Category Archives: Charities/Contests

Jack Daniel’s “Operation Ride Home”

Posted on December 6, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment


The Jack Daniel Distillery has launched the “Operation Ride Home” campaign, an effort to assist soldiers and their families in traveling home for the holidays.

The famed distillery has joined forces with the Armed Services YMCA of Fort Campbell that will work with military officials at the installation to identify soldiers and families with particular needs and financial assistance for travel from the base to their homes throughout the U.S. this holiday season.
In honor of the decorated 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Jack Daniel’s has donated $101,000 to launch the campaign and is encouraging its friends to visit www.JDOperationRideHome.com and contribute what they can to assist in the effort. The Armed Services YMCA will be purchasing plane tickets and providing pre-paid debit cards for gas, lodging and food for soldiers and their families to travel to their family homes. The 101st Airborne Division has members serving from all over the U.S. and has been on multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

“There are so many enlisted soldiers with families who would love to go to their homes for the holidays, but just don’t have the means to do it,” said Jeff Arnett, Jack Daniel’s Master Distiller. “These heroes have been serving our country on multiple deployments overseas and we just want to do what we can to help reunite them with their families during this special season. After all, it’s not what is under the Christmas tree, but who is around it.”

Armed Services YMCA Executive Director Shirley West said the Operation Ride Home campaign could potentially help hundreds of soldiers and their families travel to their respective homes from Christmas through the new year. “The military does an outstanding job getting our soldiers back to base from deployments, but unfortunately so many of them just don’t have the money to leave the base – whether that’s money for a plane ticket if they live far away from the base or even gas money if they’re closer to Fort Campbell. This campaign will be a huge help in reuniting these families,” West said.

Armed Services YMCA of Fort Campbell is one of 16 dedicated branches of the ASCY national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It provides support services to military service members and their families all over the world, with a particular focus on junior-enlisted men and women — the individuals on the front lines of defending our nation.

The Operation Ride Home effort continues Jack Daniel’s longstanding support of our nation’s military. In recent years, Jack Daniel’s has been collecting personal messages of support in the form of “toasts” to include in USO care packages, and has hosted 14 “stuffing parties” at military installations across the country. More than 150,000 care packages have been sent to troops serving overseas through the “Toast to the Troops” program.

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Gillette Needs Your Stories as Part of $100,000 Donation to USO

Posted on December 5, 2011 by CJ| Leave a comment


In support of the men and women who heroically serve our country, Gillette and the USO have once again teamed up to provide a terrific opportunity for You Served readers to show your support for our service members. You can participate in this great cause by submitting stories and photos of individuals who inspire you through their commitment to serving our country.

Now through December 31st, Gillette will donate $1 to the USO for every picture or story posted of a service member in your life to the Gillette Facebook page. To participate, all you need to do is visit Gillette’s Facebook page and share your pride in a salute, message, photo or video about a loved one in the military. The post can be a simple thank you, a military headshot or a more detailed personal story about your friends and family.

Gillette will help to connect deployed military parents with their children through the United Through Reading Program, inspire and provide educational programs through the Sesame Street Workshop, and enable families to send personalized care packages through the USO Care Package program.

Please help spread the word and share this opportunity with your friends and family to help uplift the spirits of families and service members this holiday season. The USO does so much for us over here in Afghanistan and they could truly use the money, especially after our USO here on KAF was virtually destroyed during the flooding and needs huge renovations.

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Final Cooking with the Troops Fundraiser Push

Posted on November 20, 2011 by LL| Leave a comment

Cooking with the Troops has a roundup of the event in NYC at the NASDAQ. Please pay attention to the photos because you will see what they do. Chefs and smiling uniformed men and women. It is a great thing!

All charities need donations to keep running and this one is no exception. They need donations, big and small (even $5 will help keep things going!!) to keep sharing food, culinary career help, healthy eating/cooking training, and cooking equipment! Everyone has to eat and doing it either for free at one of the CWtT events or learning how to create a nutritious meal at home for your family is a good thing.

