Archive for the ‘Charities/Contests’ Category
January 8, 2010 By Claire
Posted in Charities/Contests, Spouse and Family
Sea World is offering free tickets for Military Members. They do this annually and it’s a great offer! Check it out!
Go to HERO SALUTE to register and for more information — don’t forget to print the form for your free entrance!
The free tickets are valid at any of the following locations:
SeaWorld in: Orlando, San Diego, or San Antonio.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay or Williamsburg
Sesame Place
Adventure Island
Water Country USA
(Christmas Town at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va. is not part of this program)
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January 7, 2010 By Claire
Posted in Charities/Contests, Spouse and Family
AllAmericanDirect.com announces two winners in the final Laptops for Flat Tops contest. We have been posting for a while now about this contest, so I wanted to post a follow up about the winners.
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INDIANAPOLIS (January 5, 2010) AllAmericanDirect.com, a leading e-commerce provider of consumer goods and services, today announces the winners of the Laptops for Flat Tops contest, the companys fourth and final contest for the families of military men and women currently serving overseas. Alyssa Mineo of Westlake Village, Calif. and Cara Farmer of Norfolk, Va. have each been chosen to receive a laptop with an embedded Webcam (for their families) and an additional Webcam (for their soldiers).
Three judges selected Mineo and Farmers essays based on their powerful descriptions of how their families have been affected by having a loved one serving overseas and how a laptop and Webcam would improve communication with their loved one. The judges are Col. (Ret.) Dale A. Kissinger, Scott Davis and Jenna Richards.
Alyssa Mineo is the wife of CPL Kevin Mineo of the United States Marine Corps, who is on his fifth deployment and currently stationed in Afghanistan. This deployment will be exceptionally hard for the Mineo family, as Alyssa is eight months pregnant with their second child due on Jan. 31. They are expecting a baby boy and intend to name him Wyatt. Alyssa and Kevin have a four year old daughter named Faith, and both mother and daughter reside in Westlake Village, Calif.
“I feel very blessed to have been chosen as a winner, says Alyssa Mineo. It means a great deal to me, especially with this deployment because my husband will not be around for the birth of our second child, our first boy. Thanks to having access to a laptop and webcam, I am anticipating that he will be able to âseeâ his son instead of receiving pictures a month later. Our four year old daughter is old enough for this deployment to realize how long her Daddy has been gone, and she will be so excited to see her Daddy via webcam. Thank you so much for this opportunity.”
Cara Farmer is the wife of BM2 David W. Farmer, Jr. of the United States Navy, who has been deployed on his second tour of duty in Iraq in June 2009. David and Cara have three children, Destiny, age 7; James, age 5; and Taya, age 3. Cara and the children live in Norfolk, Va.
I am very grateful for the laptop and Web cams, says Cara Farmer. With David leaving for his second deployment to Iraq, this laptop couldnât have come at a better time. My children and I now have a better way to communicate with their father that goes above the traditional phone calls and emails. Thank you, AllAmericanDirect.com!
This was the fourth and final Laptops for Flat Tops contest. These were a series of four bi-monthly contests designed as a way for AllAmericanDirect.com to say thank you to the families of military men and women. During the past four contests, eight families have been awarded this prize package.
On behalf of AllAmericanDirect.com, we would like to personally thank every spouse, father, mother, brother, sister, son and daughter who participated in this contest, said Mike Mountford, CEO of AllAmericanDirect.com. And we would like to salute each member of the United States Military for their dedication to serving and protecting our country. These two deserving winners will now be able to interact and communicate with their loved ones on a higher, more interactive level than a phone call, while they are away from their homes.
About AllAmericanDirect.com
AllAmericanDirect.com is a leading online retailer of consumer goods and services, founded in 1983 and acquired in April 2003 by Michael R. Mountford, CEO, and Jon K. Pardieck, president & CFO. AllAmericanDirect.com is a privately held national retailer of DISH Network, Verizon Wireless, HughesNet and an e-commerce provider offering a wealth of products in the consumer marketplace. AllAmericanDirect.com is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, with gross annual revenue in excess of $30 million. The company prides itself on helping consumers, Live Simple. Shop Smart. For media inquiries, please contact Christy Oberley at Dittoe PR at (317)202-2280 ext. 16. To learn more about All American Direct, please visit http://www.allamericandirect.com
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December 27, 2009 By CJ
Posted in Charities/Contests
USA Cares is an awesome organization dedicated to the United States servicemen and women. I wanted to share with you just one of MANY reasons why Troy and I are such ardent supporters of the charity.
