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Pennsylvania AFSCME Members donate $5,000 to help Military Families
Pennsylvania workers represented by AFSCME Council 13 are donating $5,000 and 400 books to help connect military families. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 13’s Next Wave committee made up of AFSCME leaders under the age of 35 held a book and donation drive at the AFSCME Council 13 convention in Hershey, PA in April to support the USO and United Through Reading’s Military Program. Whether troops are stationed at a forward operating base in Afghanistan or deploying overseas, they can visit their participating USO center to read a story aloud to their child. Mom or Dad’s special storytime is recorded on camera, and the USO mails this priceless DVD and book home. Children can watch and listen to their parent at bedtime, naptime or anytime. “You can always count on Council 13 members to do all they can for our military. Our delegation in April was truly moved to hear about the overwhelming success of the USO’s United Through Reading program, and I couldn’t be more proud of the efforts put forth by our membership to bring deployed troops and their families just a little bit closer,” said David Fillman, Executive Director of AFSCME Council 13. With the aid of many members and locals from across the state, AFSCME Council 13’s donation will help 900 military children “see” their deployed mom or dad and help to lift the spirits of our nation's youngest heroes. AFSCME Council 13 is the largest public sector union in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and today the union represents more than 65,000 employees of Pennsylvania and its counties, municipalities, cities, school districts, authorities, non-profits and health care facilities. For more information go to AFSCME13.org
FIJI Fastball Tournament Hits a Home Run
Congratulations Phi Gamma Delta Upsilon Phi Chapter! You scored big with your annual FIJI Fastball tournament in February raising over $2700 to support America’s troops and families. This year’s charity whiffleball tournament was open to all sororities at the University of Florida. Players formed teams and paid an entry fee while FIJI brothers acted as coaches. The teams competed to raise money for a great cause and to give back to our troops both at home and abroad that have given so much to protect our country. “At the end of the day there is no greater reward than giving back to others especially those that have sacrificed so much for all of us already,” said Alex Pacheco, Upsilon Phi Chapter. Click here to make a donation to the Upsilon Phi team.
Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Holds Silent Auction to Support Our Troops  The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO continually supports the brave men and women of our nation's armed services. Most recently, the Work & Family Committee held a silent auction at the PA AFL-CIO 40th Constitutional Convention to support Liberty USO of Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey. All of the AFL-CIO locals in Pennsylvania pitched in to make it a success by providing gift baskets and sports tickets and memorabilia for the auction. They even awarded one local a prize for the best gift basket. The Pennsylvania AFL-CIO made a donation of $3160 to support the USO's many programs and services. "It's important that union members give back to the community, and they do. I find it very fitting and timely that our committee chose a fine organization like the USO to support, and provided an opportunity for our two organizations to learn more about each other." said Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder. For more information on the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO go to paaflcio.org.
Virginia Tech Phi Kappa Tau Helps Military Kids  The brother of Phi Kappa Tau at Virginia Tech showed off their baking skills all while raising funds for a good cause. The fraternity hosted a bake sale on campus to support United Through Reading’s Military Program. They raised a little over $180 that will help the USO provide 18 children with a book and video of their deployed parent reading them a story. PKT Brother Ryan Oberleitner said he understands the importance of connecting these children with their parents and hopes to do as much as he can to help more children “see” their mom or dad when they are stationed far from home. The fraternity also filled a banner with notes of thanks to our troops.
Pine Crest School Chooses USO as Charity of the Year Every year the Student Council at the Pine Crest School in Boca Raton, FL chooses a single charity to benefit from its annual fundraiser. This year the students in the lower and middle school decided they wanted to do something to honor our troops. They held a dress down day and for a fee students could dress in jeans and their favorite team spirit shirts. The students raised over $3,400 in just one day to help support our troops and families. Student Council Advisor Tobey Marsceill said the reason they chose to support the USO is that they know the funds will go directly to helping our service members.
GFWC Club Helps Deployed Troops Read Bedtime Stories to their Kids When the Benson Woman’s Club in Benson, Arizona heard about United Through Reading’s Military Program they knew they wanted to support this project. United Through Reading’s Military Program enables a service member to video record themselves reading a children’s book to their little ones back home. The USO then ships the DVD and book home to their family free of charge. The Benson Woman’s Club thought long and hard before coming up with a way to raise money to support the program. They said for years they have been supporting their kids and all their kids’ activities and decided now it was their turn. They asked their children and their friends for donations to support the USO and received an amazing $844. The club voted to increase their donation to the USO to $1,000. Corrine Valnes, Benson Woman’s Club president, said, “We feel this is a project worthy of our support as our Woman’s Club district here in Arizona has two military groups close by – Fort Huachuca in Sierra Vista and Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson.” Click here to make a donation in support of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs.