Things are very tight financially across the nation, but if each of you readers donated just a little bit, it would keep the awesome momentum going and fund some upcoming events! By the way, CWtT is also looking for administrative help in several positions. If you are one to volunteer your time and energy and skills to a great organization, please contact Blake at the email on that post and talk to him about helping out!

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Posted in Charities/Contests, Podcast, Uncategorized, You Served Radio

Veteran’s Day 2011 in NYC

Posted on November 13, 2011 by LL| Leave a comment

I was fortunate to be invited out to New York City to attend an amazing event held at NASDAQ OMX. It was to support the charity Cooking with the Troops. NASDAQ and several organizations worked together on Friday to celebrate our troops, past and present.

The day started with a surprise marriage proposal. A young wounded warrior who is on the way to recovery got down on one knee in Times Square and asked his girl to marry him. It was on Fox and Friends if you were watching that morning.

Continue reading →

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Posted in Charities/Contests, Patriotism, Podcast, You Served Radio

Helzberg Heroes Contest (as in the diamond!)

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Claire| Leave a comment

Awesome!! This is for military members and their families! This is from the Helzberg site:

Helzberg wants to show active duty military and their families they are loved and appreciated for their service to the country. Soldiers, please tell us how your family or the community has made you feel loved while you were serving our country. Or, what have you done to show your family you love them while you are away? Submit your best stories, photos and videos here!

The contest is open to active duty military, reservists, and retired military, as well as their family members. Each week we’ll highlight some of our favorite entries onwww.facebook.com/HelzbergDiamonds.

Contest entry deadline is November 28, 2011. The $10,000 shopping spree winner will be announced in early December.

RULES HERE
ENTRY FORM HERE
Helzberg Site HERE

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Posted in Charities/Contests, Spouse and Family

PinupsForVets and Warrior Gateway team up for our troops

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Troy| Leave a comment

Our good friend Gina Elise has teamed up he organization, www.pinupsforvets.com with www.warriorgateway.org to raise a lot of money for our returning and wounded veterans.

Last year Gina was given a brand-new 2011 VW Beetle by Oprah Winfrey and rather than keep it and use it herself, she is auctioning it off to raise money for our troops. She has the car listed on ebay where you can see many pictures of it, read all the specs about the car and even make a bid on it. You can check it out at http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/?cmd=ViewItem&_rdc=1&item=170712491084#ht_793wt_1167

Also be sure and watch the video below where Gina explains what she is doing and why she is doing it. We here at You Served are very proud to call Gina a dear friend.

 

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Posted in Charities/Contests, Veteran Benefits, Video, Wall of Honor, Why We Serve

Extreme Makeover Edition seeks military families (9/29 deadline)

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Claire| 1 Comment

Good luck to any of our readers who decide to apply for this opportunity.

‘Extreme Makeover’ Seeks Military Families

By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2011 – Several months ago, the producers of ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” asked me to spread the word about their search for people involved in the military to feature on the show’s upcoming season.

They got a huge response and selected an exceptional Navy veteran for a home makeover. A few months ago, I traveled to Fayetteville, N.C., to watch hundreds of volunteers build Barbara Marshall a new 5,000-square-foot home. The three-story home, dubbed the Jubilee House, serves as a shelter and resource center for homeless female veterans.

This episode — which also features a special visit by First Lady Michelle Obama — will kick off the show’s ninth season Sept. 25.

With that episode ready to air, the show’s producers once again are seeking people involved with the military to feature in upcoming episodes.

The producers are looking for people with “amazing strength of character and who put their own needs aside to help others,” they said in a news release. “Whether it’s a soldier, a mom, a teacher or a fireman, we think deserving families are families who inspire those around them.”

Additionally, the show’s producers are seeking families whose houses need major alterations or repair � “homes that present serious problems for the family and affect the family’s quality of life.”

To be eligible, families must own their single-family home and be able to demonstrate how a makeover will make a difference in their lives.

