600/julia+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2644xLBUdoyUEc8ZihlqVFYIGAB4LNMAt55Skmq7dv3TTxFEUuNqFNkYNney3iKke0dWf3G1kw-mxMnTNv2oPtLhyphenhyphenVscaTo4j44HJkBAeMgAnJHgQfKPmadIHEVjqUuJGXRlT7iX5kajW/s320/julia+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photo of my mother and son she sent me during deployment.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoPlainText"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">**This inspirational Grandmother was chosen from nominations all over the country to visit the White House and have Mother's Day Tea with Michelle Obama.** </span></b></span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> Submitted by a South Florida Army Sgt.</span></i></div><div class="MsoPlainText">My mother, Helen, has gone above and beyond supporting the Army and myself as a Soldier. She has been a Soldier more than I could say for the past 10 years of my service. Most recently, in June 2009, my unit was preparing for mobilization to Iraq. My mom drove down to help me pack up my apartment (for my second deployment) and all my son's things with it. I had to say goodbye to him in July, and she was there day in and day out to comfort and explain to my 3 year old where I was. She enrolled him in his first daycare, signed him up for gymnastics, and found a new pediatrician for his shots... she even took him to his first dentist appointment. My mom made sure my son stayed busy and never missed out on anything. Because of my schedule in Iraq the best chance to use the phone just so happened to be when she was at work (and my son was at school). My mom would leave work, drive to his school, just so I could hear his voice. </div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHfTHLeB826B0VkpTeHdg8A03ldHpm_4ZlG_DRmIeAMo-fBDKmiZerhX3KAeqRQXXRvUUt9NuYDoBSehnCR5OshWZLdTZZopf4mPW97KeVGvvp7n0DrFQz1Fu_xIpCGMGmz78NGOXr59q/s1600/julia+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEHfTHLeB826B0VkpTeHdg8A03ldHpm_4ZlG_DRmIeAMo-fBDKmiZerhX3KAeqRQXXRvUUt9NuYDoBSehnCR5OshWZLdTZZopf4mPW97KeVGvvp7n0DrFQz1Fu_xIpCGMGmz78NGOXr59q/s320/julia+1.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My son at "Bring your child to work" Day</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoPlainText">As my deployment was nearing the end, my mom's house in Ft Payne, AL was hit by a horrendous tornado. By the time she got the warning it was too late to leave her house. She grabbed my son, sister and cousins and tried their best to take cover in the hallway. The tornado took every wall and the entire roof out. My mom had to jump on top of the kids to protect them and in the end was hit by the roof and a washing machine. My mother was rushed to the emergency room to find her C2 and C3 vertebrae in her back were fractured, she had numerous bruises and cuts on her face, and bruised ribs... the house was completely gone, everything but the floor. My son had nothing but a small scratch on his arm. I wasn't able to get there fast enough from Iraq to protect him but his grandmother certainly rose to the occasion. She has been the best grandmother and mother any Soldier could ask for. </div>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-6717178751538709712011-05-04T22:35:00.004-04:002011-05-04T22:40:15.182-04:00The Support to Make It All Possible<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Submitted by a Florida Army National Guard Officer</i></span><br />
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I am a single parent with sole custody of my 14 year old daughter and joint custody of my 9 year old son. Due to the loving care and dynamic support that my mother has provided over these challenging years, my children remain straight-A students, active in extra-curricular activities and positive in their attitudes and life views. While those of us in uniform tend to receive a lot of recognition for what we do, our families also serve and make significant sacrifices to enable us to defend our freedom. We could not do what we do without their patriotism and support.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPwui6rC7I5RpbkTuMEeb7dnkW5OHR88zOaj8In8AVSN7RSKP8ZJJHdMznlRm5xGu7S4Cy_pw81Vrqh5-cROV6jZtT6bjbg45PZO-P4Mj7XWpuPjzVskSv3tCcDVjrc_xFWR8M4Y0V90y/s1600/iStock_000000974116XSmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPwui6rC7I5RpbkTuMEeb7dnkW5OHR88zOaj8In8AVSN7RSKP8ZJJHdMznlRm5xGu7S4Cy_pw81Vrqh5-cROV6jZtT6bjbg45PZO-P4Mj7XWpuPjzVskSv3tCcDVjrc_xFWR8M4Y0V90y/s320/iStock_000000974116XSmall.jpg" width="320" /></a>In early 2003, I received short notice for an imminent mobilization in support of what would become Operation Iraqi Freedom. My mother quit her job, packed up her belongings and moved from her home in to my house in to care for my daughter (5 years old). Though this disrupted my mother's life, she made this sacrifice to minimize disruptions of Ashley's life. This enabled us to keep Ashley in the same school, same extracurricular activities and to remain close to Ashley's friends. She took care of Ashley from January 2003 until March 2004.<br />
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During my mobilization and deployment to Afghanistan in 2005-2006, she again packed up her belongings and moved into my house and provided primary care from March 2005 to June 2005 to enable Ashley to finish out the school year. Then she provided back up care to assist my sister who cared for Ashley from June 2005 to May 2006, when my mother again assumed primary care until my return in July 2006.<br />
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In 2009, we commenced our pre-mobilization training for another deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom/ Operation New Dawn. My mother again packed up her belongings, moved out of her house and moved into my house to care for my daughter (12 years old). She provided care from October 2009 to December 2009 and from January 2010 to December 2010.<br />
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Additionally, she consistently provides care for my daughter as well as my son when he is visiting, during my regularly scheduled Active Duty Training weekends, annual training and out of town conferences and meetings.<br />
