11/09/08” I
am a Program Assistant at a Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club and I'd love
for my kids to be a part of what you are doing. What do I do with the
letters/cards they make?”
Shanna
Bolerjack
Program
Assistant
“Thank you for offering me the DVD for my
donation. Thank you for letting me know that you received the donation though.
I have never donated online before and was
not quite sure if the electrons would arrive in the proper in-basket!
Pat P.
PS WHEN is the
latest that you can mail stuff and still have it arrive ?
We will be getting paid soon, and if it is not too late I'd like to give you
more postage money.”
11/07/08 “I heard about your
website on KUTV2. Our ladies group at church just held a holiday boutique and
the theme was "Red, White & Blue Christmas" to honor our
troops. Christmas cards were set out for attendees to sign. Also, our first
grade class is going to make Christmas cards for soldiers as their Veterans
Day activity.
Could you please advise where
to send or drop off these cards.
Thank you for your assistance
and the good work you are doing, Cheryl Illario "
"I am the VP of a Elementary
school in Las Vegas dont know who to contact or where we
would need to send this stuff and or what they even need.
If you could contact me by either email or by calling me
ASAP I would appreciate it.
Amanda Shockley"
"Hello my name is Sophie Hall. I am wanting
to send Christmas cards to soldiers. I have an elementary school and a jr . high that wants to help me. I am just wondering what
the best way for me to do this is. If you could let me know as soon as
possible that would be great!
11/05/08 If you have an old cell phone you don’t need, send it to
Cell Phones for Soldiers and they will turn it into calling cards for
soldiers.
Hello~
Could you please send us an address to where we can send
you 1500 prepaid calling cards for your troops?
Thank you for what you are doing!
Brittany Bergquist
Co-founder, CPFSCell Phones for Soldiers 243 Winter Street Norwell, MA 02061 781-659-7789 Home cellphonesforsoldiers@yahoo.com
www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com
Happy morning
after concert!
It was a great
concert last night; I took your advice and took my wife for her birthday.
Once you have
recovered, I have two questions:
1- I will have
the Card Café discount cards printed and ready to put in the packages soon.
Where do you want us to deliver them?
2- The
president of our company is in charge of a church activity where they will be
writing letters to soldiers. He of course would like to give them to
you for distribution. Do you have any suggestions, criteria, or
parameters that you would suggest as they do this?
Thanks,
Randy G. Barney
Business Development Manager
Card Café
Dear Denise,
Can I just say, the show last night was absolutely
BEAUTIFUL, INSPIRING, BREATHTAKING, AND OH SO HEALING! I think words
cannot even describe the feelings of goodwill, and joy that were ever
present. Your beautiful efforts, and loving heart again paid off. It
just keeps getting more and more spectacular. I just hope and pray
that more and more, and more people will start enjoying the benefits of
supporting our troops.
It was a privilege to be a part of this wonderful show.
Thank you for inviting me to perform with the other wonderful
performers.
Thank you for everything you did to put this together. GOD
LOVE YOU.
How close did you come to your goal? That is so
amazing that our own governor would put forth his own money too in helping send
these packages.
Take it easy today you amazing woman you.
GOD BLESS AMERICA
LOVE WENDY
********
My son
Hayden is planning an Eagle project.
He wants
to collect music CDs from various local artists. We anticipate
collecting between 2,000 and 3,000 CDs.
He wants
to attach a "thank you" note on 1/2 of the CDs so they can be sent
to the soldiers. He wants to donate the rest to an organization to be sold to
pay for shipping costs to get them in the soldiers
hands.
Would
you be interested in accepting these donations to your organization to help
your great cause?
I am a
teacher. I'm also the lead singer of Joshua Creek Lehi at Willow
Creek Middle
School
We're
going to try to get the project approved this evening so that we can start
ASAP.
If we
collect 2,000 CDs, how many of them would you want held out to sell? He
will attach a note to each of the rest of them. I have access to a
lot of them right away. We can get them to you quickly if you need them for
anything.