Rather than apply through the normal channels, interested military families or people who wish to nominate a military family can email a short description of the family’s story directly to Jackie Topacio, casting producer, at jax@emhe.tv. Jackie told me she wants to make sure she reads every story submitted.

Please don’t wait to apply; the deadline for nominations is Sept. 29.

The email should include the names and ages of household members, a description of the family’s challenges, an explanation of why the family is deserving of a makeover or is a positive role model in the community, photos of the family and their home, and contact numbers.

For more information on the application process, visit http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome/index?pn=apply.

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Posted in Charities/Contests, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Spouse and Family

Known and Unknown is available for you

Posted on September 17, 2011 by Troy| Leave a comment

This last week on You Served Radio we were lucky enough to have former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on the show as a guest. Unlike the MSM TV outlets who usually only get him for a 5-10 minute interview, we had him on for 30 minutes. To go along with his interview we also put up a signed copy of his new book, Known and Unknown on our You Served ebay store.

You can find a link to the auction of the book here, http://www.vamortgagecenter.com/blog/2011/09/13/tonight-on-a-special-you-served-radio/ and you can find the link to the interview’s archive and listen to it at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/youserved/2011/09/14/episode-159–911-memorial-show-1

Copies of this book signed are going for $65-$75 on ebay right now. Ours, which benefits a great charity organization is currently sitting at $15.50. Go make you bid today, because it ends in 2 days.

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Posted in Charities/Contests, You Served Radio

Defending the Blue Line

Posted on September 16, 2011 by Troy| Leave a comment

I was recently made aware of a great organization called Defending the Blue Line. This charity was put together in order to help off-set the costs or even provide the chance to play for children of service members.
Their Mission Statement is:

Defending the Blue Line is a 501 (c)(3) non profit organization created by soldiers with the spirit of keeping hockey alive for the children of our nations military heroes. Our mission at Defending The Blue Line (DTBL) is ensuring that children of military members are afforded every opportunity to participate in the game of hockey. We accomplish this by providing free equipment for military kids, hockey camps, special events, and financial assistance for registration fees and other costs associated with hockey.

So if you know of a military family that has kids who play hockey or want to, point them to http://www.defendingtheblueline.com/. As a Hockey coach and Hockey Dad of three players I can tell you it is an expensive sport. So I am sure anyone serving would greatly appreciate any assistance that could be given to them by this organization.

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Posted in Charities/Contests, Spouse and Family, Veteran Benefits

Tonight on a special You Served Radio

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Troy| Leave a comment

Well tonight is it folks. We have been talking about this show for a couple of weeks. Tonight on You Served Radio, we will host a special 9/11 memorial show. As part of that show, we will have former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on to talk about a variety of important topics. We will also be having good friend of the show, former Ranger and current businessman, Ranger-Up founder Nick Palmisciano. In addition to these two great guests we at You Served Radio will talk about our memories of 9/11/01, where we were, what it means to us today, etc. We also encourage some of our listeners to call in to our guest line at 866-696-9150 and share their memories when we get to that point in the show.

Last but not least we here at You Served Radio are proud to announce that starting today, our You Served Ebay auction site is back up and running. Our first item in the auction store is a signed copy of Donald Rumsfeld’s new book, Known and Unknown.

I am currently reading this book and I can tell you it is awesome. You want a copy of this book, and of course getting a signed copy makes it even better. So stop by http://www.ebay.com/itm/Known-and-Unknown-A-Memoir-Autographed-Copy/190576720461#ht_500wt_1156 and make your bid now. It is starting out at $5.00 (NO RESERVE) which is a steal.

All sales made on the You Served ebay Store have 100% (VAMC pays for all shipping) of the money goes towards a Military supporting charity that we choose. We try to rotate these charities every couple of months.

The charity we are now supporting is www.pinupsforvets.com. Be sure and check out Gina’s site to learn more about her charity, how she helps and lifts the spirits of many of our country’s wounded in military and VA hospitals today, and how she has donated over $50,000 back to some of those hospitals for their needs.

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Posted in Charities/Contests, MilBlogger Interviews, You Served Radio