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While I am proud to serve our country, i could not have continued my service all these years as a single parent without the loving support of my family and most especially the support that my mother has gladly provided. She is a true patriot and a loving grandmother who has sacrificed much over these past years.Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-86087395762122506402011-05-04T07:02:00.001-04:002011-05-04T07:05:31.359-04:00A Champion Mother<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG9VCebwrv_gSNEp3OmNwik-Iq3DAgTXO1T-PQlFgG0CMjFzbchKm6U7UDDcGYztKh0zflxhGn3oMCpLgvtAUeiWGUdytqPyCtFf2QKOet08H_boSUeCEWiziTaKMqfv_OSJucoctI_Km4/s1600/mothers+day+banner+day+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG9VCebwrv_gSNEp3OmNwik-Iq3DAgTXO1T-PQlFgG0CMjFzbchKm6U7UDDcGYztKh0zflxhGn3oMCpLgvtAUeiWGUdytqPyCtFf2QKOet08H_boSUeCEWiziTaKMqfv_OSJucoctI_Km4/s320/mothers+day+banner+day+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"><i>Read another beautiful nomination of a military mom! </i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">Finally, I have someone to share my story with about my Mother and how she selflessly fell into the role of full time Grandmother during my husband’s deployment and my Basic Combat and Advanced Individual Training for six months. While my husband had my mother’s full support during the first month of his deployment with endless packages from Ohio, my Mother would later learn her life would change to support not only her Son-In-Law who was deployed in Iraq, but also her Daughter who’d just sworn into the United States Army and on her way to Training. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">My mother Odetta, is a Supervisor at a Blood Center in Ohio. At 47 years of age with over 20 years on her job and a single mother to my teenage sister at the time, I remembered my mother’s initial shock at my enlisting into the military, and her strong, protective “Bring my grandbabies to me” as her response to my two, five and seven year old moving into her home to spend the next six months with her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">During this period, my mother continued to perform to the highest standard in her career, while supporting my 17 year old sister, and raising her grandchildren. In addition to nurturing and keeping the spirits of my children in the happiest place during the absence of both their parents, she made sure they were enrolled in the best school and daycare never asking for more than she needed. My mother’s unfailing and unwavering commitment to myself and my husband were also apparent with letters from my children, packages, report cards, and even pictures with Santa sent to both Iraq and Fort Jackson, keeping our family’s morale and connection tightly knit during one of the most divided times in our family’s lives. My heart and a silent thank you goes out to the countless number of dedicated grandparents who offered their love and full-time support while their children deployed to serve, protect and defend one of the greatest nations in the world; but what set my mother apart from the rest was her ability to transition quickly from an already stressful and demanding lifestyle to increasing her load with three small children, a deployed son-in-law and daughter in training, all while raising her teenage daughter, supervising at her job and keeping her high blood pressure and diabetes from getting the best of her. My mother is my true champion and for her strength and continued support, I Love her with my whole heart. I owe my overall morale, my children’s happiness and my Military Career to her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">~Florida US Army Specialist</span></div>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-44809895357847967162011-05-03T00:03:00.002-04:002011-05-03T00:05:27.834-04:00Saluting the Military Mom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRd3XVUzcuvtRruZrp29Faad_E24EJSfbs22qhLyB_wvi-xzvQNsqAmWCBMDxuIzl-fatIITrxpZYd9WUYwcEMEHiZQ3p-rupWR61vTz4uGB4G2JQkvKV8rgDbki6HP7TgOFN0cKMnKVH_/s1600/blog_HankMarieWed09_22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="361" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRd3XVUzcuvtRruZrp29Faad_E24EJSfbs22qhLyB_wvi-xzvQNsqAmWCBMDxuIzl-fatIITrxpZYd9WUYwcEMEHiZQ3p-rupWR61vTz4uGB4G2JQkvKV8rgDbki6HP7TgOFN0cKMnKVH_/s640/blog_HankMarieWed09_22.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Operation Homefront-Florida is proud to celebrate the military mom. Through their love, strength and support, military moms provide the foundation for our military force. This week we want to share a few stories about how military moms have made a difference. Feel free to share your own story. Whether you are a mom of a military service member, a mom in a military family or an active duty military mom, we salute you! Share your story like this one from a Jacksonville Army Officer.</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">My mother consistently steps up to the plate to take care of my children whenever I am activated. May it be while I was on active duty stationed in Hawaii and had to go out to the field for 30 days or now that I am in the Army National Guard and am set to deploy. She has graciously agreed to relocate from Michigan to Florida to stay with my 6 year old daughter so that her life is a little less disrupted by the absence of her mother and her older brother who will also be leaving for his first year of college this year.</span></i></span>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-66617393099525140832011-03-18T15:50:00.001-04:002011-03-18T15:52:18.539-04:00A salute to a veteran<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>~ Operation Homefront-FL</i></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">A few weeks ago, CDR Allen Moreland passed away just a few months short of 100 years of age. For those of you from the Jacksonville area, you may remember he was honored as the oldest veteran in the 2009 Veterans parade and was also honored at a Jaguars game that year. Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, Operation Homefront-Florida was able to provide CDR Moreland with a brand new Navy dress uniform and cover to wear at those events. He also wore the uniform to receive a special medallion, presented by Jacksonville Mayor, John Peyton. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">We were proud to be a small part of these special events and salute his life and service to our country. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6K8eVtM7CPTZKl82mBlcbpXskIhqoYreBBD_OmWExilSd913k3QOrqsZh6wExSoiM520GEYhd5LdzhofT00ly6MgEgd7hHoS36sUjfb2tOdpGyalKAdDs7ALuIFHBV_VmQCHc0sPXQnjx/s1600/Veterans+Day+Breakfast-58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6K8eVtM7CPTZKl82mBlcbpXskIhqoYreBBD_OmWExilSd913k3QOrqsZh6wExSoiM520GEYhd5LdzhofT00ly6MgEgd7hHoS36sUjfb2tOdpGyalKAdDs7ALuIFHBV_VmQCHc0sPXQnjx/s400/Veterans+Day+Breakfast-58.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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</span></div>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-9435948646656780772011-01-06T14:23:00.003-05:002011-01-06T14:57:20.528-05:00OHFL Team Helps Wounded Warrior FamilyIn 2010, Operation Homefront-Florida (OHFL) fielded over 500 requests for emergency assistance. Each case was unique and many were resolved with one of the various tools in the OHFL tool box. But in early December, OHFL had the opportunity to help a military family by using nearly all of the tools at one time. Together, OHFL board members, staff, volunteers and community supporters came together to help a South Florida wounded warrior and his wife in need of emergency assistance. <br />
