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Our Message to the Military.... "America Supports You"

September 18, 2007

E-Newsletter Volume CXXVIII

Hamilton, Ohio

Elvis impersonator Paul Halverstadt performs “GI Blues” at America Supports You homefront organization The Thank You Foundation’s benefit for Corporal Joel Dulashanti and his family.

San Diego, Calif.

On Sunday, September 2, the San Diego Padres hosted their Salute to Veterans at PETCO Park. All Star closer Trevor Hoffman stood for photos with retired Navy Capt. Robert White and Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. prior to the San Diego Padres game. Both veterans were honored by the Padres before the game and threw ceremonial first pitches.

DFW Airport, Tex.

A group of returning servicemembers stand with Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind puppies. The Guide Dog Foundation created ASY homefront group America’s VetDogs as part of their outreach efforts for military members. New on the ASY Team:
America Supports You is proud to welcome five new homefront organizations to the team this week!
United Warrior Survivor Foundation, located in Coronado, Calif.,provides care to spouses of fallen special operations personnel. The organization helps families through financial aid, camps for children, packages and community advocacy.
The Blewitt Foundationbased in Aldie, Va.,provides comfort and enjoyment to military families, primarily children, through recreational and educational programs.KIA WIA, Inc., in Fayetteville, N.C.,assists WIA and KIA troops and their families through scholarships, education, assistance with rehabilitation, financial assistance and by connecting them to other organizations.
Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, Inc.sends care packages and letters of encouragement to our deployed servicemembers.
National Rehabilitation and Rediscovery Foundation, Inc.works to improve the quality of life for traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients and their families. The Arlington, Va. based organization provides a comprehensive program for servicemembers with TBI. ASY from Coast to Coast and Across the Ocean:
Over the weekend America Supports You homefront organization The Thank You Foundation held a benefit for Corporal Joel Dulashanti at the Chuck Cain VFW Post 7670 in Hamilton, Ohio. Cpl. Dulashanti was severely wounded in Afghanistan in May 2007, and his right leg was amputated at the knee. The Dulashantis are currently residing at Mologne House at Walter Reed Army Medical Center while Joel has physical and occupational therapy. The featured entertainment for the evening was a "Tribute to Elvis" starring Paul Halverstadt, an Elvis impersonator and a silent auction. John Guinn, president and founder of The Thank You Foundation said: "Everyone who attended had a great time and we raised over $3,000 for Joel and Lindsey. Funds raised will help with the personal out of pocket expenses the family has incurred.” Joel and Lindsey were unable to attend, but on hand were family representatives and Representative Jean Schmidt of the 2nd Congressional District of Ohio. “The mission of Thank You Foundation is to show appreciation for our Veterans and Active Duty Personnel….The citizens of Cincinnati responded to let this soldier know that he is loved and appreciated,” Guinn said.
On Sunday, September 2, America Supports You supporters the San Diego Padres held a Salute to Veterans at PETCO Park. The team honored San Diego County Veteran of the Year, retired Navy Capt. Robert White, president of the Chula Vista Veterans Home Support Foundation, and Gunnery Sgt. David Lind, a wounded Marine who served in Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. Lind is a bilateral amputee from wounds he recently received in Iraq. After Lind’s experience with the Padres, he sent a message to his friends and colleagues who could not join him at the ballpark. In the note Lind wrote: “I am not a professional baseball fan, and I have never been a fan of any team in California, but let me tell you this – the treatment I received from the Padres has made me a life-long fan of that organization.” The Padres invited Lind to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before their game against the division rival, Los Angeles Dodgers. Padres all-star closer Trevor Hoffman presented Lind with an authentic camouflage jersey, customized with Lind’s name and signed by every player. The team also invited Lind’s family and friends to share his day at the ballpark.
America Supports You homefront group America’s VetDogs is doing a great job showing their appreciation for our servicemembers. A group of dedicated Dallas/Fort Worth puppy walkers and their puppies volunteer monthly to greet servicemembers as they return through the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. One of the volunteers remarked recently: "The atmosphere at the airport terminal is one of pure jubilation…. Smiles light up the soldiers’ tired faces when they realize a pup is there to greet them."
The Dallas Songwriters Association is spreading the America Supports You Message by holding its 2007/2008 “Songs from the Soul of Service” contest, inviting aspiring songwriters who wear a military uniform to participate! “We’ve ramped up a little bit better technology this time so we can facilitate everything online,” William Brown, the program’s director, said of this second competition, “we have it set up for them to upload (submissions) directly to Broadjam music service.” The organization is currently accepting music in different categories including country, world, instrumental, novelty, hip hop, pop and inspirational. Servicemembers can submit their songs or those of an immediate family member. Military personnel also may submit a song posthumously on behalf of an immediate family member or a fallen comrade. Read More

Featured on the ASY Web Site Last Week:
Operation Stars and Stripes
“Our mission is to send support, smiles and care packages, as well as small appliances, … to our combat support hospitals….We are just a group of volunteer Americans who are proud of what our military is doing and feel that they should know that we support them and will not forget about them.”
- Meredith Kelly, Chairman, Operation Stars and Stripes

Silver Star Families’ Hear- 4- You
“We are just there to listen (to military personnel and their families affected by post-deployment stress and post-traumatic stress disorder). We are not counseling.…We would love to see (Hear- 4- You) really grow and … make some type of difference.”
- Janie Orman, Vice President, Silver Star Families of America

ASY In the News:
My Fox Colorado (Fox 31) covered Army Staff Sergeant Matthew Keil’s hero’s welcome home after months of rehabilitation at Craig Hospital. Keil, who was shot by a sniper in Iraq and is now a quadriplegic, will be moving with his wife Tracy into a specially adapted home. The home is provided by Pulte homes along with America Supports You homefront groups American Military Family and Homes for our Troops.
Pittsburgh Morning News reported on Pittsburgh’s first America Supports You Freedom Walk.
The Leaf Chronicle (TN) wrote about America Supports You homefront group Operation Homefront’s Freedom Walk.

ASY Homefront Organization of the Week:
Little Patriots Embraced was founded by Mary Frost with the mission of delivering emotional and psychological support for the children and spouses of our deployed servicemembers. The Chesterfield, Mo. based organization accomplishes this mission through providing families with care packages. To date, Little Patriots Embraced has sent packages to families in over 30 states.
The organization plans to create a MD-TEC Fund (military dependent-tuition, emergency, and childcare fund) which will allow military spouses to pursue their educational goals, as well as provide other opportunities for families of the military. Recently representatives from Little Patriots Embraced made their way from Mo. to Washington, D.C. for the National Freedom Walk. The organization went to distribute information and partake in remembering the victims and families of 9/11’s tragic events and honor our veterans past and present. For more information, please check out: www.littlepatriotsembraced.org/

From the Troops:
“I want to thank everyone that is supporting us. It really helps us out when we are out there you have no idea. Thank you so very much and God bless America!”
- A1C, Air Force, David Yaronczyk, Enterprise, Ala.

“Thank you for all your support!!! We all appreciate it more than you know!”
- SPC US Army Rachael Oliveira, Quincy, Calif.

Our troops deserve to be applauded, and so do you!

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