If you
would like, we can package the CDs in envelopes with letters inside. If
it's easier for you, we can just bring you the CDs that will be send in boxes
of 100 with a note attached. You can then put them together with other care
package items.
I
will call you later when I get a break from teaching my classes.
Jeff
Denise,
Thank you for putting together
the wonderful concert. I too, wish more people were there. I did put some
money in the donation box to help out.
Drew Reese is coming to our
school to sing for Veteran's Day and I was wondering if it would be possible
to get a copy of the slides that were shown while he and others were singing.
The pictures made it so much more powerful and I would like the students to
get an idea of what our troops are doing for us. Would that be possible?
Thanks,
Jennifer Yorgesen
Willowcreek Middle School
**
I am
the Manager of a local Sleep Number bed store in Columbia Missouri you,
is there a local drop off area etc? Any additional information you
could give me would be greatly appreciated.
We had a great turnout the
other night at our event. We should have about 50 stockings and letters done
right away. How can I get them to you? I hope your event went well.
Let me know if you need
anything else.
shelley s.
Our
"emptynesters " family night group wrote
letters in Christmas cards for the soldiers this week and we would like to
send them to you for distribution. Please send the address so we can.
We are looking to write
letters to soldiers this Christmas season and wanted to know if you could
help our school get these letters out to the troops?
We want to open this up to
our whole school. Could you send me
any information on what needs to be done to get these letters to your orginazation ?
Thanks.
Mr. Douglas Wyatt
6th Grade Teacher
Cascade
Elementary
Can we
still bid on this painting? Or
was last night when
it ended?
susan
Susan A.
Lead Secretary
Cedar Ridge Elementary
Thanks for all you do. You
are great!
Mrs.
Hadfield's 6th grade
HI, my
name is Miss Murphy. I teach third grade at Gearld
Wright Elementary in West Valley
City , UT.
Thanks so much,
Miss Murphy, third grade teacher, Gearld Wright
Elementary
Thank you for all you have
done for our soldiers!
I am an elementary school
teacher in Reno , Nevada
I have a few students writing hand written letters to our troops. Would you please give me the address I
could send these to?
I was thinking of sending
them as Happy Thanksgiving letters, but would it be better to have the kids
write them as Christmas letters since I imagine it will take a while for them
to get to our troops?
Thanks again,
Julia Biasi
Special Education Student
Teacher
Diedrichsen Elementary
School
We would like to know what we can do here at the school
as a school. Please let us know!
Thank you,
Codi Block Alpine School
My name
is Barbara Williams, an instructor at Kirby High School
I am a Langauge Arts teacher in Marysville and next week my studetns will be honoring Veterans Day by writitng letters to our heros
in war, as well as past heros home. I need to
know how to get these letters to our men and women fighting for us today.
Please e-mail me what I can do with our letters.
Thank you and
God Bless
Amy Armstrong
Hello! My name is Melanie and I am a student teacher. I am
doing a lesson with my 4th graders this Friday 11/7 about Veteran's Day and I
wanted to have them each write a letter to a soldier. I came across your
website and was very touched by it. I was wondering how I could send the
letters that my students will write to the soldiers. What are the guidelines
for writting a letter? Thank you so much for your
help. God Bless!
Did you happen to recieve our
RSVP for the concert? I guess that we will be in Salt Lake Wenesday we have been looking
forward to this for along time now. We just hope that everything goes well.
Barney”
“ just wanted to find out how I can volunteer to help out!
Thanks!
Deneen J.”
" things,
I would like to donate these to your cause if possible. Please let me
know were I can drop them.
"Thanks
for all you do. You are great!"
Mrs.
Hadfield's 6th grade
Thank you KSL:
Audio
Related Links
-
Letters to Soldiers fundraising concert information
Christmas
fundraiser for troops scheduled for Wednesday
November 3rd, 2008 @ 5:53pm
By Jed Boal
Fifteen
hundred American soldiers will enjoy a special Christmas thanks to a
fundraising concert Wednesday.