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This young wounded warrior served 6 years as an infantryman in the Army and received a purple heart for an injury during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) in 2008. Due to the complications of his injury, he was medically retired from the Army and faced the reality of civilian life with a very serious disability. He attempted to go to college and learn a new trade in order to make a living, but repeated hospital stays and the severity of his injury made completion impossible and saddled the young family with education debt. To make matters worse, the prospect of additional help through VA disability compensation seemed unattainable as a resolution to his claim was at least one year away. This wounded warrior was clinically diagnosed as unable to work or attend school and he and his wife were in a position where they were drowning financially. <br />
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After coming to OHFL for assistance, our case manager was able to review their finances and link them up with an attorney, who donated her time to help with credit issues. In addition, an OHFL board member helped expedite the disability compensation process and start the process to negotiate the forgiveness of education debt. After a careful look at the family’s expenses, OHFL determined the family was paying a good portion of their limited income on 2 storage units. To solve this problem, OHFL helped negotiate them out of their old storage unit contract and moved them into a new unit, paid for by OHFL. As a part of “Operation Assist our Wounded Warriors,” 6 Volunteers from the local Miami-Dade police department joined 2 OHFL board members to pack, load and move the family’s belongings from the old storage units to the new one. Finally, Operation Homefront-Florida was able to provide the family with food cards to help offset their current expenses and get them on their feet again. <br />
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Through a true team effort, Operation Homefront-Florida helped this young military family through a difficult period. Although they will undoubtedly face many challenges in the months and years ahead, during their time of crisis OHFL had the team of supporters ready to assist a family that sacrificed and served our country. <br />
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Here is a note we received from the family. <br />
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“We wanted to thank each person who has helped us through our tough moments. Thank you for all your great efforts. You are all very special people. Thank you to Operation Homefront, Betty, and our local Police Department.”Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-34018764134631780332010-09-02T10:18:00.003-04:002010-09-02T10:24:15.144-04:00Why He Runs for Operation Homefront-Florida<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><o:smarttagtype name="State" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="date" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="country-region" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">“Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place>. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place> was targeted for attack because we are the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> ~President George W. Bush</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><st1:date day="11" ls="trans" month="9" w:st="on" year="2001">September 11, 2001</st1:date></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As we approach nearly 9 years since the events of September 11<sup>th</sup>, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s foundation of freedom stands strong thanks to the drive and determination of the American people. Operation Homefront-Florida proudly supports the families of our service members and wounded warriors and, during Freedom Walk 2010, will join with the Florida community to remember the first responders (Firefighters and Police) on 9-11 and all of the service members that fight to defend freedom.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Accomplishing Operation Homefront-Florida’s mission is impossible without the support of people here in Florida – people like Operation Homefront-Florida board member Keith Seago. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Seago, a former Army Airborne Ranger, has been on Operation Homefront – <st1:state w:st="on">Florida</st1:state>’s Board of Directors for almost a year. He’s also an avid runner that works as a Financial Consultant at BankUnited.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">He’s running in the 5k at this year’s Freedom Walk on September 11th.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVarhBI0OaNapds3WZC6q6-erRgpiFhZk6OybbEs88a_he1s4zRw_PmXuMtTRNsac03j5h1YpFAtU9S8fkrFUchhgQp4ORWOQ53z9vhZS6xeTlvha6tjhBvuVgTGNQl1xH8BpNGM94BPMM/s1600/seago+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVarhBI0OaNapds3WZC6q6-erRgpiFhZk6OybbEs88a_he1s4zRw_PmXuMtTRNsac03j5h1YpFAtU9S8fkrFUchhgQp4ORWOQ53z9vhZS6xeTlvha6tjhBvuVgTGNQl1xH8BpNGM94BPMM/s320/seago+pic.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">“The reason why I am running and promoting this event is because of the visibility and recognition it gives to our First Responders, our Military and their families.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Seago understands the needs and hardships of a military family. He grew up in the “army brat” lifestyle that we all know to mean one or both of his parents were in the military.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">“I know what it's like to have your father deployed to foreign lands, in harm’s way for extended periods of time and the stress that it can put on the family.”</div><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">To join Keith for Freedom Walk Run 2011 in West Palm Beach, Tampa or Orlando </span><a href="http://www.operationhomefront.net/florida/" style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">click here.</a><br />
