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 This Memorial Weekend as I watch the Washington DC Wounded Warrior Memorial Concert, I hope all Americans will realize that 34,000 of our heroes were wounded and their families continue to sacrifice and suffer as their sons and daughters, wives and husbands need constant care. Let us all remember, offer help and show them we care. Alex Boye called me a week ago to see if I knew of a military family that has suffered great loss that could use a home, and with his release of his new CD, he would like us to get 75,000 people and two of their friends to download one song under "Home for a Download" program we are starting with him, and he will give proceeds for that family to get a home. The Utah Wounded Warrior program is going to give us a name of a family and we will also be giving them many cards and letters to thank our wounded warrior heroes and their families. If you wish to be part of this, let us know.

 One of our dear volunteers Susan lost her son and Amy her husband in Iraq Feb. 23, 09 and we pray for peace and comfort, and gratitude for his great sacrifice. Read more.

Our hearts and prayers are with the soldiers and their families of those lost in Mosul today 02/09/09

05/01/09 We lost two more soldiers in Iraq today.

05/10/09Our Prayers go out to the families and fellow soldiers of Camp Liberty where we lost 5 soldiers today.


countomatic

Letters: 7,672 and counting

Kids make cards:  21,046 and counting

Packages:

Raised so far:

$14,843 for 1,543 packages Christmas 2008

1,841 to date

Stockings: 1,638

Winner of 2009 May Card:(click pic to see large) Brownie Troop 2049 from Newport Beach, CA

 Valentine's Day Best Card: William Onofre  Corona, NY

Click card to see inside letter and more Valentine's Cards

07 winners:

Winner of 4th of July best card from Primrose School in GA

August Winner, Aaron King, took an hour to make this card for our Troops in SLC, Utah

Operation Ensuring Christmas 08 Card Winner From Lehi, UT is Layne

 

Come listen to Gospel Singer Angela Winston that came to sing this song at our Welcome Home Troops Celebration June 14th!!  She headlined at our Operation Ensuring Christmas Nov. 5, 2008 in SLC. Come order the DVD!!

Watch the Operation Ensuring Christmas Concert 08 entirely here

 


Letters To Soldiers is a volunteer program of Save A Dog & Kids Inc. 501c3 since 1999 sending letters, care packages and support to our troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and a hospital in Kuwait.

How Can I Help?

Your donation will help us ship what soldiers need most - messages from home.

DubLi - Save Money!

click Logo! (Bid down to the lowest price for all your shopping needs:

Or just come get items, certificates to all major stores from Apple, SONY, Wii, Target, Itunes, and more at the lowest price on the internet and you support Letters to Soldiers.

 

iPod nano- chromatic 16 GB silver

Value: $174.95
Ended: 05.12.2009

 

Sold for: $29.50

 

Receive monthly letters and pictures from our Troops for only $1 a month: Find out more...

Don't Google it, GoodSearch it: GoodSearch: You Search...We Give!

ATTN: Want to give to 4 Charities of your choice $1 each and get your own Profile/Website for only $4.99/mos.? Come support Letters to Soldiers at (Our friend Dave Osmond signed us up.)

Volunteer

Help us send letters and packages, or organize letter-writing in your area! Find out more...

Send a Letter To a Soldier

Take a few minutes and send a message to a soldier in Iraq.

Help Us Help Others

Do you know a soldier who could use a letter? A military family in need? Have a cause that could use some help? Let us know!

 

ATTENTION FRIENDS OF OUR MILITARY: 100s of Iraqi refugee families, former interpreters for our US Forces and t heir children need our help.  Please come read

 Click here to  Check out Operation Ensuring Christmas 09 TV Spot

 KSL Ch 5 NBC affiliate to start running it 4th

of July! Thank you Katie:

"We received the PSA and have put it into our system.  It will begin airing Saturday."

and come read letters from military we ship to this

 year here We just shipped out 4th of July Care Packages to 6

units and this hospital today!  But we are out of funds now and

really need donations please!

 

"Denise-

We would like to mail something to you to express our gratitude for all of the 1,000 packages you sent sent us.  Could you please send me your mailing address?