"Operation Ensuring Christmas" will send Christmas packages to Utah soldiers and others in Iraq
and Afghanistan
Sgt. Drew
Howells
The support organization will put on a benefit concert Wednesday night at
Studio 600. The performance features local and national talent, including
singing Sgt. Drew Howells.
"Those are my friends out there. I'm back here with their families,
and I see how difficult it is. Whatever I can do to support them and their
families back here, it's the least I can do," Howells said.
"All this is our love to our troops of Utah DeVynck , with Letters to Soldiers.
To find out more about the concert, click the related link to the right of
the story.
E-mail: jboal@ksl.com
and Fox13
Letters to Soldiers -
Operation Ensuring Christmas Fundraiser
Last Edited: Tuesday, 04 Nov 2008, 2:58 PM MST
Created: Saturday, 01 Nov 2008, 4:20 PM MDT
Seen on TV
SideBar
Related Items
Videos
To learn more about Letters to Soldiers and buying
tickets for their upcoming fundraising concert - Operation Insuring
Christmas, visit them online at:
www.LettersToSoldiers.Org
See sidebar to view video.
for interviewing us about our
concert. Jed Boal of KSL you are our friend. And
KSL and KJZZ Cafe in am watch 10am for Drew Reese singing his song about our
flag.
Susan Alleman brought over 100 home made stockings made by her grandchildren,
decorated the concert hall with her daughter
that is serving in Iraq Taylor STudio 600 spent over 7 hours setting up sound system to
be perfect with Drew Reese getting sound just right as our performers
rehearsed. Thank you all that helped
Military Relations will have 3 representatives at the concert
as
well as Don Hullenger . See you tonight—I’ll
make a donation at the door.
Thanks for all your work.
Frank Clawson
To Whom
It May Concern:
We are
discussing Veterans Day in our sixth grade social studies classes. As a
culminating activity, we would like to write letters to our soldiers on Iraq
Thank you
for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Alyssa Mortimer
Carson Middle School
Sixth Grade English, Reading
The IDT Center of Christus St. Joseph Villa is interested in helping you
with Christmas for our Troops.
We do not have money
donations (potential is there) but we do have man power and we will collect
donations of items on your list.
It would be helpful if we
could have a contact name and number of someone from your organization who
will help us facilitate our efforts.
As far as contacts here at the Villa, primary contact person is myself , Linda Maestas , @ (801)
487-7557, extension 3117. Next would
be Barbara Castillo, Social Services-(801) 487-7557, extension 3119, and
Hailey Hadean, Director of Resident Activities-(801) 487-7557, extension
3110.
We look forward to hearing
from you ASAP. We will be having a
meeting to discuss the planning of how we will proceed with helping on November
11, @ 1:30 p.m.
Please let me know a
deadline date, as well, so we can fine tune the efficiency in getting you
help.
I look forward to hearing
from you soon.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Maestas ,
Director of Medical Records St.
T hank you Sandra and team at Ft.
Douglas 96th Army Reserve, Marilyn, Mr. Young, Jennifer Yorgensen ,
Shawn of Taylor Audio, and Evan for the PA system, Tamra for helping me,
Renee, Patti and Greg for doing it all, Susan and her daughter who's husband
is serving in Iraq for doing so much for the families and decorating. Viv of Imperial Weddings for decorating the Stage and and all other volunteers helping with calling and put out
flyers. And all the wonderful volunteers around the state that made this
possible.
10/30/08
"PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHERE I CAN
MAIL HOLIDAY CARDS TO YOU TO SEND TO OUR
TROOPS OVERSEAS. WE ARE HAVING A MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY ON VETERAN’S
DAY AND ASKING ALL OUR CUSTOMERS TO WRITE NOTES IN HOLIDAY
CARDS TO SEND OUR TROOPS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW TO INSURE THAT THE
CARDS REACH OUR TROOPS. THANK YOU,
KHILL"
" Date : Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:54:32 -0600rogb Hola brothers and sisters, you can drive.
