Team Updates

TLC Team

The purpose for the TLC Team is to provide additional and much-needed support to our heroes facing desperate circumstances (i.e., those who are wounded, distressed, or without family support or letters of encouragement). Team members are always on "alert,” ready, willing and able to come through for our heroes.

The TLC Team consists of 15 Angels and works closely with our founder, Patti Bader, administrators, state managers and many other Angels, as well as outside sources, to see to the needs of those with special circumstances. When the team leader (Angel Eileen) is apprised of a "TLC" situation or learns of a particular situation through our daily reports, she will either place a post on the forum under "TLC Requests" or contact a team member with the necessary information, who will then write a post.

If you would like more information about the TLC Team, please contact Eileen at einch1 at hotmail.com.

From William, USMC:

"Thank you very much for your much needed support and kind words of encouragement. Each day my Marines bring me a letter that brightens my spirit and motivates me more to complete the mission at hand. All of us over here are proud to have such good people supporting our efforts!"

From AMY, USA:

"Your letter was very touching, thank you. My soldiers are my #1 priority. Many parents have entrusted me with the safety and well being of their sons and daughters. I will NOT let them down. They’ve had it pretty rough. I hope to show them a different light and you are helping me in that great endeavor."

From 1LT John, USA

"I was just taking the time to let you know that I received your letter. If you only knew how much it means to receive a letter or package from home. For a very short time it allows you to get away from the life of a soldier, to think about the great things waiting at home.

I thank you so much for your letter and hope that you don't mind, I have shared these things with all my fellow soldiers. Your support is the fuel that keeps the engine of the American Soldier running. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for thinking of me and look forward to hearing from you again."

Wounded TLC Team

The Wounded TLC team membership has passed 325! Last month we sent out over 1300 cards and letters to our wounded heroes!!! We also have a team newsletter that keeps the entire team up on what the rest is doing! We have over a dozen wounded warriors who we keep on our card rotation so they know they are appreciated and not forgotten. Many of these we have been writing to for months, beginning when they were in hospital, and who are now recovering at home. We have other ongoing projects helping the Combat Support Hospitals and the Wounded Backpacks! The Cards + Team keeps the information going out to send those cards and letters to Landstuhl, as well.

For more information, please contact the WTLC Coordinators, Elaine at bakerdzen at earthlink.net or Lynette at frascella4 at aol.com

Letter Writing Team

A gigantic THANK YOU and much appreciation to the LWT Team Leaders and our outstanding and dedicated LWT Writers. The LWT had another outstanding month with 10,542 letters sent during the month of August via 935 LWT writers. This gives us a total of 20,300 letters to our deployed heroes during the third quarter of 2005.

One of our Team Leaders, Julie Dodgen, has been unable to send names to her writers due to the affects of Katrina in her home town of Pasagoula, MS. Julie contacted Sara and Linda before Katrina struck to let them know that she had sent out emails to her writers through that upcoming Monday because they were having to evacuate from their home. Tuesday, Linda received a call from Julie to let Linda know that her town had been completely destroyed. Julie and her family were all okay and staying at her mother's home in another town, but she would be unable to send names out to her team for awhile. Linda sent the names out for Julie and then Mel stepped forward and offered to help anyway she could. These ladies are truly special ANGELS. A big THANK YOU to Mel Mitchell for picking up Julie's team plus continuing to get names to her own writing team. (And Julie, we’re thinking of you!)

We are always looking for more writers to ensure that no soldier is unloved and/or forgotten. The number of letters sent in a month does not include the many care packages that the LWT writers send on their own to the soldiers that they write to.

If you are interested in joining the LWT as a writer, email Linda D. at lindom at cablelynx.com and she will provide you with full information about LWT and information she needs to get you started.

General questions about the LWT can be directed to Sara at sje2555 at yahoo.com and/or Linda at lindom at cablelynx.com . They are always around to help and answer your questions about LWT.

Living Legends

Living Legends is a relatively new SA team. This courageous group of Angels perform one of the most emotionally challenging jobs of all: they compare SA’s list of registered heroes to the Department of Defense’s casualty list. When a match is found, the team researches for the family’s information and for general information about the fallen hero. The team then sends cards/letters to the families, asking if they need assistance and for permission to donate a living tree to honor their fallen hero. Families can then plant this tree in their yard or somewhere that they can visit, such as the cemetery or favorite park. If they do not have room for a tree, team members offer a wreath in remembrance. Team members also make follow up calls to make sure everything is okay and to see if the family needs any assistance.