The wife of a decorated Marine contacted USA Cares for help this past summer. Her husband, a medically-discharged veteran who was deployed to Iraq in 2003-2004, had been dealing with medical issues including multiple foot surgeries, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Since the family first contacted USA Cares back in August, the service member entered an in-patient facility for much-needed treatment for his PTSD. USA Cares, through the Warrior Treatment Today and Quality of Life programs, has provided the family with grants of $2,948—funds which paid for rent, utilities and food.
Recently while on a follow-up call, the service member’s wife told our Family Resource Coordinator (FRC) that she did not know how she would provide a Christmas for their two children, ages two and one. A very caring USA Cares FRC responded by contacting the local Toys for Tots who informed him that the deadline had passed for 2009 applications. Undaunted, the FRC tried another Toys for Tots agency who were eager to help this family. Not only did they collect a pile of age-appropriate toys for the children, they delivered them personally along with a $100 food card to provide for a wonderful Christmas meal.
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November 25, 2009 By Claire
Posted in Charities/Contests, Spouse and Family
Taken from the Wabash Valley Journal
All-Star Cast of Comedians ‘Stand Up for the Troops’ with Free Military Downloads
EXCERPT
DALLAS, Nov. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Singer-songwriter John Ondrasik’s annual gift to military Families is playing it for laughs this year as “CD For the Troops III” offers a free compilation of comedy routines to Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, Marines and their families.
“I’m proud to present the third edition of the CD for the Troops project ‘Stand Up For Troops,’” said Ondrasik. “This year we’ve gone for laughs with bits from world class comics; Chris Rock, Ray Ramano, Jeff Foxworthy, Dana Carvey, Adam Sandler, Dennis Miller and more!”
As part of an ongoing partnership between the Grammy-nominated artist, who goes by the stage name Five for Fighting, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Aware Records and the Army & Air Force Exchange Service, all active duty military members and veterans with valid military identification can log on to AAFES.com and download the comedy routines as well as an Ondrasik song from the award winning documentary “Brothers at War.” CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS
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By Claire
Posted in Charities/Contests, Spouse and Family
Tomorrow is the day that we sit around a table of blessings. Our family, the food, the room we sit in and the freedom to pray what we pray are just a few to mention. We all have so much to be grateful for.
This time of year is a little sad for us as a family. We have two sons who are not going to be at the table tomorrow. One is in Iraq and the other is in the field finishing up his BCT training. Spending a holiday without them is a small sacrifice compared to what they are giving, but it is a sacrifice nonetheless. It helps us to remember that having a son in Iraq may be hard, but we have not had to walk the path of a Gold Star family. Their sacrifice is unmeasurable and it’s vital that we remember them for this, and every, holiday.
In this holiday of Giving Thanks can you maybe do something extra to help the families at Ft. Hood who are facing this holiday season with the memory of their soldier. They do not sit and stare at an empty chair with hope that next year will be different. The thread of hope to see that soldier again is broken when he/she falls. We need to reach out to the families and surviving soldiers in every way possible to give them a new thread of hope to cling to.
So, here’s my proposal for a new “side dish” on your menu. This year at your Thanksgiving table, no matter where you meet to feast, put an empty pot on the table. Ask your guests to think for a moment about where they would be today if it were not for the sacrifices of our Service Members and their families. Then invite them to share what they can and will. Leave the pot out all day long so people can give if and when they are ready. You can also leave a card near the pot and ask your guests to leave a note of encouragement. That card can be sent to the address below.
Afterward, send that donation to Soldier’s Angels. They have a donate button on their site that you can use to give the offering. Below is a blurb from their website about what they are doing:
Soldiers’ Angels is assessing the needs and–with our founder currently residing in Texas–standing by to offer physical and emotional support to our heroes and their families at Fort Hood.
RIGHT NOW: Collecting encouraging notes and NEW stuffed animals for the families and children of the injured or killed. Please send cards/letters and stuffed animals (and anything NEW that may brighten the life of a child) to:
Soldiers’ Angels
4408 PanAm Expressway
San Antonio, TX 78218
Plans are still developing, but the goal is to give these families and injured heroes something big to smile about when Christmas rolls around. It starts with the $2,000 gift certificate for Christmas for an experience on Christmas Day that will make them forget about it all for at least a little while. To contribute to the effort, click the donation button in the upper left and add type “For Ft. Hood” in the comment box that pops up (donations marked this way will be used only for Ft. Hood survivors).
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November 15, 2009 By CJ
Posted in Charities/Contests
A few months ago, we interviewed Don Hays, owner of Maide Brigade. Don was giving away a franchise and starter money to some veterans on Veterans Day.