11/07/08
"Hello,
we
will be here at this address until 15 JAN 09: ...
Thank
you for all of your support.. my
soldiers really appreciate your service. It is uncommon and has not gone
unnoticed."
V/R
KELLY
R. WILSON
1LT,
MS, USAR
328th
DET 40 COMMANDER
Camp Liberty , Iraq
11/06/08 Thank you General Harrison for coming to greet the
families of those deployed at the concert. You were so gracious and the
singer Allison JAnisse ’ little boy loved going up
on stage with you.
From our 328th Hospital Unit of Army Reserve we said
farewell to a few months ago:
W reached our post and
have
a mailing address. I was wondering who I contact so my
soldiers be supported by your services.
V/R
KELLY R. WILSON
1LT, MS, USAR
328th
DET 40 COMMANDER Camp Liberty , Iraq
11/04/08
"Where
are you located at? I had a son just come home from Afghanistan West Valley City , Utah DAvid "
Classification:
UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
Good Morning,
Major General
Cooke is available. What time do you need him there.V /r
-----Original
Message-----
From: Stayer,
Sandra J Ms USAR 96TH RRC
Sent: Tuesday,
November 04, 2008 7:56 AM
To: Cooke, Peter
S MG USAR 96TH RRC
Subject:
Concert Nov 5
Pardon the interuption Sir,
I need you to
view the attached flyer.
The Governor's
office said the Governor "got the time or date" or whatever mixed
up and now cannot appear tomorrow night to welcome all the families to this
concert which is to benefit 1,500 Utah soldiers deployed for Christmas (to
raise airfare and postage for care packages and letters) Denise and I have
worked really hard to put this together and we really need an Official to
welcome these families to the concert.
Rick from the
"Breeze" is going to be the MC.
Do you have
time and energy to be our Official tomorrow night?
Please let me
know. Thanks.
I appreciate
your time.
Sandra Stayer,
Counseling Support
11/03/08 From Chaplain MOntoya's wife:
Hello there,
I am coming with my children. Thank you for hosting this. The
word has been spreading… Prayers continue to ask for help in people coming
and donating and supporting our troops. Thanks for all you are doing!"
Felila
From Utah
"Thanks, Denise. We are planning on coming, and will be
bringing a number of items that were recently donated by an Eagle Scout in Lehi .
I have also been sending out your flyers to our FRG ladies, as
have the rest of the UTNG Family Programs people. I'm looking forward
to it.
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
We did receive the letters and they were passed out,
thank you very much. We do some much appreciate your support and the support
of your organization.
V/R
LT Markel
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Denise-
I received your package of letters. Thank you.
I understand your limitations regarding sending 1000
packages for Christmas. Whatever you send will be great. Just
knowing that people are praying for us and thinking of us means a lot.
Blessings,
Chaplain Brandon
S. Harding
10/31/08 We are so thrilled and honored that families of the
National Guard 142nd unit deployed in Afghanistan RSVPing to come as our honored guests to the concert Nov.
5th
"you have done an amazing job and
you are an amazing lady. I am impressed by your heart in this project
and I am blessed to have met you and being
given the opportunity to help you continue your work that is so
important. I made a new site for us on digital rodeo tonight that will
get the music artists behind us. it has all
your info , links, organization ect..and
what you are doing. We are just a group of artists, songwriters,
musicians, record companies, etc. who are going to help you get the money you
so badly need. God willing...this is going to go National setting up
benefit shows to raise the money for your fund. You have a lot more
people than you think behind you on this one.
I am just one of many....I just happened to come into your life
at the right time and everything you are already doing is what we all want to
do. You are making a huge difference... your time has not been wasted
and I Promise you that we will back you 100% in all your efforts. You
are awesome..and I mean
that from my heart...and as a mother of a soldier..I
send you hugs for caring so deeply. Hugs
Tamra"
(Tamra
Lynn Smith, Mother of Utah Soldier and songwriter of "Everyday I'm Hangin On")
10/30/08
"Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
Live for Iraq
I would like to thank you all for your support of
myself and all the other Utah Service Members here in country. Being away
from my family is hard and it would even be harder if the American public was
not supporting the Troops. I know that the history the people of Utah
Again thank you so much, May God bless
you all and watch over you.
