Thanks....CBS7

Christmas For OUR Troops, our organization sending gift boxes to our troops overseas, relies heavily on volunteers and donations. To get large numbers of volunteers and donated items, we have to rely on good media coverage. Probably no media source has been more helpful in the last years as has CBS7, going so far as to send a news crew to San Antonio last May to cover our event at Brooke Army Medical Center.

So it didn't surprise me at all when earlier this week my friend, CBS7 anchor, Catherine Collins called saying they wanted to do a follow up story about the troops receiving our packages. And so the next day we taped a spot which aired on Christmas Day.

So thanks and Merry Christmas to Catherine, Jose, Eddie, Jordan, Beau, Stephanie and all the other folks at CBS7 who help us out!

Remembering my Dad...

My Dad has been gone a little over two years now, the last day of November to be exact. I, of course, thought about the event on that day this year but sometimes, with other events happening at that time, it seems so sad that I'd rather not mention it in public. But tonight for some odd reason I was looking back over old posts on "Streams" and came across what I had written about him on Father's Day of 2002. It is still appropriate even now with him gone......

I'm making meat loaf, for Fathers Day with My Dad, Mom and xxxxx.

I am blessed that my Dad is still here, and living with my Mom only 4 blocks away...in the house I mostly grew up in. My Dad, a child of the "depression", worked from age 12 to help support his family because that's just what people did and he didn't consider himself special, but his Mom and Sister did.

My Dad, the soldier, left for WWII and didn't come home for 3 years. His best Army buddy was killed right beside him on their first day of combat in Italy. My Dad who endured many months of hard combat, and was evacuated only after his feet had frozen in the Vosge Mountains of France. My Dad who came home, and didn't talk about it all for the next 50 years, because it was too hard, and because as an American it was simply his duty to perform.....and that's what everyone did, so he didn't consider himself special. But we do.

My Dad who really worked way too hard to send three sometimes ungrateful kids to the best colleges while forgoing things he had dreamed of all his life. I only suspect this because he never mentioned it and didn't consider himself special....but we do.

My Dad who watched a son descend into the hellish pit of alcohol, but never had a harsh word, only good advice. And had the patience to wait years for this advise to sink in and didn't consider himself special......but I do.

My Dad who has always been there for everyone in the whole family, put everyone else first and always did the very best he could because that's what Dad's do and didn't consider himself special........but we do!!

Letters from Iraq....

Mailed just one week ago, amazingly enough, our gift boxes to Our Troops overseas are starting to arrive! We've received emails of thanks all day long from Iraq. The note below from a contact made through the 25th Infantry Divsion says it all....

Dear Friends,
It is hard to describe the feeling of warmth I have felt the whole day from deep inside. Your packages arrived at our Medical Facility here in COB Speicher today.

As our Soldiers started coming in, our Mail detail urged everyone to pick up their boxes. You should have seen the look of sheer pleasure in our kid's eyes when they saw the big boxes with their names on them. Their broad smiles, the way they wrapped their arms around the packages and showed to each other in amazement the good things you sent us made me realize how young and impressionable they still are.

I want you to know that your extraordinary act of kindness to our brave kids was well received and cannot be thanked enough.

People like you are the reason why we fight with pride. We fight for patriots like you. We fight for those who love and remember their young Troops who serve all around the world.

It has been a good busy day of work in this strange, troubled land. Seeing the progress made by those who go outside the wire risking their lives for a better Iraq and peace in America gives me hope for the future. In many ways you have been here side by side with us. You have reached out and touched our hearts. My prayers tonight will be for you and your loved ones to receive all the blessings you deserve.

May God keep you and your families in his loving hands. Thank you, dear friends. Thank you for giving our Troops a very Merry Christmas.

v/r,

Miguel Benzor-Anaya
CAPT, MS
25th Infantry Division

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Mission complete....

Over 100 volunteers packed 1,285 Christmas gift boxes for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan today. A truly amazing group of people for whom I have the highest respect and admiration. Special kudos go to a great group of kids, the Midland High cheerleaders, who came over after school, got right to work and quickly packed over 100 boxes. This in addition to making Christmas For OUR Troops their official non-profit organization and donating the proceeds from their poster sales to our cause. And not an insignificant amount either! Thanks to all. Here are a few images from the day. CFOT Photos

Santa's final push.

A quick reminder that this Wednesday, Dec 3rd, we will be packing Christmas gift boxes to be sent to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have a warehouse full of donated items to be packed into almost 1,300 boxes, so we can use a lot of help! If you would like to come for all afternoon, or just an hour or so, we'd love to have you. Santa's elves will be working at the Fellowship Hall of the First Presbyterian Church on W. Texas Ave. in Midland starting at about 1 p.m. on Wed.

Here are some photos of last years workers and also some from a couple of the recepients. CFOT photos