Blessings,
Brandon
 
CHAPLAIN BRANDON HARDING 
1ST BN 3D MARINES "

UPCOMING EVENTS

OPERATION ENSURING CHRISTMAS 2009 is underway

Come to the Letters to Soldiers Booth with Civil Air Patrol Cadets, VFW and ARMY volunteers, Come bid for great silent auction items like $50 Harmons Gift Card, CABELAS 2nd Ammendment Tshirts, ARMY and Veterans Pins, ARMY keychains, necklaces, and more.  Come support our Troops with a letter, a small donation or Large one please.  We need to raise $25,000 to ship 2,500 Utah military care packages with www.letterstosoldiers.org/OperationEnsuringXmas09.htm  Come listen to a special 10 yr old singing "Tell Me Why" to Kick Off Our "For the Children" project to send supplies to poor Iraqi children:

Click for larger version

HEre is your chance to hear Angela Winston LIve!  For those who love Our Constitution in Utah : "Come to the Patriots Party 4th of July at Orem Lakeridge Jr. High Football Stadium with food from Rubios, Sub Zero and other restaurants, Patriotic Speakers LIke Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, DAV JC Wicks, Civil Air Patrol, VFW, ARMY and other military will be there too.   Give-Aways, and Angela Winston Gospel Sensation will sing "Love Will Prevail"  with the One Voice Children's Choir, Drew Reese, American Idols' Shaun "Hammer Hands" Barrowes, and other Patriotic Songs for an hour concert. 10 am to 2 pm. (Angela on from 1 to 2pm) It is FREE!

Update 05/06/09 OUr dear friends and best volunteers, the Utah ARmy Reserve 96th, will be going to Iraq this Summer.  We will be sending packages of cards and letters, and 339 Christmas Care Packages from home!! OUr Iraqi interpreter volunteer did a briefing with the 96th about Iraqi culture and answered their questions before they leave.  We will be sending them off with special care package soon.

 Come read updates here on what we are working on, and new letters and pictures from our Troops in 09. CLick here to read updates of what we are doing, who is helping, and letters from the military units we are sending to this year.

REad UTah Valley MAgazine ARticle on how Letters To Soldiers is one of FAB 50 making a difference in the community.

Thank you Daniel Beck, Jenny Jordan Frogley and George Dyer for signing posters for our soldiers still in harms way.

Welcome www.JamsBio.com to our family of sponsors. YOu can dedicate a song to a soldier on that site. Come watch  "Honoring an American Soldier" by Queensryche And not only does your participation honor those who serve us, but you also are eligible to win free music and merchandise.  Come listen to "American Soldier"

Also check out Milblogging.com by JP of PBS "Bad Voodoos War" and 10,000 plus military bloggers and cool films, books all done by military. Thanks JP for sending HR 707 to your Twitter, Milblogging 10,000 contacts.

WE have a Facebook page as "Letters Tosoldiers" and MySpace too: www.myspace.com/477220803

GREAT NEWS: Attention military who request packages from now on, just have everyone call to get this bill passed:  HR 707 WILL GIVE FREE SHIPPING TO OUR MILITARY.  CALL YOUR CONGRESSMAN TO PASS IT PLEASE! 

  Jim Matheson, Working for Utah's Second District

 April 1, 2009

Knowing of your interest in veterans and military issues, I wanted to provide you with an update of recent congressional activity on this issue.

 When our soldiers are deployed, particularly to combat areas, their families immediately feel their absence.  These families are suddenly separated from their loved ones by thousands of miles, and often the only connection they have is the occasional telephone call or letter.  Our government recognizes the need for soldiers to maintain contact with their families and friends by allowing them to send mail and packages home postage-free. However, no corresponding benefit exists from the U.S. to the men and women serving in the Armed Forces.  Military families, many of them in financial distress, are forced to bear the expense of shipping packages and letters on their own.

 Recently, I co-sponsored H.R. 707, "The Home Front to Heroes Postal Benefits Act," which will give members of the Armed Forces serving in combat operations a free monthly postal benefit they can transfer to their loved ones. Members of the Armed Forces could also choose to donate their vouchers to charitable organizations, such as those that send care packages to soldiers. This simple, common sense legislation recognizes the integral role that care packages play in boosting the morale of the brave men and women serving our country in uniform. By providing much needed monetary relief to senders, this legislation shows appreciation for the sacrifices made not just by American soldiers, but also the people who love them.

If you have any questions or concerns about this topic or any others, please feel free to contact my office.