Bronze Star Medal with Valor Honoree. Recipient of a Purple Heart, campaign medals for Kosovo and Iraq and numerous Meritorious Service Medals. Those descriptions all apply to Major Philip Thomas Piaget. Now one more honor has been added: Gold Award in the Maid Brigade Veterans Franchise Giveaway. Piaget, of Crestview, Fla., won the company’s contest in time for Veterans Day 2009. The father of four retired from the Army in September after serving 20 years as an Airborne Ranger and entered the franchiser’s national contest the same month, noting that his life as a leader of infantrymen and that of a quality Maid Brigade franchisee have much in common. Compared to his daunting combat and diplomatic assignments surrounding the efforts to quell sectarian violence and insurgent attacks on Coalition Forces in Iraq, his road to franchise ownership was smooth.
Piaget and the five other veterans who made it to the final phase of the contest underwent intensive scrutiny on Nov. 4 and 5 at Maid Brigade headquarters in Atlanta. Throughout the contest, the company evaluated leadership, management and interpersonal skills, financial capabilities and behavioral profiles. The final phase also included one-on-one and group interviews with a judging panel of four seasoned professionals who earned their own stripes in the military and business arenas. The process was in-depth and sometimes emotional.
Piaget convinced each judge independently that he deserved the Gold Award, valued at more than $45,000, including working capital, equipment, waived franchise fees, training and support — everything he needs to establish a franchise operation in his hometown near Pensacola, Fla., by early first quarter.
“More than 100 veterans entered the contest, and although many would make excellent franchisees, Tom Piaget set a new gold standard for our program,” said Maid Brigade Chairman Don Hay. Along with military veterans and fellow judges Rear Admiral Michael Miller, Vet Jobs Inc. President Ted Daywalt and Maid franchisee Ray Toombs, Hay selected Piaget based on his demonstrated leadership and commitment in the U.S. Armed Forces, which are traits shared with successful franchise owners.
This year’s Silver and Bronze Award winners are, respectively, Thomas McWhorter of Fort Worth, Texas, a former Air Force captain who served for 10 years, and Gerald Zeigler of Virginia Beach, Va., a former chief petty officer who served 20 years in the Navy. They won second and third place versions of the Gold Award, with graduated levels working capital of $10,000 and $5,000, and will open their businesses early next year in their home markets.
The judges deemed the remaining finalists, former Air Force Captain Steven Buchanan of Lantana, Texas, and Air Force Major Michael Braibish of Salem, Ore., also highly qualified to own a Maid Brigade franchise. In addition to waiving these honorable veterans’ franchise fees as indicated in the contest rules, Maid Brigade is awarding them with $3,000 equipment packages when they open their Maid Brigade operations.
Maid Brigade will offer the contest again next year and broaden the eligibility to include the National Guard and the Reserves. After Veterans Day 2009, and until next year’s giveaway contest, Maid Brigade will continue to honor veterans by discounting its franchise fees 25 percent for all qualified and honorably discharged veterans. The program Web site, www.MaidBrigadeGiveaway.com, includes additional information about the contest, finalists, judging panel and award-winning 25-year-old franchiser Maid Brigade Inc.
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November 9, 2009 By Troy
Posted in Charities/Contests, Life in the Military, Spouse and Family, Veteran Benefits
Troops to participate in virtual visits over Thanksgiving dinner for free with Skype
SAN JOSE – (Nov. 9, 2009) Skype today announced the Holiday Military Connection program, which will allow hundreds of American servicemen and women stationed overseas to have the unprecedented opportunity to join their families stateside for virtual visits this holiday season, thanks to a partnership between Skype and the USO.
The Holiday Military Connection program will connect troops in the Guam, Yokosuka, and Camp Hansen (Okinawa) USO centers with their families stateside, through live, face-to-face Skype video call conversations during Thanksgiving dinner. For the first time, deployed men and women will virtually share a holiday meal with the ones they love most, but from whom they are farthest.
In addition, the USO and Skype’s Holiday Military Connection program will enable the estimated 140,000 troops visiting the 18 Pacific Region USO centers to make free Skype-to-Skype voice and video calls home to loved ones all season long. Troops can also make unlimited[1] calls to family and friends’ cell phones and landlines free of charge through the donation of Skype’s Unlimited World subscription plans.
For some troops, many of whom will be returning from deployments on submarines or aircraft carriers, the live calls will mark the first time seeing their families in more than a year.
Skype’s partnership with the USO and the launch of the Holiday Military Connection program expand upon a successful trial program that started in May 2009, in which Skype donated calling plans to USO Pacific centers.
“The USO is focused on lifting the spirits of America’s troops and their families; we are proud that Skype can play a pivotal role with the USO in helping connect military families and in turn make a season that is often challenging for them that much less difficult,” said Don Albert, VP and GM of Skype Americas. “Skype is committed to removing barriers and helping to foster meaningful connections that make a difference in people’s lives. Through the USO and Skype’s Holiday Military Connection program, we are doing just that for thousands of military families.”
