Thanking Our Troops by Motte Brown on 05/07/2007 at 10:18 AM

"We can't thank our soldiers enough. But that doesn't mean we can't try."

Those are the words of 18-year-old Californian Shauna Fleming, creator of the "A Million Thanks" campaign to collect and distribute thank you letters to our armed forces. Shauna's quest began in 2004 after her father urged her to "do something special for the troops" with a high school project.

This year, General Motors is teaming up with Shauna for the month of May -- National Military Appreciation Month (NMAM) -- by placing "A Million Thanks" collection boxes in their Pontiac, Buick and GMC dealerships across the country. Their goal, obviously, is to collect a million thank you letters. For a location near you, go here.

There's another campaign, which is unaffiliated with Shauna's, going on through 1800flowers.com to collect a million thanks. Here are the details:

1-800-FLOWERS.COM® has launched a unique Web site to say a special "thanks" to all of the military personnel, especially moms for Mother's Day! Soldiers and military personnel around the world can view this site to read your inspiring messages of encouragement, gratitude, hope and inspiration.

For other ways to show your appreciation, visit National Military Appreciation Month - May 2007.

Thanking Our Troops by Motte Brown on 05/07/2007 at 10:18 AM

"We can't thank our soldiers enough. But that doesn't mean we can't try."

Those are the words of 18-year-old Californian Shauna Fleming, creator of the "A Million Thanks" campaign to collect and distribute thank you letters to our armed forces. Shauna's quest began in 2004 after her father urged her to "do something special for the troops" with a high school project.

This year, General Motors is teaming up with Shauna for the month of May -- National Military Appreciation Month (NMAM) -- by placing "A Million Thanks" collection boxes in their Pontiac, Buick and GMC dealerships across the country. Their goal, obviously, is to collect a million thank you letters. For a location near you, go here.

There's another campaign, which is unaffiliated with Shauna's, going on through 1800flowers.com to collect a million thanks. Here are the details:

1-800-FLOWERS.COM® has launched a unique Web site to say a special "thanks" to all of the military personnel, especially moms for Mother's Day! Soldiers and military personnel around the world can view this site to read your inspiring messages of encouragement, gratitude, hope and inspiration.

For other ways to show your appreciation, visit National Military Appreciation Month - May 2007.

Comments

[1. Em said the following at 12:49 PM on May 7:]

1

Awesome ideas! Thank you for the links.

[2. Jacob said the following at 5:16 PM on May 7:]

2

One of my friends here at college joined the Marines during his sophomore year and found out in the Fall of his junior year that he would be deployed to Iraq the coming April. He was there for a year and just recently made it back home. In recognition of his service and his willingness to serve while in college, our senior class gift is going towards a scholarship for him, since he would have graduated with us, had he not been called up.

[3. Brittany said the following at 11:45 PM on May 7:]

3

Jacob, I think that's awesome! That is really what is great for troops and what the need--true, real, tangible encouragement. We're all very grateful for the support and care packages and thank you's that we get. It overwhelms us and often we don't even know what to say. Where I would encourage ya'll to truly get involved is in those areas that help those Soldiers coming back from war, or the families that have lost. Donations to organizations like the Fisher Foundation pay for lodging for families visiting wounded Soldiers at Landstuhl in Germany, Walter Reed, and Brooke Army Medical Center. There are Gold Star foundations for those that have lost loved ones to the war. Or better yet, find out, in the neighborhood where you are, who has family members deployed. If you're near a military town, easy...even if it's a drive away, go show up and just offer to help. Cut lawns, do home improvement projects, get involved with the local church. When you say thanks like this, it will touch the troops more than you. If you're in Dallas, look into helping the greeters that greet every Soldier getting off the plane there for RnR (it's a hub for that). I can tell you from two times of that, it is a humbling and special experience.

Boundless--thanks for encouraging this! We Soldiers love our country and love Soldiering, but there is no doubt this war is wearing on us and our families! Thanks for encouraging others to make the difference.
Brittany
Baghdad, Iraq

[1. Em said the following at 12:49 PM on May 7:]

1

Awesome ideas! Thank you for the links.

[2. Jacob said the following at 5:16 PM on May 7:]

2

One of my friends here at college joined the Marines during his sophomore year and found out in the Fall of his junior year that he would be deployed to Iraq the coming April. He was there for a year and just recently made it back home. In recognition of his service and his willingness to serve while in college, our senior class gift is going towards a scholarship for him, since he would have graduated with us, had he not been called up.

[3. Brittany said the following at 11:45 PM on May 7:]

3

Jacob, I think that's awesome! That is really what is great for troops and what the need--true, real, tangible encouragement. We're all very grateful for the support and care packages and thank you's that we get. It overwhelms us and often we don't even know what to say. Where I would encourage ya'll to truly get involved is in those areas that help those Soldiers coming back from war, or the families that have lost. Donations to organizations like the Fisher Foundation pay for lodging for families visiting wounded Soldiers at Landstuhl in Germany, Walter Reed, and Brooke Army Medical Center. There are Gold Star foundations for those that have lost loved ones to the war. Or better yet, find out, in the neighborhood where you are, who has family members deployed. If you're near a military town, easy...even if it's a drive away, go show up and just offer to help. Cut lawns, do home improvement projects, get involved with the local church. When you say thanks like this, it will touch the troops more than you. If you're in Dallas, look into helping the greeters that greet every Soldier getting off the plane there for RnR (it's a hub for that). I can tell you from two times of that, it is a humbling and special experience.

Boundless--thanks for encouraging this! We Soldiers love our country and love Soldiering, but there is no doubt this war is wearing on us and our families! Thanks for encouraging others to make the difference.
Brittany
Baghdad, Iraq