I cannot believe this will be our 4th annual Veteran's Day celebration to be held in November in my subsidized building and I need your help to make it happen. It has meant so much to so many people here and outside the building. When I began doing this it was with a hope to say simply "thank you" and "welcome home" to the veterans here, maybe have some food and prizes. It has become so much more than expected. And each year it has gotten better, in great part to your donations, and the veterans themselves.
There were veterans here who had tears in their eyes when I said welcome home to them. Some of those veterans have gone on to whatever awaits us when our body stops, so I feel honored to have said to them that we remembered still their sacrifices and to make them feel their lives mattered. Really honored.
The first year was all privately funded by, well, me and two others. As I wrote about that after the fact, a couple of folks on this site suggested I ask this community for donations for subsequent years. The second year was almost totally subsidized by folks in the DailyKos community. I was able to give out some little cash prizes and some clothes and other things folks needed.
Some of the veterans in my building are in their late 70s, and 80s. They thoroughly appreciate whatever we do for them. It has built and continues to foster a profound sense of community here. There are several vets who still suffer from PTSD and this has connected them with the larger building community.
If anyone here wants to contribute, every penny would be used for the celebration or given in an envelope directly to a veteran. Please let me know either in a DailyKos email or in a comment. If you like, I will then give you my personal email address, my physical address, full name and anything else you desire (well, mostly, e.g. I'm not giving up any grandchild.)
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I posted the following - it's a "thank you" to each veteran:
Recognition of Service
Veteran's Name, on behalf of a grateful nation and in recognition of the years you served your country with honor, we say "Thank You."
It is said that no one desires or loves peace more than a soldier, because he or she must bear the burden of war. In this time of hopeful peace for us all, we remember your service. Mindful of the passing years we say to you that we remember, and we say thank you for your service to our country.
Each veteran receives a personalized copy of this. The first year I made several copies for some because they wanted one for each of their children. I will also give them a copy of VP Joe Biden's "thank you" letter addressed specifically to the veterans of my building along with some local politicians testaments.
I know it means a great deal to each of them, because they tell me directly. I can't express how much their thanks means to me. That's why I'm doing it again this year. We had 29 veterans last year. We seem to lose four or five each year. This means we have 24 plus whoever among the new tenants, maybe 4-6 this year.
I will try to make my chili again because it was very popular. There is also a local cafe whose profits go to feed the homeless - I hope to order some things from there as well to augment the menu. My chili will also only feed so many, even the three big pots I usually make.
I will have to buy the makings for the chili, lots of beans with some ground meat in it. I still need canned stewed tomatoes - think two large soup pots, 12 quarts each - plus a smaller pot and onions, peppers, corn bread, and so on. I would also like to order fried or roasted chicken and salad for 28.
Please, if you have a few extra bucks lying around, consider helping me with this celebration. I just can't afford it alone anymore so I do need some help. I got help to create a PayPal account so the link appears below.
You have been so generous with your donations since I first asked. On the strength of that I have already started shopping the sales. So far I have 5 sweatshirts, some socks, a few T-shirts and so on, having charged around $100 for the gifts. I have been told there is a veteran in the building who has no winter coat. I will get him one because Chicago winters are not mild. Some resale shops are within bus distance.
I know there are so very many places to send money to, especially in this election year. We lose so many vets each year but the remaining veterans are looking forward to this year's celebration and I can't let them down. (My building is a CHA subsidized building and money is always short here.) Everyone is grateful here for your help. My gratitude to you would move a mountain.
Can you help me to show our gratitude for their service to our country? I have set up
a Paypal account. Just click this button and donate whatever you can. And thank you!
https://www.paypal.com/...
UPDATE: I posted this on Tuesday thinking I'd be home by noon, but yearly medical tests turned out to eat up my entire day. I am re-posting this so I can answer folks in a timely manner and post it to the DK fundraising and military groups.
In anticipation of donations, I have purchased:
- 5 pair of black diabetic socks,
- 20 pair of long white sports socks,
- 4 pair of black outdoor socks,
- 4 pair of grey outdoor socks,
- 1 woman's sweater,
- 10 plastic water bottles,
- 4 tote bags,
- 1 sweatshirt in XL,
- 1 fleece sweatshirt in XL,
- 1 fleece sweatshirt in 2XL,
- 2 long sleeved shirts in 2XL,
- 3 sweatshirts in 3X,
- 1 sweatshirt in 4X.
I also have the 4 pounds of pinto beans for the chili and several more items for it. I need to buy the meat for said chili, and other foodstuffs for the celebration.
There is a lot I still need to purchase and arrange for so that this becomes the celebration these veterans should have. Everyone in this building lives on a low and fixed income so we do need outside help.
Please contribute if you are able to. Others on this site who are on a low and fixed income could send good wishes but if you only have a little money, I would rather you send us, and all vets, an ocean of good wishes instead. Please do not make a cash donation because we in this building share the same boat. I implore those for whom a donation is more possible to donate what you can.
Every cent goes to the veterans. And every cent is a treasure to them.
Thank you.