 

Sincerely,

  

      JIM MATHESON 
      Member of Congress

 

Our Operation Ensuring Christmas 08 for 1,543 National Guardsmen, Army Reservists, Marines and an Aeromedical Hospital  was a Big Success!  We have 1000s more cards and some candy and games that we wish to send to the ARMY Aviation 211th in Kuwait from Utah that Chaplain Allison told us about when we passed out 100s of cards, magazines and candy to the SLC VA. If you have any military that wish to receive packages, letters or cards please email us. Click here to see more pictures and letters from our  Troops that received our 1,543 packages.

WE REALLY NEED VOLUNTEERS THAT CAN DO CALLING to businesses for 2009!!! Sign up at info@letterstosoldiers.org

 For our Troops  Videos at bottom of page. Also watch "Saints and Soldiers" below thanks to www.gifamilytv.com Come watch our Operation Ensuring Christmas Concert and other videos there also or become a Friend on our FACEBOOK page "Letters Tosoldiers. "

Donations for shipping  being accepted here at

info@letterstosoldiers.org.

 CLICK HERE TO READ THE LETTER FROM THE 310 UTNG SERVING IN AFGHANISTAN ABOUT THE 310 PACKAGES THEY RECEIVED FROM UTAH  "...There were a number of soldiers whose only package for the holidays was the one you sent to them.  Because of you no one was forgotten." Chaplain Montoya

Attention UTah School Children: Letters and cards coming back from the Troops in Afghanistan to thank you:

From Task Force Wasatch:

"Jacob, Thank you for the care packages you sent me.  I enjoyed it and so did some of my friends serving here with me.  It helped make my Christmas away from home a little brighter knowing that people back home care so much!  Thank you again, SPC Kevin Nielsen"

"Juliette,  I wanted to thank you for the package you sent to me.  I enjoyed it.  So did some of the others with whom I shared it.  It was nice of you to help make Christmas a little better.  Thank you again, SPC Kevin Nielsen"

WELCOME HOME  UTNG PUBLIC AFFAIRS 128TH WITH 4TH ID:

 

"Letters to Soldiers

Attn:  Denise D...9 December 2008

 Dear Ms. D.. (response to your Christmas care packages dated 2008, 12,01).

First off let me convey my utmost and heartfelt thanks to you and everyone else who participates in “Letters to Soldiers” for your efforts in putting the care packages together for me and my crew; they are wonderful and the kids who made the cards are artists in bloom!

In the meantime, please take this as an open invitation for you and any “Letters to Soldiers” participants and friends to write to me.  I will always write you in return.  While it is very faint, the light at the end of this tunnel has finally come into view.  Here’s to hoping it keeps on coming quickly.

My Thanks and God Bless you all,"

Spc. Douglas Lloyd York

DSTB, 4th ID (PAO)

 

"Denise-

Here are some photos. There will be a couple of more emails with photos. Marines were touched by the gifts. Thanks again for putting this together. I know it must have been a stressful undertaking.

Over the past few days we have received all of the packages. I will have to pass many of them out prior to Christmas or they will not all get out. My unit is not all at the same location and I don't have my own transportation assets to take them to all of the guys on Christmas  Day. Also, I will probably take most of the photos with my digital camera and email you a link to a photo album where you can down load them. We will definitely get you some.

Thanks for all of the effort you put into this. I know the Marines will appreciate it.

Blessings,"

Brandon

Chaplain Brandon S. Harding 1ST BN 3D MARINES, H & S CO  (1,000 Marines First reply)

From Aeromedical Hospital in Kuwait:  A1C Logan Latimer

"Denise,

 I think we’ve gotten all 100 packages now. Wow! Thank you! We’ve been wrapping them up and putting them on the beds to greet the patients as they arrive. We also have a few under the Christmas tree. We’re not doing great with taking pictures of them opening the boxes, but we’ll try to do better and send you what we can. Just wanted to say THANK YOU!!

 -Logan"

Click here to see more pictures and letters from our  Troops that received our 1,543 packages.

________________________________________________________

 Thank you donors  for helping this along. We were able to put 100 Marines' boxes into 34 and pack them and they are going to USPS today. 1,534 boxes total were shipped to military this Christmas. We do have 1000s of cards from Utah schools never delivered in time to pack Nov. 26, and some stockings, treats, and books if any military wish to receive any.

