On Thursday evening we had our Christmas Enrichment for Relief Society. Usually we do a nice party for the women of the ward, with food and entertainment. This year, we decided to start of the month of December with a great Christmas message - service.
We found an amazing woman, Cynthia Martinez that lives locally and was just honored by the Pentagon with the Star of Hope (Bob Hope) award for the Marine Corps. After 9-11 she felt that she needed to do more to honor our troops and support them and their families. She wrote a book, and then started Words of Comfort Hope and Promise a non-profit organization to do just that. She does everything from pampering parties for the wives who's hubby's are deployed, to big beach parties in the summer, and Christmas Parties in the winter. Before Thanksgiving they assembled 1,000 care packages to Marines that are deployed, and over 22,000 cookies were donated.
Our goal was to raise money and assemble 50 toiletry kits that would be given to the single men in a returning squadron before Christmas. We not only raised enough money for the toiletry kits, but also for an additional snacks and goodies. It was so amazing to give service to these men and women that do so much for our country. Even if it was really a small token.
Friday afternoon, Cynthia had asked if I could set up the projector and DVD of clips of their many activities for a luncheon they were having to honor those that had donated to their efforts. It was amazing to sit their and listen to retired marines that were now serving young marines following in their footsteps, and how they wish they could do more. The spoke of hope, and the hope that we must give to those marines and their families, and the hope that is given to us by their efforts. I was really moved, and comforted to hear how much good really is going on in the world. It also reminded me of all the blessings I really have.
That evening the kids and I worked on homemade Christmas cards that will be added to those kits, and even though it's something small, I know those Marines will smile when they see those hand drawn cards of Christmas trees, and Santa. It's really the small things that many people do that make a difference.
We found an amazing woman, Cynthia Martinez that lives locally and was just honored by the Pentagon with the Star of Hope (Bob Hope) award for the Marine Corps. After 9-11 she felt that she needed to do more to honor our troops and support them and their families. She wrote a book, and then started Words of Comfort Hope and Promise a non-profit organization to do just that. She does everything from pampering parties for the wives who's hubby's are deployed, to big beach parties in the summer, and Christmas Parties in the winter. Before Thanksgiving they assembled 1,000 care packages to Marines that are deployed, and over 22,000 cookies were donated.
Our goal was to raise money and assemble 50 toiletry kits that would be given to the single men in a returning squadron before Christmas. We not only raised enough money for the toiletry kits, but also for an additional snacks and goodies. It was so amazing to give service to these men and women that do so much for our country. Even if it was really a small token.
Friday afternoon, Cynthia had asked if I could set up the projector and DVD of clips of their many activities for a luncheon they were having to honor those that had donated to their efforts. It was amazing to sit their and listen to retired marines that were now serving young marines following in their footsteps, and how they wish they could do more. The spoke of hope, and the hope that we must give to those marines and their families, and the hope that is given to us by their efforts. I was really moved, and comforted to hear how much good really is going on in the world. It also reminded me of all the blessings I really have.
That evening the kids and I worked on homemade Christmas cards that will be added to those kits, and even though it's something small, I know those Marines will smile when they see those hand drawn cards of Christmas trees, and Santa. It's really the small things that many people do that make a difference.
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