</span>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-87761354545437935992010-07-01T22:49:00.002-04:002010-07-14T10:20:41.948-04:00Freedom Walk 2010<div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">Freedom</span> <span style="color: red;">Walk 2010</span></span></b> will mark the ninth anniversary of the tragedy that was September 11th. This is our chance to reflect on this disaster and renew our commitment to freedom and the values of our country. It is also a time to remember and honor our troops – past and present.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">This is an event <b>worth</b> getting excited for!</span> We want to double the size of participants in the picture below. Everyone should want to take part in one of the 2 mile treks across Florida (Tampa or West Palm Beach).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4bkAewiVOWRglElcrzVPeuoD5_-ZPtmU9LHUtK8wBUk27-O2QdcU7iH9xm5d9MpKugWc5gfrkDL73bWGaG_-xxEbIfu9TTdvAhlSAogBpqYDArTajOIXP5EnLmgX5LxTUG81WNX7c6-k/s1600/FW.09.SoCal.CH.03.+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4bkAewiVOWRglElcrzVPeuoD5_-ZPtmU9LHUtK8wBUk27-O2QdcU7iH9xm5d9MpKugWc5gfrkDL73bWGaG_-xxEbIfu9TTdvAhlSAogBpqYDArTajOIXP5EnLmgX5LxTUG81WNX7c6-k/s320/FW.09.SoCal.CH.03.+2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It’ll be a time of reflection and honor. Not only will we remember those lost in 9/11 and our troops all around the world; but we will also remember our first responders right here at home – our <span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">EMTs</span></b></span>, <i style="color: red; font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>fire fighters</b></i>, <b style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">POLICE OFFICERS</b>. This will be a time of <i>rejoicing in our freedom and those who have helped provide that for us</i>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">Freedom</span> <span style="color: red;">Walk 2010</span></span></b> is a great place for those affected by the 9/11 tragedy to come together and support each other. It’s an event to show our <span style="background-color: white; color: white;"><b><span style="background-color: blue;">pride</span></b> </span>in our nation. It is an event that will provide Operation Homefront – Florida with the means and funds to keep helping our military families in need.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6qHFj50bLsleZM69tYanjZSjYi3LVIKkLzj3O6roWcOZmnxwnyph4mVa2bo8V98eIkTnrvZqvK67BYzysVWfEMW5VLwaNc82YgEnrwCDsJzwA4E98vRPKKfFBbvnrqT29jghG-9eJ3KJ/s1600/website+adjusted+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC6qHFj50bLsleZM69tYanjZSjYi3LVIKkLzj3O6roWcOZmnxwnyph4mVa2bo8V98eIkTnrvZqvK67BYzysVWfEMW5VLwaNc82YgEnrwCDsJzwA4E98vRPKKfFBbvnrqT29jghG-9eJ3KJ/s320/website+adjusted+pic.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Excited</span>, <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">stoked</span>, <span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: x-small;">animated</span>, <span style="font-size: small;"><b><i>thrilled</i></b></span>, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">enthusiastic</span>. Whatever your word is, <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">feel it</span>. Get in the spirit. You can do something great by participating.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">Freedom</span> <span style="color: red;">Walk 2010</span></span></b> will be held on Saturday, September 11th in Tampa and West Palm Beach. Registration begins at 7:30 am. The walk will begin at 9:00 am. Registration is just $5 per participant and group or team participation is encouraged. You can sign up online at <a href="http://www.operationhomefront.net/florida" target="_blank">www.operationhomefront.net/<wbr></wbr>florida</a>.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtu_Sl1qOZoJVICXZKc30DJyRaghyphenhyphenMvVDASglOA65XONf5XQ_v8NLUZWjMDNfFcN9716WG7fnMcopGb89OmHtiTi5JUUZOmkQT-eDo0NYLL38ruj75yZyNdR35HVKlDLcu0tb5iAo1Ztr/s1600/freedom+walk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtu_Sl1qOZoJVICXZKc30DJyRaghyphenhyphenMvVDASglOA65XONf5XQ_v8NLUZWjMDNfFcN9716WG7fnMcopGb89OmHtiTi5JUUZOmkQT-eDo0NYLL38ruj75yZyNdR35HVKlDLcu0tb5iAo1Ztr/s320/freedom+walk.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">For volunteer or sponsorship opportunities, contact Megan Lysaker, Director of Development with Operation Homefront – Florida.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Phone: 561.932.1650</div><div class="MsoNormal">Fax: 561.932.1652</div><div class="MsoNormal">Email: <a href="mailto:Megan.Lysaker@OperationHomefront.net" target="_blank">Megan.Lysaker@<wbr></wbr>OperationHomefront.net</a></div>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-36460305903203362902010-05-06T14:10:00.002-04:002010-05-06T14:46:39.248-04:00How a new donor helped two Florida military families<span style="font-size: x-small;">By Christy Campbell</span><br />
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Although I work with Operation Homefront-Florida every day, it still blows me away each time I have the good fortune to witness an act of kindness or generosity. A few weeks ago I was visiting Tampa for a meeting and heard that someone was donating a house full of furniture to a military family in need. On that particular day, Jeff and I traveled out the house to inventory the furniture. We were both impressed with the quality. These pieces of furniture could certainly be resold for a handful of cash, but instead the donor, who's father had recently passed, wanted to give the high quality furniture to a military family in need. We did not get to meet the family who received the furniture that day, or see their faces, but we did receive this letter a few days later to give to the donor.<br />
<br />
<i>Dear Sir,</i><br />
<i>I am so very thankful for your donation to us. I recently have returned from a deployment. We have been renting a furnished home. We will be moving from this home into a place that is unfurnished. The furniture received is an excellent start for us to furnish our new place. We are preparing for the future because my income will decrease now that I am off of deployment. We are in the process of continuing to look for anything to furnish our new residence and looking for a second vehicle. So we have a lot of preparations to do. But I am so thankful for you being a blessing to us. And I am so sorry under the circumstances. Our prayers will be with you. I am a family of one wife, four girls and one son. We all say thank you so much.</i><br />
<i>~Florida National Guard Service member</i><br />
<br />
<i> </i>For this military family, the donor's act of kindness came at a much needed time and met a very important need. Little did I know, I would get to see another example of this donor's generosity only a few weeks later when he would donate his father's vehicle to another Florida service member. During the week of the Outback Steakhouse Pro Am, Operation Homefront-Florida helped identify a service member truly in need of a vehicle and complete the documents needed to transfer the car. We were present the day she received the keys. I think this picture says it all.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRiwB164C_ciJm6_VcKci9ZRrbMKywm9Abdo0naLNfKN1oS5V1LhyylItE8Vb4Wp_VnlgJpFKKs7gY16kOrYlvt-6aTGggARSTzd9g9yDnAmfI0PdTxkAGSJdVhgs-OGmcmFtCcWMjDkfE/s1600/edited+happy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRiwB164C_ciJm6_VcKci9ZRrbMKywm9Abdo0naLNfKN1oS5V1LhyylItE8Vb4Wp_VnlgJpFKKs7gY16kOrYlvt-6aTGggARSTzd9g9yDnAmfI0PdTxkAGSJdVhgs-OGmcmFtCcWMjDkfE/s320/edited+happy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