"Denise,

 We picked up 17 full cages of packages today, December 1, addressed to APO/FPO soldiers and will get them processed and on their way overseas.

 Margaret Putnam 
Sr. SBS, USPS
801-974-2303
margaret.a.putnam@usps.gov "

What went into the care packages? Neways Personal Care Products,  "THe Christmas Box" books,  Christmas Cards made by children all over Utah, Home Made STockings, Card making supplies, Tahitian Noni Soft Chews, CDs of Side Out, Angela Winston, Margo Watson and other artists of Utah, chocolates by many Utah companies,  DVDs of Operation Ensuring Christmas Concert donated by LIfeLOngMEmories Films and Hedgehog Solutions,  Peace is Coming Painting prints, Kara's chocolate Truffles, Girl Scout Cookies, hot Chocolate, 60 Minute Calling Cards, Card Cafe discount cards went in every box.

$15,000  was needed this Christmas for shipping 1,500 boxes.

Raised  $14,843 (Thank you VFW of Timpanogos for donating $500 at your meeting tonight, you guys are very dear to us)

*That means 1,534 soldiers will get care packages.  All packages were packaged till midnight NOv. 26th at UPS call center.  All 6 units in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan will receive 1,534 boxes of special things from Utah.  Thank you all volunteers that helped that day and night to make this huge job a success.

WELCOME HOME 142ND BACK IN UTAH!!

Click pics to see all the pictures of what went in those boxes.Please come donate $10 at least for one soldier to get Christmas wishes and care package from us. .  Attention All Companies donating  items all year round like card-making supplies, cameras, and other items listed on our "operationensuringchristmas08" page.  Thank you WalMart for donating $1,500 for 2009 shipping and $100 in disposable cameras.  Contact us at

info@letterstosoldiers.org to Receive monthly letters and pictures from our Troops for only $1 a month:

 

Come see how you can help two severely wounded Utah Soldiers get t heir home in Utah to be with their families.

12/22/08 Military families came to pick out toys, clothes, shoes, coats with their kids this Christmas. All new items were donated for them:
 

Click here to see more pictures and letters from the families, soldiers, sponsors, performers:

 

 

_____________________________________________________________________

Get great Music and help send two care packages:

OPERATION ENSURING CHRISTMAS CONCERT

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. DVD of the concert is available for minimum donation of $25 to send 2 military care packages and you get a free signed concert poster.  Get your orders in at:

 

 ________________________________________________________

 

Click here to watch a small preview of  our Operation Ensuring Christmas 08 Concert: if it doesn't pop up go to:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwuatYHbh_4

 

Please Contact us for drop off of donated items  in SLC and Utah County,  and donations for shipping here at info@letterstosoldiers.org or our Paypal Donate button. See all involved and our sponsors  as well as letters from military units we are sending to this year at http://www.letterstosoldiers.org/operationensuringchristmas08.htm

HELP US MEET OUR GOAL!

Thank you for helping us help the military and their families that are separated from their loved ones this Christmas. Donations also accepted here for shipping cost Goal of $25,000 for 2009

Receive monthly letters and pictures from our Troops for only $1 a month:

 

ATTENTION:  If you send us email address of a deployed servicemember that wishes to get email letters from US citizens, please email us their email address.  Won't you invite us to your Events or if every visitor just gave $1, we could send over 3,500 packages to soldiers by now? AUCTION TO RAISE SHIPPING COSTS CLICK HERE FOR AMAZING ITEMS, COURSES, SERVICES.

IN 2007, we surpassed our goal of sending 150 Packages for Camp of ARMY soldiers needing them badly for shipping cost of $1,400 at Christmas. ($1,264 of the total it cost to ship these packages collected!)  And we met our 2007 goal of 2,000 letters, and 1,500 cards made by kids. We surpassed our goal of 5,000 letters, 3,000 cards and and 1,500 packages of items like Jerky, dried fruit, hand warmers, dried drink and soup packets, power bars, pure white ankle socks, CDs, MP3s, and Cell Phones and/or calling cards in 2008. Help us meet our goal of 2009 of 2,500 packages, 10,000 letters and 20,000 cards from schools.  Also $25,000 for shipping costs. We have raised $1,500 so far as of Jan. 10, 2009. CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE DONATIONS AND VOLUNTEERS WORKING ON OUR  Volunteers needed to call companies and potential donors.

