I'm getting a bit overwhelmed with all the bad news out there. From the wars we are still fighting, to the devastating earthquake in Haiti, to the gigantic budget shortfall in California, it's getting to me.
Honestly, I don't think about our battles in Afghanistan and Iraq (and other places) until I watch the nightly news and hear the stories from the front lines. Our troops are putting themselves in harm's way every day and every minute while I go about my day to day activities worrying about the high price of clementines or the fat content in almonds .
An easy way to remember our troops and let them know we care is to donate to Operation Gratitude. Operation Gratitude is a non profit, volunteer organization that sends care packages (with all types of items) and letters addressed to individual U.S. Service people deployed overseas.
There's an outpost of Operation Gratitude in Encino and they are taking all kinds of donations. We brought our extra Halloween candy there and they added it to the care packages that were sent out in December. At year's end they had sent 500,000 care packages to our troops that contained snacks, toiletries, entertainment items and letters.
In addition to Halloween and Easter candy, Operation Gratitude accepts $$ donations, Beanie Babies (the troops hand them out), scarves, Girl Scout cookies, nuts, greeting cards, etc.
You can also go there and help pack out the packages. It's a feel good experience that really does do some good.
www.operationgratitude.com,
the address is NOT posted on line for security reasons, but it is on Victory west of Balboa across from Birmingham High.
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