....But we are so small! How can we help?

Recently American Hero Hugs has been working with several groups that organize events and donations for our HEROES. These organizers are not big time charities with huge boards and corporate sponsors. They are just normal people who want to do something good with their time and energy. Many of them have a spouse, parent, sibling or significant other in the military serving in military overseas. We would like to urge you to look at some of these smaller organization when you are thinking about giving. A lot times they are asking for donations that are not just monetary but rather items to go in care packages. No donation is too small. It all adds up when everyone pitches in.

Operation:Sweets for Soldiers is a small organization ran by "Two Army Wives who happen to be married to SOLDIERS who happen to be BROTHERS!" Their mission is to, "Boost morale for our men and women serving overseas from Fort Campbell! You can help by donating candy, and/or money to help pay for the shipping overseas! You can also write a note or send a card with your donated candy!" They also organize events like Calling Card Drive, Christmas Cards for Soldiers and Magazine, books and DVD Drive all of which are very simple ways for people to make small donations that really matters to our soldiers and show gratitude for the important work they are doing. visit their Operation:Sweets for Soldiers website to make a financial contribution.

Another small organization trying to make a difference is Treats 4 Troops They are based out of Bartow, Florida and are a "Non-Profit organization trying to raise funds to be able to send out care packages each month to the US Troops with snacks, Personal Care Items & just little pieces of home." Their mission is to, "Get care packages out to the Troops who may not recieve anything from others & to allow them to know they are thought of all the time." There are many soldiers who go for months without receiving a single package from home. To find out more about Treats 4 Troops follow their Treats 4 Troops blog. They will be launching an auction on Nov 8th and American Hero Hugs will be donating a couple of our products to be auctioned.

CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR SOLDIERS SIGNING EVENTS

Over the past weekend American Hero Hugs held Christmas Card Signing events at two different Walmarts in Kansas. We were not asking for money but did accept donations when offered. We provided the cards and pens for people to sign. We are very thankful to all who were so generous with both donations and their time. We would like to say we got 100% participation but sadly, we got as many rejections as we did people willing to write a message to a soldier. We had our kids with us so it was even more frustrating to get so many rejections. Trying to explain to kids ages 5-14 why people would reject the idea of signing a card of thanks to a soldier, is a pretty impossible task when you don't understand it yourself. Despite that, it was a great experience for us and for our children. We are thankful for the opportunity to participate and for the experience our kids had learning empathy and gratitude for our soldiers and their families, not just from the people who rejected the idea but by the many people who participated and expressed their gratitude. We can never be thankful enough for our HEROES. We were able to get 200 Christmas Cards signed by multiple people on each card and collected $205 in donations to help pay for shipping. The cards and donations will go to Warrant Officer Wives Club and their Christmas Cards For Soldiers and will be shipped to our soldiers in Afghanistan

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CHRISTMAS CARDS FOR SOLDIERS

American Hero Hugs is participating in Christmas Cards for Soldiers. We are very excited about this project. We designed our own special Christmas card and have had 200 cards made. 100 cards have already been sent out to 10 volunteers. Each volunteer received 10 cards to get signed by friends, family, co-workers. They will then send them to the organizer by Nov. 1, 2010. People really do want to help and participate but sometimes they just don't know how. We Can't thank Jessica Lloyd and the Warrant Officers Wives Club for organizing this event and making it so easy for people to participate.

I am very happy with our card because it holds special meaning for me. When my grandmother was alive she used to make homemade cards for birthdays, holidays and sometimes just because. She called them Tightwad Cards. My grandmother loved her country, her state and the small town where she lived. She had so much gratitude for the men and woman that made our freedoms possible. When trying to come up with a card design I immediately thought of her cards. I kept every card she sent so I dug them out and found the Christmas cards. Through the magic of the scanner I was able to scan in her artwork and use it for our card. I'm sure she would be very proud to know that I used her card to produce our American Hero Hugs Thank-You For Your Service Christmas Card. Not only does this experience give us the chance to do something for our soldiers to show that we support them, but on a personal level it gave me a few moments to sit and reflect about of the most amazing and beautiful women that every walked this earth and for that I even more grateful. Click the link above to find out how you can participate.

It was a tough job but doesn't compare to a HERO's Sacrifice

Recently American Hero Hugs was asked to create gifts for the family of a fallen HERO.

Army Staff Sgt James R Ide V, cause of Death: wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with small-arms fire is survived by his wife and two small children.

We are so honored to be asked to this. It wasn't an easy task. They wanted our American Hero Hugs pillowcase but asked for a different poem so I created the following poem for them.

As you close your eyes to sleep

I leave my love for you to keep.

I am with you night and day,

In your heart I will always stay

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We were also asked to create something special for his wife, and with inspirational guidance from my friend Jodi, who is a friend of Ide family and an Army wife herself, I was able to create this poem for her. I hope it brings a small comfort. The words and work for this project have come fairly easy. The emotion it has produced is much more difficult and uncomfortable, but leaves me feeling such gratitude for Staff Sgt James R Ide, his wife and their beautiful children and for all of the other HEROES big and small that sacrifice so much for our freedom.

I Support Military Kids Slideshow

We Support Military Kids!

We recently asked fans on our Facebook fan sites to submit pictures of their little HEROES and we asked the question, "Why do you love your HERO?" We used the pictures that were submitted and the answers to the question to make this slideshow. Bringing awareness to the sacrifices these little HEROES make, goes along with the AmericanHeroHugs mission of "Honoring the HERO and the CHILD."

ARMY WIVES PRAYER

I just found this prayer while looking for quotes and wanted to share it and some thoughts it provoked.

Army wives prayer

Dear Lord,
Give me the greatness of heart to see the difference between duty and his love for me. Give me understanding that I may know, when duty calls him he must go. Give me a task to do each day, to fill the time when he's away. And Lord, when he's in a foreign land, keep him safe in your loving hand. And Lord, when duty is in the field, please protect him and be his shield. And Lord, when deployment is so long, please stay with me and keep me strong. Amen.

Often times when we are married to someone with an important job that requires them to put their duty first, it is hard not take it personally. It is important to remember their commitment to their duty doesn't mean they love you less, it is a reflection of the love they have for you. Supporting them to perform their duty is a reflection of the love you have for them.

When left alone during long deployments or sudden changes, it is important to keep yourself busy and utilize all of the support systems available. Do the things that make you happy and bring you joy. Do the things you would do together but only if they bring you comfort. Being able to take care of yourself is a gift you can give your deployed HERO.

Always rely on the power of faith that they will return safely. Never give up your faith and your hope. Staying positive will help you move from day to day. Surround yourself with people who are positive so you can pull each other up when you get down. Turn to your support system in times of need, tell them when you need help. People will help you but you have to be willing to ask.

Always remember to take care of yourself and to take pride in the duty you are performing by being a supportive and committed military spouse. WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU AND WE THANK-YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!

XOXO

~T&K~

A picture opens the gateway for support

We recently posted this beautiful picture on our I support military kids facebook fan site. We were not at all surprised that it opened up a dialogue among fans who have experienced a similar moment. This picture for some, represents the moment they said goodbye and for others it represents the long awaited homecoming. This picture invokes so much emotion for those who have lived this experience. Whether it's the sad moment of goodbye or the joy of a homecoming, it's a shared experienced for these brave families. It's a moment of sacrifice we must all notice and be grateful for.