National Exchange Club Sends Cheer to Troops
The Marysville Exchange Club wants to give back to those fighting to protect our freedom. They are hosting numerous events throughout the year to support Operation USO Care Package. Every dollar raised will go to sending care packages filled with goodies like a razor, toothbrush, shampoo, deodorant, gum, beef jerky, playing cards, etc to deployed troops. Each care package costs $25. With events on Veterans Days and at Christmas, the Marysville Exchange Club has raised almost $250 to date to support this program. The club plans to continue their efforts throughout 2012. To make a donation to the USO in support of the Marysville Exchange Club efforts click here.
Des Plaines Elks Provide Holiday Lunch at USO-O’Hare 
Every year, when Great Lakes Naval Training Center and School Command grant furloughs for all personnel to go home for the holidays, more than 3,000 traveling military visit the USO at O’Hare International Airport. It is referred to as the EXODUS. And, every year, volunteers from the Des Plaines, IL, Elks Lodge No. 1526 are there to feed the troops waiting for their flights and say thank you for their service. On December 16, the Des Plaines Elks provided an amazing lunch for all the traveling military. They delivered and helped serve four elegant assorted meat and cheese trays, 30 loaves of bread, 200 devilled eggs, and 30 cases of soda. There was a never-ending line of hungry service members that took full advantage of the food the Elks provided. In fact, there was so much food that the USO at O’Hare was able to feed hungry traveling troops for two days! For more information about the Elks Veterans Service Program please visit www.elks.org. Click here for more information about the Elks efforts to support the USO.
New York Elks Tour Fort Drum and Make Donation
The North Central District and the Ontario District of the New York Elks continue their long tradition of supporting our troops and families in their community. On Thursday, December 15, the Elks presented a check for $3723 to the USO of Fort Drum to support center operations and USO programs that help Fort Drum service members and their families. A group of about 15 Elks from the North Central District and the Ontario District along with Elks National President David Carr toured the military base and presented the check to USO Fort Drum Center Director Karen Clark. The North Central District and Ontario District, made up of 14 lodges and 5,000 members, hosted a dinner to raise the funds. They plan to continue to support USO Fort Drum annually. Earlier this year the Elks announced a national partnership with the USO and presented the USO with $25,000 for a USO2GO kit. The USO2GO kit provided some of the comforts of home to troops stationed at Forward Operating Base Shinwar, on the Pakistan/Afghan border. Check out the thank you video the troops shared with us. For more information about the Elks Veterans Service Programs please visit www.elks.org. Click here for more information about the Elks efforts to support the USO.
Beta Club Serves Up Charity Dinner
The Fort Dorchester High School Beta Club in North Charleston, SC, a student run philanthropic organization, wanted to find a way to serve our troops this Veteran’s Day. With the help of their advisor Tricia Andrews, the club hosted a Silver Spoon Supper on Friday November 11, 2011. They served dishes from around the world, reminiscent of the places where US troops are stationed. They sold 100 tickets to the dinner and charged $.25 for every spoonful of food prepared by family members and local restaurants. “The club chose the USO for its fundraiser because so many of the school's students have parents or other relatives who are in the military,” said Andrews. In fact one 10th grade Beta Club member had a great surprise. Her uncle Marine Staff Sgt. Shawn Edwards stopped by the event to say goodbye before he leaves for Afghanistan next week. The event raised over $800 to benefit the USO. CCU Fiji's Smash Car to Raise Funds for the USO 
Students climbed on top of a car at the Delta Colony of Phi Gamma Delta at Coastal Carolina University and dented the trunk, shattered the windows and knocked out headlights. The destruction was one way the group raised money to support our troops and their families through the USO. Find out more about the Delta Colony’s weeklong series of philanthropic events UMD Fijis Determined to Get $7,500 MEGS for the Troops 
The Phi Gam brothers at University of Maryland plan to hold various fundraisers over the next few months to raise enough for a MEGS – a trunk of fun that transforms a military tent into a makeshift movie theater and game room in a matter of seconds. Soldier's Parents Make Promise to Troops 
Bob Guere and his wife Mary Ellen say they won't forget. Their son Ryan is stationed at a forward operating base near the Pakistani border. He's been deployed just two months now and in two months they have raised nearly $8,000. Guere says the troops are not always at the top of everyone's minds but as long as his son is in Afghanistan he and his wife promise to keep the troops at the forefront of America's minds. They started an email writing campaign in April, emailing over 150 family and friends. Guere says he plans to continue emailing everyone he and his wife know until everyone comes home. He will send out new emails around each holiday – July 4th, Thanksgiving and Christmas. As people are celebrating and enjoying their freedom he wants to remind them of those far from their homes fighting for our freedom. Bob says his goal is to raise $25,000 by March 2012 to help the USO send the troops some of the comforts of home. He says it's our turn to make a difference in their lives. Make a contribution to Team Support Bravo Company.
Phi Gamma Delta Boot Camp Competition Raises Thousands 
The Vanderbilt University Phi Gams survived their first boot camp-style competition, "Training for the Troops." Click hereto find out more about how these Fiji brothers raised over $3,400 to support our military men and women. Rowan FIJIs Hit a Strike with Bowlapalooza 
The Rowan University Fiji's raised over $2,000 to support our troops and their families. Read all about FIJI Bowlapalooza." |