As part of the Holiday Military Connection program, Skype is also giving away 2,000 holiday gift sets consisting of a headset, plus Skype calling credit or a Webcam to servicemen and women who visit a participating USO center during the week of Thanksgiving. The gift sets will allow troops to continue making memories with their families even after the holiday season is over.
“The USO is thrilled to partner with Skype on this amazing program. Staying in touch with friends and family is truly the best morale booster for troops who have been deployed. With Skype, we can help troops stay in touch all season long at no cost to them or their families,” said Tom Kolstad, USO Vice President for Pacific Operations. “We cannot wait to see the looks on the faces of the troops and their families when they share their meals face-to-face on Thanksgiving Day.”
Those interested in learning more about the program and how military families can connect with Skype can log onto the Holiday Military Connection program Website: www.skype.com/go/uso. Visitors to the site can also submit their own story of how they use Skype to stay connected.
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By CJ
Posted in Charities/Contests
Your boots have endured everything you’ve thrown at them. Drilling. Marching. Combat. Miles upon miles through never-ending plains, scorching deserts, and urban jungles. Whatever your boots’ story may be, we want to see ‘em.
The Converse Military Boots For Life Contest is searching the planet to find the oldest, most worn-out set of boots. The more battered and tattered, the better. Whether you’ve crawled through swamps or scaled mountains, you could own the winning pair…and score a LIFETIME SUPPLY OF CONVERSE BOOTS!
Submit a photo of your boots along with a brief story telling us why your boots are in the world’s worst condition. Send your entry to contest@militaryboots.com by March 31, 2010.
Show the world what it’s been like to walk a mile or 20 in your boots. And be rewarded for your effort!
Win a free pair of Converse military boots every year for the next 20 years, courtesy of Militaryboots.com.
Check out the site for more details and complete rules.
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November 5, 2009 By Troy
Posted in Charities/Contests, You Served Radio
We here at You Served Blog and Radio are always auctioning items off on the You Served eBay store to help raise money for military charities. The great and popular band Smile Empty Soul who we had as a guest on the radio show a few weeks ago has donated many items to the show to help raise money from signed CDs to T-shirts to posters. The one big thing they donated, which is by far the biggest thing we have ever had on our eBay store is a Schecter Black Omen guitar signed by all the members of the band. This guitar lists for $399.00 retail, when it is not signed by such an awesome band. This one has a starting bid of $99.00 and we hope will go up from there.
The proceeds from this guitar are going 100% to the Valour-IT program which is run by Soldiers’ Angels.
Please check out http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320445244585 to see the item and make a bid.
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November 4, 2009 By Troy
Posted in Charities/Contests, Patriotism
Soldiers’ Angels Volunteers Vow to Shave Heads for $100,000
Pasadena, CA November 3, 2009 – Members of Soldiers’ Angels’ volunteer leadership have raised the stakes on this year’s online Valour-IT Veterans Day fundraising competition, which helps provide America’s wounded soldiers with voice-controlled laptops and other technology that supports their physical and psychological recovery.
Divided among four “virtual teams,” a wide variety of bloggers and other New Media mavens have been competing online since October 26 to inspire the most donations to help wounded troops by Veterans Day, November 11. If the teams of online fundraisers can blast through their collective goal of $140,000 and bring in an additional $100,000 in donations, founder Patti Patton-Bader and National Communications Director Shelle Michaels have promised to shave their heads in honor of the achievement.
In just over four years, Project Valour-IT has given 4,100 voice-controlled laptops to severely wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, and has supplied additional items that may be a surprising fit in a recovery regimen–Wii game systems and handheld GPS devices.
“This project changes lives,” says Patton-Bader. “Wounded heroes say that being able to use a laptop helps them feel whole again. Physical therapists are actually designing therapy sessions around Wii Sports! And something as normal as a handheld GPS reduces stress and helps a hero cope. With all that this project can do for our heroes, I’m happy to shave my head if it will motivate donations!”
Each of the devices Valour-IT supplies helps restore confidence and independence. Voice-activated laptops reconnect the wounded with the world and develop self-confidence by showing soldiers they can continue to be engaged and productive despite their injuries. Physical therapists report Wii Sports and similar programs are extremely beneficial when used in physical therapy settings. Wounded personnel with short-term memory loss due to TBI and severe PTSD use GPS systems to keep from getting disoriented when they move on to more independent living.
Details of the current fundraising competition are available at www.soldiersangels.org and www.valour-it.blogspot.com. Donations can be made online at Soldiers’ Angels, or by sending checks or money orders to Soldiers’ Angels, Valour-IT Fund, 1792 E. Washington Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91104.
Established in 2003, Soldiers’ Angels is a volunteer-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing aid and comfort to the United States Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, veterans and military families. For more information, www.soldiersangels.org or 623-570-3903.
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