This young Air Force airman told me that day that she plans to make military service a career and that this car will allow her to see her family more often. She was was incredibly grateful and overcome with emotion. I was thankful to be able to witness the event. It was really impressive to see someone take something sad like losing their father, and turn it into something so positive for 2 different military families. I learned later that this donor also regularly sends packages over to Afghanistan and Iraq and makes an effort on a regular basis to give back. Thank you from all of us on the Operation Homefront-Florida team for your donations and generosity. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.operationhomefront.net/florida/currentneeds.aspx">If you are interested in helping fill a need for a Florida military service member, visit the needs page on our website.</a>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-91807328225839687362010-03-17T16:23:00.005-04:002010-03-17T16:38:01.242-04:00Thanks for Giving and the MacDill Air Fest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.outback.com/companyinfo/thanksforgiving.aspx">Click here for more information on Outback and their support of Operation Homefront.</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMKg5olGFnW7cCE6uQiJj9bzcCLuxiSXUDvOGQrfvqJdKdBD7Xdv5afTS4FBtlBKV9Q9xojrQqWQ3OFHH4ahPf-uvmoxBAwIA3RaSlx_3qndr40EfHp4DihyphenhyphenAFwqyVDq1MCI7NuzvGEOSI/s1600-h/airfest+image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="367" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMKg5olGFnW7cCE6uQiJj9bzcCLuxiSXUDvOGQrfvqJdKdBD7Xdv5afTS4FBtlBKV9Q9xojrQqWQ3OFHH4ahPf-uvmoxBAwIA3RaSlx_3qndr40EfHp4DihyphenhyphenAFwqyVDq1MCI7NuzvGEOSI/s400/airfest+image.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span id="goog_1268855457873"></span><span id="goog_1268855457874"></span>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-44825463136985240572010-03-11T10:20:00.002-05:002010-03-11T10:21:20.885-05:00Red White and Bloomin Luncheon -From the Perspective of an Intern<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Written by Lauren</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Operation Homefront-Florida Intern</span></i><br />
<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">First, let me begin with a warning; </span><span style="font-size: large;">just because there are bottomless amounts of incredibly delicious food in front of you doesn’t mean you have to eat like there are bottomless amounts of incredibly delicious food in front of you. I learned that the hard way Tuesday, March 11<sup>th</sup> at the Outback Steakhouse/Operation Homefront luncheon. I also had the privilege of meeting many amazing heroes of our country and their families. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">The speeches were brief and heartfelt from the owners of three Outback Steakhouse branches in the area and also our own Florida Director of Operations, Jeff Gareau, leaving plenty of room for the endless sampling of the new “Red, White and Bloomin’” menu items. Now, when you go to your favorite Outback Steakhouse, you can order off of this patriotic menu and ten percent of the proceeds from your meal contribute to the <b>one million dollar</b> promise Outback Steakhouse has given to Operation Homefront. I am so used to acknowledging the men and women of the armed forces as my heroes that it never occurred to me that I could be their hero, and all I have to do is go to Outback Steakhouse and order from their new Operation Homefront “Red, White and Bloomin’” menu; seems like a pretty delicious way to help.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> I also had the opportunity to be acknowledged as a part of this amazing organization that I just started interning for (Operation Homefront-Florida). I have never been so proud of being part of an organization before. The military men and women were so grateful for all that OHFL does for them. For most of the luncheon I was either eating or following Jeff around with a camera, but whenever I did get a chance to stop and talk with someone, I knew I was a part of something important. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Operation-Homefront-Florida/285824619848?v=photos#%21/album.php?aid=158637&id=285824619848">Click here for pictures of the event in Tampa and Jupiter, FL.</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, overall, I would call my first Operation Homefront event a huge success. Not only did I get to eat way too much delicious food, but I also got to be an official part (for the first time) of a local organization who provides emergency assistance for our troops and their families right here in Florida. I love that I get to be a part of such a noble cause. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"> I’d also like to include a BIG thank you to all of the men and women who honor this great country with their service. I am so grateful for your bravery and sacrifice and I hope to be able to make at least a small difference in your lives.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-58822669428618831582010-03-08T10:41:00.001-05:002010-03-08T10:46:15.577-05:00Can a CANCELED deployment be a negative?<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Written By Linda, Operation Homefront-Florida Volunteer</i></span><br />
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Military reservists often fall into a “catch-22” category when it comes to qualifying for much needed financial assistance. Consider a scenario which has played out recently for some in Florida: The reservists commit to full-time basic training prior to an anticipated deployment. At the conclusion of training, the unit is advised that deployment will occur in three months. The service member returns to his or her civilian job for this period and alerts the employer, or the service member may be in between jobs and there is insufficient time to obtain full-time employment, so the reservists - and often their families – do their best to stretch their resources while awaiting deployment. When the time for scheduled deployment arrives, the unit learns that their assignment has been canceled. To some, this sounds like a good thing, but it leaves the reservists short on cash, behind on bills and with no foreseeable way of recovering financially. In a sense, these reservists have slipped through the cracks, and they are considered ineligible for most emergency assistance resources that aid military personnel because they have not deployed. As an organization, Operation Homefront-Florida and its supporters must find a way to help these young reservists and their families with critical needs. If you or your organization can assist with monetary donations to provide food, rent/utility supplements or job training until affected reservists can obtain employment, please <a href="http://www.operationhomefront.net/florida/contactus.aspx">contact our office today, </a> mention case FL100013. Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-11184711178540721592010-03-01T10:49:00.006-05:002011-03-02T14:46:26.839-05:00Operation Bridal Gown<link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><o:smarttagtype name="State" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="PlaceType" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="PlaceName" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="stockticker" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="color: black;">Operation Homefront-Florida Giving Away <st1:stockticker w:st="on">FREE</st1:stockticker> Bridal Gowns to Military Brides-to-Be<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on"></st1:placename></st1:place><span style="font-size: large;">“I am so grateful for the gown I received from Operation Homefront and Alfred Angelo. My wedding will be perfect,” says Dawn, a future bride-to-be. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">“Operation Homefront provided me with the gown of my dreams, allowing me to renew my vows with my husband of 25 years” says Carol, a military bride. These brides and dozens more have been able to plan the wedding of their dreams, with a free bridal gown, courtesy of Alfred Angelo and Operation Homefront-Florida. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Alfred Angelo provided Operation Homefront-Florida with almost 200 gowns in August of 2008, of all styles and sizes, specifically for the military personnel of Florida. Any woman who is in the military or marrying someone from the military can apply for wedding gown free of charge. “A wedding gown is such a vital part of the whole experience,” says Debbie Dragone, Program Manager of Operation Bridal Gown, “this gift helps the bride to concentrate on other aspects of the wedding. <st1:stockticker w:st="on">AND</st1:stockticker> this is one less expense for the new couple to worry about.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">Operation Bridal Gown still has many gowns to give away thanks to the generosity of Alfred Angelo, the world’s leading manufacturer of bridal gowns and bridal party attire. Operation Homefront requires proof of military status and the rest of the process is simple. For more information about Operation Bridal Gown, go to Operation Homefront’s website, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.operationhomefront.net/florida">www.operationhomefront.net/florida</a></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">. <br />
<br />
“We are thrilled to be able to partner with Operation Homefront, <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Florida</st1:place></st1:state> for such a wonderful cause. To know that Alfred Angelo is able to help make the wedding dreams of our committed men and women come true is a wonderful way to be able to give back for all that they sacrifice in serving our country,” says Amanda Sheronas, Director of Public Relations for Alfred Angelo,<br />
<br />
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;"><a href="http://operationbridalgown.shutterfly.com/"></a></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyH6iSlFk2fot-XspbBWd4V0UxkFJJXV4XYrmawtnXCWXdWnBr_itoaRHIRYlYIeGUoRK62WMtCdfO7Yf3y6jEdQOH9gtSSu7MBwI3Y2TfbKRUbRXVUfsrC6JqPtFKZFVkDyEUOoqpgHIZ/s1600-h/Picture5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyH6iSlFk2fot-XspbBWd4V0UxkFJJXV4XYrmawtnXCWXdWnBr_itoaRHIRYlYIeGUoRK62WMtCdfO7Yf3y6jEdQOH9gtSSu7MBwI3Y2TfbKRUbRXVUfsrC6JqPtFKZFVkDyEUOoqpgHIZ/s400/Picture5.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><br />
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</span>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-32962083509522500672010-02-16T11:52:00.000-05:002010-02-16T11:52:37.478-05:00Operation Homefront Florida to Distribute BRAIVE funds in Gulf Coast areaOperation Homefront-FL announced today that the Gulf Coast Community Foundation of Venice awarded Operation Homefront-Florida a $60,000 grant to provide emergency financial and food assistance to service members and veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. The source of the funds is the Florida BRAIVE fund, a 5 million dollar fund established in 2008. Operation Homefront-Florida will distribute BRAIVE funds throughout 2010 to military service members and their families in a 25-county area of central and southwest Florida. “These funds come at a crucial time. Requests for emergency assistance are steadily increasing as Florida faces the largest deployment since the 1940’s,” says Simone Hoover, Chapter President of Operation Homefront-Florida. To apply for assistance or find out how to support Operation Homefront-Florida visit www.operationhomefront.net/florida or call 888-390-0843.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRmZWTHVUUNFDuhCG02QgJjiIHKPqbj4_R6i7nUgtHsxR8uPpD4CuvdWpzVu9lLGP_5J_CKfRTb67Cs4-QQ7pHSboJv8EfbCMRn5vukE6iXjG5S6Dt3v1Yxq1qLshPqvhVJaSVCRIDyKf/s1600-h/braive+logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRmZWTHVUUNFDuhCG02QgJjiIHKPqbj4_R6i7nUgtHsxR8uPpD4CuvdWpzVu9lLGP_5J_CKfRTb67Cs4-QQ7pHSboJv8EfbCMRn5vukE6iXjG5S6Dt3v1Yxq1qLshPqvhVJaSVCRIDyKf/s320/braive+logo.png" /></a></div>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-49247195637630783822010-02-04T11:10:00.001-05:002010-02-04T11:10:43.543-05:00For those who support our military<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoPlainText"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Written by a US Service member, currently stationed in Afghanistan</span><o:p></o:p></i></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText">Among the terrible things I have seen and the mental stress this deployment has brought me, a few shining lights of hope have come through the fog of war. What I speak of are the wonderful men and women who take the time to send their love and support to people they have never met. They do this for no other reason than to show that they have heart. These wonderful people bring smiles into not just my life, but to most of the 70,000 troops in Afghanistan today.</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText">We don't ask for much. I myself tell my own wife that she sends me too many packages.</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText">We think of home all the time and the people we love. We spend every minute of every day wishing we were home amongst our loved ones. We wait for hours just to talk to our families for minutes. I have been on four deployments now, and by far this is the hardest on me. Not because I'm exposed to enemy fire. Not because I'm struggling physically. I've been in those situations and they do not even come close to the pain I feel from being away from my wife.</div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br />
