Our team is asking you to stay the course with us and go a step beyond saying “thank you for your service.”
We’re asking you to help us build bridges between civilians and our men and women in uniform and their families in communities nationwide.
As you read these words, there are moms and dads saying goodbye to their kids at airports just like I did on January 25, 2008 when my oldest son Luke turned 13. I remember that day like it was yesterday. I was on my way to Israel where I would spend the better part of my final year as a United States Marine. My youngest son, Jack, who was then 7, cried inconsolably, clutching the back of my neck and refusing to let go.
Although crocheting is her favorite method of volunteerism, Sonyia enjoys sewing cool ties and drawstring bags. She’s also ventured into card making because of the many options for creativity and color.
Even while working a full-time job, Sonyia said “there’s not a day that goes by where I’m not doing something for Operation Gratitude. I just enjoy it so much.”
What we do together during the Month of the Military Child will help thousands of military families feel appreciated, understood, and connected to their communities.
The eighth blog in the Every Day is a Day On series features Mary Sayers from North Carolina.
A dedicated volunteer who has served with Operation Gratitude for over 10 years, Mary is involved with her church’s Knitting for Charity group. Her love of making connections has created a large web of volunteers and donors. Mary loves to knit and shares her passion whenever she can.
Challenging weeks happen from time to time when you are part of a nonprofit and work tirelessly to make a difference.
But in those difficult moments, it always seems something inevitably happens that reminds us why serving others is so incredibly important and that we must stay the course.
The value of Operation Gratitude’s signature care packages isn’t measured in dollars and cents. It is measured by what it represents to both the service member and the volunteers who prepare them.
Our 18 years of consistent impact as an organization are a direct result of Americans, like you, who want our service men and women to know they are appreciated and never forgotten.
Small groups of volunteers including personnel from the Los Angeles North Army Recruiting Company, Los Angeles Police Department, local Marine Corps Poolees, the 195th Wing of the California Air National Guard, and of course, Operation Gratitude’s Blue Shirts gathered on separate days to help assemble 18,000 care packages being shipped to deployed troops.