KERRY B. MILLER
MSG , USA
Garrison Life Support Officer"
10/29/08 142nd National Guard FAmilies
were grateful that Mariposa stores donated clothes and coats for their kids:
10/14/08
" I will pass that on to Pete. Thank you and please thank all
the wonderful people who will be participating in this activity. I am honored
to render my service for such wonderful Patriots like you."
Sincerely,
James A. Montoya
Chaplain
(Major) UTARNG
I met the
mother of Sgt. Peter Schultz last night. When she saw me writing my script
for a radio 30 second spot about our concert, she told me she was so grateful
I was sending letters and stuff to our troops and that her son was in the
ARMY, and a Green Berret on his 2nd Tour. Her name
is Janet G.. She told me she would love to help make
some of the 1,500 Christmas Stockings we are sending and she is such a dear.
Then I told her some of the National Guard units I was sending to from Utah
10/13/08
OH how wonderful to hear back from you Chaplain. I know it
may sound weird that I get as excited as a kid on Christmas morning after
Santa has visited, but collecting the cards and donated items from Americans
all over the world expressing how much they love our brave and selfless men
and women in uniform makes me feel that way.
I sent 150 boxes of cards, and
tons of gifts for an Active Duty ARmy unit last
Christmas through their chaplain. I sent them out on Dec. 3rd and they
received them 1 week before Christmas. I know that the usual 10 day
travel time for the packages is much slower during the holidays.
The plan is to raise the $15,000 we need to ship 1,500
boxes to the military units and a hospital in Kuwait School District
offices before Thanksgiving Vacation on the 27th. Then we plan get all
the volunteers we can to box up all the collected items, label and shrink
wrap the packages onto 20 crates USPS is providing, and having them picked up
the following Monday with a special trailer they have committed. So we will
just have faith that the Lord will get those packages out to you before
Christmas as they did last Christmas. I have already added your unit of
our Utah National Guard to send Christmas to this
year. I am grateful to have Jennie Taylor support me in this wonderful
opportunity. Many, many people here in Utah
Wish everyone with you our love and prayers,
Denise http://www.letterstosoldiers.org/christmas08.htm
(you can read the daily offers of service for this project on this
page)
-----Original Message-----UTah
Hello!
This sounds like a wonderful event and I am very
appreciative of the
support to our soldiers. There are 310
Soldiers in our Battalion here
in Afghanistan
CH Montoya
P.S. I have attached the mailing deadlines or dates things
need to be sent in order for them to arrive before Christmas.
James A. Montoya Chaplain (Major) UTARNG Task Force
Wasatch
10/26/08
We love our Utah Air Guard:
Thank Joe, Ali, Valerie, Denise ,
Lydia
From: Sh. Joseph C SMSgt 151ARW/CCF
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2008 7:46 AM
To: H.Valerie M TSgt ANG 130
EIS/IMQ
Subject: RE: Event on the 5 Nov 2008
"Hi Valerie,
Even though I don't think we need tickets if we
are helpers, I plan to buy one anyway to make a monetary donation to the event.
I also plan to volunteer at least the afternoon of the event to help them get
things ready for the event that evening. On the evening of the event, I think
she is planning for us to help greet and possibly usher people to their
seats, maybe even help with refreshments. I am sure she appreciates whatever
time and energy you will offer. If you want to give her a call, her number is
...Joe"
-----Original Message-----
From: H. Valerie M TSgt ANG 130 EIS/IMQ
Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2008 9:41 AM
To: S. Joseph C SMSgt 151ARW/CCF
Subject: Event on the 5 Nov 2008
SMS Shern ,
"I volunteered to help out with the Operation
Ensuring Christmas concert event."
"We would love to attend Operation Ensuring Christmas
concert. My husband and I are Gold Star parents and appreciate
invitation. We look forward to it. There will be two of us.