</div><div class="MsoPlainText">The only respite I get from the violence and horrors of war are the heartwarming letters and gifts that I receive from not only my family, but from total strangers who reach out and make our lives just a little bit less miserable. They have a special gift. That gift is empathy. They look at things from our perspective and react the only way they know how. They show us that America is still the best place in the world to live. They show us that our country will support us, no matter what. This was not always the case in our history. I feel for the Vietnam veterans who came home to be spit on by the very people they swore to protect with their lives. If they had the same support that my generation has, many of them would have had an easier adjustment to civilian life. In my time in the military, I have known nothing but a nation at war. I have been on the receiving end of enemy fire many times and have been decorated by my nation for the bravery I've shown on the battlefield. In my heart, I know that those of you that take the time to make just a little bit of difference in our lives, you are the heroes.</div>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-80762644823347346072010-02-03T10:11:00.001-05:002010-02-03T10:13:21.536-05:004000 Additional Active Duty for Florida<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Christy Campbell</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Operation Homefront-Florida North Florida Manager</span></i><br />
<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 12" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx" rel="themeData"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CChristy%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml" rel="colorSchemeMapping"></link><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Here in Jacksonville, it was on every news station. Congressman Ander Crenshaw and Senator Bill Nelson announced that Congress had finally signed off on making Mayport Naval Station in Jacksonville, FL the new home for one of Norfolk’s 5 nuclear carriers. The carrier will probably not arrive until 2012, but when it does it will bring almost 4000 additional service members and their families to the Jacksonville area. It’s hard to believe, but in the next 5 years preparations for the arrival will require nearly a half of a billion dollars in upgrades and changes to the Mayport pier and St Johns River. The carrier will definitely be a positive boost for Jacksonville’s economy. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It made me think, for Operation Homefront-Florida, the addition of the nuclear carrier will certainly have an impact as well. What was once a deployment of a few hundred sailors at a time will now be an exodus of 4000, with their respective families waiting at home. As Operation Homefront chapters in Virginia, California, and Washington all support larger Naval deployments, Operation Homefront-Florida will be ready to provide support to these military families. Although the state of Virginia is probably unhappy to lose one of its carriers, I know that Operation Homefront-Florida will welcome the 4000 sailors and their families to Florida. As our chapter continues to grow, I look forward to the carrier coming to Jacksonville and the opportunity to support these families. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</style> </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #1f497d;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">This writer works for the Florida chapter of Operation Homefront, Inc., a 501 (c ) 3 organization supporting military families and wounded warriors.</span></span></i><o:p></o:p></span></div> Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-45970768735568243202010-01-14T15:51:00.000-05:002010-01-14T15:54:53.117-05:00Thank you letterJust wanted to take a moment to post a really nice thank you note we received after the Grainger/Operation Homefront Food Box event<br /><br /><em>I have a family that has been hard hit over the last year with deployment, unemployment and domestic violence. They were so thrilled by the generosity of Operation Homefront for their Christmas goodies. The food was super but the game added a special touch that was needed for family activities.<br />Thank you so much for all you and the volunteers of Operation Homefront did to assist this family and all the other families you have helped also!</em><br /><em></em><br /><br />This special event would not have been possible without the generosity of Grainger. To find out how you can help military families here in Florida visit our website <a href="http://www.operationhomefront.net/florida">http://www.operationhomefront.net/florida</a>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-56882460577716615622010-01-14T14:16:00.000-05:002010-01-14T14:32:01.358-05:00Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am<span style="font-size:130%;">This year the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am Golf Tournament chose Operation Homefront-Florida as one of 2 receiving charities for this years event.</span> <br /><br />*April 12th-18th in Tampa, FL<br /><br />You can buy the Kookaburra Ticket Package only available from Operation Homefront-Florida for $500. All proceeds from this package directly benefit Operation Homefront-Florida. Please email Jeff Gareau at <a href="mailto:jeff.gareau@operationhomefront.net">jeff.gareau@operationhomefront.net</a> for more information.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />The Kookaburra Charity Ticket Package Includes:<br />· Two (2) One Day Green-Hopper Party Passes (see description below)<br />· Four (4) Weekly Badges, tournament admittance entire week.<br />· Ten (10) One Day Passes, tournament admittance any one day.<br />· Two (2) preferred parking passes.<br />· One (1) weekday foursome of golf at TPC Tampa Bay.<br /> (Space available basis, May 3 – September 23. Monday – Thursday Cart fee approx $30 + tax)<br />· One (1) Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am lapel pin.<br /><br />Total Investment: $500<br />Retail Value : $1,000Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-79041738228755974582010-01-14T14:11:00.000-05:002010-01-14T14:14:21.535-05:00http://www.brothersatwarmovie.com/<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsID7B3w9gXlfWg3tTuPUFE3OtQ7G_Vo0WxrcRWvXk8ajfJ3dbn_wsCBCS9t66zZqx097s4jHCiNliU_xP8sUJ5OVy4EyXEIReyWFF6io2I9A3n-5OjXnhdNIRoQ1taMdsi9ML6rcyZgV/s1600-h/BAW-Banner-150x300-1A.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426675587599066834" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWsID7B3w9gXlfWg3tTuPUFE3OtQ7G_Vo0WxrcRWvXk8ajfJ3dbn_wsCBCS9t66zZqx097s4jHCiNliU_xP8sUJ5OVy4EyXEIReyWFF6io2I9A3n-5OjXnhdNIRoQ1taMdsi9ML6rcyZgV/s400/BAW-Banner-150x300-1A.