Honoring Those Who Serve On Veterans' Day
Fellow mediator and blogger Nancy Hudgins points out a great site to explore on this day in honor of those who serve in our nation's military. "Any Soldier Dot Com" will give you the address of a soldier to whom you can send a "care package" of your creation. Nancy details her own experience in sending such packages, and reminds us that it really doesn't take much to make a big difference in the lives of those who serve.
I saw Nancy's post just as I read of the efforts of two New Jersey dentists (and friends of mine), Ed Johnson and his daughter, Katelin Johnson. Ed and Katelin conduct an annual drive to buy up the Halloween candy collected by local kids and send it to our troops. The price paid is $1 per pound, and this year their package is expected to exceed 400 pounds. It will be sent to a local soldier serving in Afghanistan for further distribution there. The Johnsons pay for the candy and the costs of packaging and shipping.
Whatever you may feel about our nation's involvement in any given conflict, efforts like these bring to mind that "supporting the troops" can take many forms. Spread the word.
[Image: Joseph Ambrose, an 86 year-old World War I veteran, attends the dedication day parade for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1982. He is holding the flag that covered the casket of his son, who was killed in the Korean War]
