Honor. Serve. Remember.
Thank you for joining us in commemorating the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance by hosting a meaningful 1-hour volunteer event at your location. This 1-hour event invites associates to come together in service, by assembling Battalion Buddies for children of deployed service members, crafting paracord lanyards that offer practical support to our troops and writing personal letters of gratitude to our military and first responders. Through this initiative, your 1-hour event will turn a day of remembrance into a powerful act of unity and appreciation.
Volunteer Program Materials:
The specific Operation Gratitude volunteer activity you’ll host is based on the number of participants registered for your event and the event kits and materials assigned to you.
For full details—including a breakdown of the materials you’ll receive—please refer to the confirmation email sent by Operation Gratitude.
PLANNING YOUR EVENT
Within three business days of submitting your event request form, you will receive an email from an Operation Gratitude team member confirming your event details.Â
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Once these details have been confirmed:Â
Reserve an event space large enough for all participants to be seated at tables.
Ensure you have IT capabilities in your event space to show the Battalion Buddy and paracord assembly videos.
Each Battalion Buddy takes about 15 minutes to assemble and each paracord lanyard takes about 6-8 minutes!
Most Event Boxes Will Include:Â
Battalion Buddy KitsÂ
Each kit will include:
Battalion Buddy Skin
Camo Style Jacket
Operation Gratitude Tag for Around the NeckÂ
Pre-Portioned Bear Stuffing
Paracord Lanyards
Blank Cards
Prepaid return shipping label(s)
Internal and external packing slip(s) with Operation Gratitude identification barcode
You are responsible for:Â
Scissors or Box Cutter(s) (to access bear kits)Â
Shipping TapeÂ
Sharpie(s) or Marker(s)Â
Return Shipping Coordination (instructions below)Â
SETTING UP YOUR EVENT
Tables/SeatingÂ
The Battalion Buddy assembly, paracord making and letter-writing activities are a seated event. The event host should choose either round and rectangular tables based on available space and total number of volunteers.
Battalion Buddy AssemblyÂ
Place a Battalion Buddy kit at each chair or distribute the kits as participants arrive. Each participant should use one bear kit at a time to avoid mixing the materials.
Each kit includes all materials needed to assemble one Battalion Buddy. Ensure participants use all stuffing provided in their kits and keep materials separate to avoid excess stuffing.Â
Discard plastic zippered pouches. DO NOT repack the bear into the pouch.
Set up boxes to drop off completed bears. Stage additional Battalion Buddy kits next to the drop-off box.
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Battalion buddies
PARACORD Lanyards
Paracord Lanyards
Assign a lead for this activity who can learn how to make the paracord lanyards ahead of time. This person will demonstrate the process and guide participants during your event. To help prepare, please refer to the following resources:Â
Letters of Gratitude
Writing letters using the cards included in your event kit is a simple yet powerful way for participants to express their gratitude to those who serve.
We recommend reviewing and printing our Letter Writing Guidelines to have at your event. Sharing these with participants before they begin will help ensure their messages are thoughtful, respectful and meaningful.
AFTER THE EVENT
Discard all plastic from the Battalion Buddy kits (including the plastic zippered pouch). Do not use them for shipping.
All completed paracord lanyards, letters and Battalion Buddies will need to be boxed and shipped back to Operation Gratitude:
Step 1: Re-pack all completed Battalion Buddies into the original box(es) the kits were shipped in. When packed properly, the Operation Gratitude-branded boxes can typically hold up to 40 completed bears. Follow the packing guidelines below to maximize space and ensure safe transport:
Place bears in the box, alternating the position of the faces. One layer should be face up and the next face down as pictured below. Carefully packing these bears will ensure they are all able to fit in the boxes provided and will avoid damage in transit.
Any damaged bears should be placed in the top row. These will be repaired at Operation Gratitude HQ.
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Step 2: Place the completed paracords on top of the bears.
Step 3: Place the completed letters on top of the paracords.
Step 4: Close and secure the box using packing tape, and ensure the box is sufficiently sealed.
Return Shipping
Place the prepaid shipping label (included in your event box) directly over the original shipping label.
Secure the Operation Gratitude external packing slip to the side of the box. DO NOT cover your shipping label.
Prepaid shipping labels ONLY: Schedule your USPS pickup or drop the box off at your local post office. To schedule pickup, use the following link and follow the steps: https://tools.usps.com/schedule-pickup-steps.htm
Note: If the system asks for weight, enter 15 pounds and the shipping provider will update the weight automatically.
Questions?
If you have any questions or need additional support, email: margo.emery@sci-us.com
All materials received in your event box need to be shipped back to Operation Gratitude no later than October 15, 2025!