Thank you,"
Amy and Tony G.
Proud parents of Cpl. Adam Galvez, USMC
KIA 8/20/06 Iraq
From a PUblic Affairs Unit of 13 from Utah National Guard 4th ID in Iraq
"Hello Denise,
Thanks for your efforts on our behalf. It's best to
contact my wife direct about the concert/fund raiser. She is cc'd on this email and you can reach her at k...
God bless you and yours, who are working diligently on
our behalf.
Warmest regards,
-SPC Douglas L. York-
GO UTES!!!"
From his wife:
"Thank You so much this is such a wonderful
opportunity!!! I will definitely be there. I also forwarded this to my good
friend Amy Jo J. whose husband is deployed with mine. She too would love to
come!! I hope that that is okay, it sounded like that was fine though. I
appreciate all that you are doing to help our soldiers. There is no way I
could thank you enough."
Kristen
"I t
took a few days, but we cleared out the ward, and now, for new patients
coming in, they will find one of the messages you sent on their pillow, and
one on the night stand. The pictures arent much,
but I thought I'd show you anyway :-) Thanks!"
-Logan
-----Original Message-----logan.latimer
Got your package today,
and we're distributing the letters now. We also
have a guy here who's been giving the contact info for
the emails so
some of the people will receive responses to the
letters =)
Thanks again!
-Logan
-----Original Message-----
From: Letters to Soldiers
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2008 11:38 PM
To: Latimer, Logan A1C USAF AFCENT 386 EMDG/CASF
Subject: RE: 386th CASF
I will get a package out asap
for the wounded in your facility too, I
love sending them the special
cards we get from children. This is very
exciting for us to help in
this effort. Also remember when you do move,
to pass the batton onto
the next unit in charge so all injured get our
cards and letters
nonstop.
Thanks for looking into the military shipping if
possible. My friend is
a Navy doctor in MD and he can
help too. T hansk D.-----Original
Message-----
From: logan.latimer
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2008 1:14 PM
To: info@letterstosoldiers.org
Subject: 386th CASF
I was wondering if I could register the facility
I'm working at to
receive letters and other
support items. We are the 386th Contingency
Aeromedical Staging Facility located
at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait
We receive patients that have been medically evacuated
from different
parts of Iraq
used to work at the CASF in Germany
The USO provided lots of support type letters, posters,
artwork, etc.
The CASF here in Kuwait
with the USO and other organizations to help boost the
morale of the
sick and injured troops on
their way home. Is there a way we can
register the entire facility?
Thanks for your time and support.
Respectfully,
-A1C Logan Latimer"
From: Mills, Richard B 1LT RES USAR FORSCOM (From Utah
Army Reserve Fort
Douglas
Sent: Friday,
October 10, 2008 9:25 AM
To: Stayer,
Sandra J Ms USAR 96TH RRC
Subject: Re:
RE: RE: RE: RE: Approved documents
Wow... That is
awesome. Thank you so much for your support. We really do appreciate it over
here.
Richard Mills
1LT, MI, USAR
Classification:
UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
(Have added the 259th for 85 Boxes. So thrilled to be able to do this.)
" 09/25/08
Forwarded by Military
Liaison LDS
Church
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Denise-
Thank you for your support.
My unit is about 1000 men, so we would fit just right with what you
would like to do for Christmas. My mailing address is below.
Blessings, Chaplain Brandon S. Harding"
“D enise,
I believe that the personal care products for the servicemen we
have are now ready for pick up.
There are 3 pallets. How do we make the arrangements?
We are now in Springville behind our corporate building.
2089 Neways Drive
Building 2, Dock doors 14,15,16
Springville, Utah
Best regards,
Kevin Bowman
NEWAYS WORLD WIDE
Distribution/Assembly Department
Click Jill Stevens' and One
Voice Children's Choir's picture to see pictures of the concert! Thank
you to all who donated including our Generous Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. and
First Lady Mary Kaye Huntsman for your donation and wonderful address.