SEND CHRISTMAS TO 1,500 MILITARY SERVING IN IRAQ, Afghanistan and a hospital in Kuwait!!!

Help with a donation today for $9.95 (shipping cost for a flat rate box) to our Soldiers in Iraq  by  contacting us under "Find out more" in  box at the right--------- AUCTION TO RAISE SHIPPING COSTS CLICK HERE FOR AMAZING ITEMS, COURSES, SERVICES.

________________________________________________________________________

 

Watch For MIami Benefit Concert for the TRoops in Miami, FL later this year thanks to local Singers like: "My name is Jenny Lopez. I'm a singer from Miami, and an active volunteer in my community. I am very grateful of our brave soldiers overseas, and would like to speak with someone from your organization regarding  a care package drive, or fund raising event. I am currently a writer for a local tv station, and want to use the resources at my disposal (tv, radio, live performances).

_________________________________________________________________

 Listen To Bring Him Home Santa

You will cry when you hear this little girl sing this song!

http://www.bringhimhomesanta.com/  


Message from Congressman Jim Matheson

November 30, 2007

Dear Ms. Denise,

Thank you for sharing your concerns regarding the collection of letters and packages of support for soldiers currently serving overseas. I appreciate your interest in the issues facing our country and state, and I am happy to respond. When you contact me, you help me to better represent Utah in Congress.

I greatly appreciate all the work you are doing to ensure that our brave soldiers currently serving overseas receive the recognition they deserve. Especially during the holidays, sending them care packages and letters from their families, friends, and communities can improve the morale of our troops. I have always been a strong supporter of our brave young and men who serve in the military, and I will continue to ensure that they get the funding they need both when they are abroad and when they return.

Again, thank you for sharing your concerns with me. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact my office.

Sincerely,

   Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.

      JIM MATHESON 
      Member of Congress


Current Needs!

Public Relations & Funraising Geniuses Needed

We need volunteers to spread the word about this volunteer effort! Do you have experience in any of the following areas?

  • PR - press releases, public service announcements, contacting the media (TV, radio, newspapers)
  • fundraising
  • getting sponsors
  • if so, run, don't walk, to your e-mail and contact me!
  • FRG volunteers from Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy

LetterBox Makers

Crafty people needed to make letter boxes for our Troops! We need letter boxes to place at local businesses to collect letters for our Troops! Contact me for more info!

News

Thanksgiving Day thanks to NPR.org radio, we received over 40 letters online from all over the US, Germany, Argentina, England, Canada and other locations. All positive and in support of our Troops!

Cards made by kids are coming in from all over the US with postage cost donations.

LETTERS TO SOLDIERS "MAKE OUR TROOPS A CHRISTMAS CARD, STOCKING AND HUNDREDS IN DONATED ITEMS THE TROOPS NEED WERE WRAPPED DEC 1ST.

Thank you Charlene for working on revamping our website and our angel Shoshana for always being there to help us with our website troubleshooting!! We need more Volunteers please, and donations needed still!

Come watch Trace Adkins and the USMC Glee Club

 

Movies to watch thanks to the VFW, check out their site!!

Click here for the full show!
- Two brothers went to fight. One went to find out why. The highly acclaimed documentary, "Brothers at War," celebrates the courage and integrity of the American soldier and the American family. We'll speak with Jake Rademacher - filmmaker, actor and brother, on his directoral debut.


-A local VFW group provided some much needed assistance when an injured U.S. soldier returned from Iraq. We'll speak with Rocky Russell, President of the Colorado District 5 VFW Warriors on the Wounded Warrior Home Makeover.


"'Come Back Home' was written in the wake of me losing my longtime drummer and former Army soldier John C. Williams. But the song started off as a reflection of how a military couple deals with separation. After the release of Come Back Home, Johns little brother was killed by an IED in Iraq. His name was Blake Williams. His platoon used this track as the audio to a memorial slide show presentation they did in March of 2008. It was for all the courageous men and women they had lost in the month of March. I am humbled by their service to our great country and I hope this song brings them some peace. My father served in Vietnam and I truly appreciate their dedication and bravery." -Pat McGee

 


 
 
 
Copyright 2007 All rights reserved. This program is part of 9 yr 501c3 Save A Dog & Kids charity  "giving kids an opportunity to learn service, compassion and self worth."