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Please use the promotional code: OPHOMEFL for a 10% discount on your purchase.</div><br /><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.brothersatwarmovie.com/"></a> </p>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-83311020034538565122009-12-20T17:27:00.000-05:002009-12-20T17:44:54.544-05:00Grainger/ Operation Homefront Food Box Event<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgykEgoEyubV7MqlDRq-U0xTh5KYkF7emPvtPIq6IynF-GfkTqjcJ6FMtrb1wJQTf8jQJgjNlhsKpGKzhXUhGW82qe3cduF-Lk50GaDt3k4bSEMfjY0w23Ni9IhPpaW820G5nxT_Wahb0tQ/s1600-h/grainger1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417450803742992514" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgykEgoEyubV7MqlDRq-U0xTh5KYkF7emPvtPIq6IynF-GfkTqjcJ6FMtrb1wJQTf8jQJgjNlhsKpGKzhXUhGW82qe3cduF-Lk50GaDt3k4bSEMfjY0w23Ni9IhPpaW820G5nxT_Wahb0tQ/s400/grainger1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNRGQGv1aQIiGNUNpmBQQ_nrFydMHHXpp1plNT_iTHSpP0vrHXNUoulZ0QpYMYQwM-6GQWrVoyyFO6otg2fDtpxPV3qjISvnV_JSYXTSoXAeMw4_IVsBnobsrxF3VdeB9NbdB-HU5Un_3X/s1600-h/grainger.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417450797778152226" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNRGQGv1aQIiGNUNpmBQQ_nrFydMHHXpp1plNT_iTHSpP0vrHXNUoulZ0QpYMYQwM-6GQWrVoyyFO6otg2fDtpxPV3qjISvnV_JSYXTSoXAeMw4_IVsBnobsrxF3VdeB9NbdB-HU5Un_3X/s400/grainger.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-A8AGVV9PA3rOqPgXLReAcsuqJ4NgYvQDH8d6HAyNkPbbPMBJemcChUS7o1-KZZO2hNPk1hUXwCK7PG6GdygZz5xd8xZTfYXXYiUFYpHDN4khpcAWo6lAG9psgp1cCNnXfVELAYoiXU7/s1600-h/104.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417449824874159042" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-A8AGVV9PA3rOqPgXLReAcsuqJ4NgYvQDH8d6HAyNkPbbPMBJemcChUS7o1-KZZO2hNPk1hUXwCK7PG6GdygZz5xd8xZTfYXXYiUFYpHDN4khpcAWo6lAG9psgp1cCNnXfVELAYoiXU7/s400/104.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rjqq_u8qixowem_1DOK2XtuAYNMNksPvQxM5PYL55S2c5rfp92-crt2P5OlF0i9Rbl2546bQm3ihbhsioq5Kc373eJ8VElaAAo_pzu4xCXmu7MvKNDfd5M8DPpj_DxrYi-FFeE6Ym248/s1600-h/116.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417449818910241426" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8rjqq_u8qixowem_1DOK2XtuAYNMNksPvQxM5PYL55S2c5rfp92-crt2P5OlF0i9Rbl2546bQm3ihbhsioq5Kc373eJ8VElaAAo_pzu4xCXmu7MvKNDfd5M8DPpj_DxrYi-FFeE6Ym248/s400/116.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3YxFEXaV4tP7Fy-7GQvslIIfmFGote5a5ENBYuMLMUjgqxBIszKyFOkTxv2LqerqU32z0djrXova1HkRfbgIbGOS2_wEJrnjIA4Jxk8ouky-MaK35WGSUxXbWHDynQOdkroD5vqOHckF/s1600-h/095.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417449815219084338" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3YxFEXaV4tP7Fy-7GQvslIIfmFGote5a5ENBYuMLMUjgqxBIszKyFOkTxv2LqerqU32z0djrXova1HkRfbgIbGOS2_wEJrnjIA4Jxk8ouky-MaK35WGSUxXbWHDynQOdkroD5vqOHckF/s400/095.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4tD_CNe-rbth4b4J44pmRhBajAGteo41dnHhrYsqO172JGNHtgGs0nLki_6KXmnQuCBqi4W24YafIrGrLvEx40yz6qtcXlCbs_e8DHYTjbOuitrz2EwcC6h-Lyp47jjej7yWlgpMxZrp/s1600-h/110.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417449805926796114" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 243px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA4tD_CNe-rbth4b4J44pmRhBajAGteo41dnHhrYsqO172JGNHtgGs0nLki_6KXmnQuCBqi4W24YafIrGrLvEx40yz6qtcXlCbs_e8DHYTjbOuitrz2EwcC6h-Lyp47jjej7yWlgpMxZrp/s400/110.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUXtp8Is-FEYFYnMQd3PJ3jYIDVIu2HwUdNL-JHVQZU4FBkYKbfEHx7eSt2rmLEA2flx44xD_-ApjuO29W5-6ru-cVT-7nyTL0xMZuYv0N6pKO6CqQ5HbV34wpwpYNzGh8X8QyEMCZHzt/s1600-h/101.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5417449798537305410" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAUXtp8Is-FEYFYnMQd3PJ3jYIDVIu2HwUdNL-JHVQZU4FBkYKbfEHx7eSt2rmLEA2flx44xD_-ApjuO29W5-6ru-cVT-7nyTL0xMZuYv0N6pKO6CqQ5HbV34wpwpYNzGh8X8QyEMCZHzt/s400/101.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div><br /><br /><br /> </div><div>Sunday December 20th, Operation Homefront Florida teamed up with Grainger in Jacksonville to assemble and distribute 150 food boxes for military families in need this holiday season. With about 30 volunteers, we accomplished the task in no time. The food boxes were distributed to the local military bases including Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Mayport Naval Station, Camp Blanding, and the Air National Guard Base. Special thanks to Grainger for their generosity and donation to Operation Homefront, making the project possible. Thanks to the Florida National Guard 146 Signal Batallion for letting us utilize their armory for the project. Thanks to everyone for volunteering and making a difference for our military families!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsLsgsAXdBMM_Z3hFqbjb6BVO6_0PFIf9Rgra8nabav5vi1-Bwsxp3GpJpQl67bvr-7mYKmiTa6DTaG6HldspMfCpJDsLSGbOg_FP1r1bjAcbqgUdAo-pfXnaZrcbzVL2YfiAXiKncSORi/s1600-h/101.JPG"> </a><br /></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5984148740636126902.post-31294802281898291752009-12-10T21:40:00.001-05:002009-12-10T21:53:45.869-05:00Operation Homefront Florida Holiday ImpactAcross the state of Florida, Operation <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Homefront</span>-Florida finds ways to give back this holiday season. In cooperation with Dollar Tree stores, Operation <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Homefront</span> is distributing thousands of toys to military children. In the Tampa Bay area, local Director of Operations Jeff <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Gareau</span> oversaw the distribution of 200 Thanksgiving dinners. In the Miami <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Dade</span> area, volunteer Jenn Crawford facilitated <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Wal</span> Mart's sponsorship of numerous military families in need. The "adopt a family" program has also experienced tremendous support from generous businesses around the state.<br /><br />While thousands of US military personnel spend their holiday season far from home, Operation <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Homefront</span> is proud to have the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">privilege</span> of providing special morale events and support programs for their families here at home. Although this time of year can be stressful and never fails to keep each of us busy, it is perfect <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">occasion</span> to show our thanks to those who have volunteered to sacrifice their time with their families to protect our <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">freedom</span> around the world.Operation Homefront-Floridahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04846600687981868283noreply@blogger.com0