The Living Legends team is in need of donations to help with these trees and wreaths. The trees cost approximately $125.00 to $150.00. The team has established a relationship with a wonderful nursery; TYTY from Georgia has been doing a great job. Special thanks to J.W. for contacting the families and determining what tree is best for their area. For more information or to contribute, please contact Cathy at CWTreefrog at aol.com.

In mid May of this year, Cathy Woodruff became the Team Leader for a writing team that would try to bring caring, compassionate messages of comfort to honor the family members of fallen heroes. This team began with 7 members who send sympathy cards and letters to immediate family members as well as cards to the Angels who have lost their soldier. In an effort to express our sincerest sympathy, the original seven members have written to approximately 100 families and the Team has grown to over 30 writers.

Through the efforts of many, the team has been able to secure beautiful funeral gifts and living memorial trees. On occasion the trees were donated and freely delivered. However, at times the family members have asked Living Legends to, for instance, send condolences to the Fire Department where a fallen hero had been an honored fireman. We have asked Operation Top Knot, when possible, for the gift of a beautiful Memorial Quilt for children of the fallen.

Christmas Team

Merry Christmas to all Angels! Debra Hicks is the team leader of the Christmas Team, which is gearing up for the holiday season by collecting trees and stockings for our deployed heroes.

There are several ways to get involved with this team. One group consists of Angels who can collect stuffers (such as socks, lip balm, small hand lotion, phone cards, hot chocolate, instant apple cider mix, coffee singles) and ornaments. Stocking makers are also needed: all you need is an average size stocking, and Debra will match you up with someone on the "stuffers" team. Stocking makers are asked to send completed stockings directly to the soldiers. (There is another dedicated group who is making stockings and filling them at their location. They will also ship straight to the APO when the time comes.)

Lastly, the Christmas Team is looking for Tree Collectors. If you have miniature artificial trees, please let Debra know. They need lots of them! Tree Collectors will also ship directly to the APO Address when the time comes--so please hold onto those trees! (If you can supply the ornaments, too, that would be wonderful.) Also, if any Angels have access to larger trees and are willing to ship directly to the APO when the time comes, please contact Cathy. Those are good for the larger meeting rooms.

If you would like to help but can't join a team now, PLEASE don't let that stop you from sending something to one of the members of any of these teams. Contact Debra and she will tell you where to ship your donation, whether it be stockings or stuffers. This team is collecting for 40,000 stockings and need every Angel’s help! For more information or to help, please contact Debra at dahicks at worldnet.att.net .

ESquad

The ESquad has received a few requests for acoustic guitars, flags that can be flown on one of the camps in Afghanistan to be signed and donated to children groups who support our troops, and sports equipment for troops. If you can help with any of these items, please contact Mel at mel.firestone at gmail.com.

The ESquad would like to share the following message of thanks with all Angels:

Hello from Iraq. Trust me when I tell you that we appreciate anyone that supports what we are doing over here. The few times we can catch the news, it seems that all they report is the negative. We are doing some great things over here and I wish those stories were being told as much as the violence and deaths that occur. I appreciate you and your organization, you are all true American Patriots.

Sincerely,
SFC Philip

Cards + Letters Team

This 147-member team takes all requests for cards (any occasion) and letters. Typical requests include birthday cards for our heroes and their children; cards of encouragement to our heroes; congrats for promotions to our heroes; get well or thinking of you cards for our heroes; and post cards from different states and foreign countries for our heroes. There are many on the team who put together "cheer boxes" stuffed with these post cards.

There are two requests that appear on every list sent out. One will remain on the Cards + Team listing until they all come home. We need 200 cards of encouragement a month! These cards are for the backpacks of the wounded.

The second request will be on each list until November 5th. Our team (as well as many others) need to have 20,000 Christmas Cards BEFORE November 5th. These cards are for those in combat hospitals.

There is also a section on Cards + list called "Angels helping Angels." This section is if a fellow Angel needs help, cheer, get well wishes, etc.!

If you have a request, please email Debby at missouriangel at mindspring.com and put Cards + Letters Team in subject line.