Time well spent

Last night I had my first shift working at the USO. I loved it except for one thing; they need money.

Money and supplies. They need your free samples, your time, and your money.

They receive grants from various organizations and they get food donated to them but it's not enough. I hesitate to list the different organizations that donate money because of the current climate of our Country and any possible retribution that may occur from the traitors that hate us. That is sad.

As a volunteer one of my responsibilities was to make ham and cheese and tuna sandwiches. The sandwiches were made with cheap wheat bread, one piece of sliced ham. One. They were not thick slices. The Soldiers were ecstatic to get them. Every Soldier that walked through the door last night (I was there from 8-midnight) got a sandwich, some took two. Many of them asked me how much they cost and were very appreciative when I told them they were free.

The USO only has 12 bunk beds that are available on a first come, first serve basis. It was rough telling a Soldier that was obviously exhausted that there was not a bed available. They have big couches but that's not a bed. One Soldier actually ASKED PERMISSION to sleep on the floor in the bunk room. I said yes, of course and he said THANK YOU ma'am. I gave him a couple blankets and a pillow and he was out.

Read that again. He said THANK YOU to me for telling him it was okay to sleep ON THE FLOOR.

Amazing.

All of the Soldiers I saw last night were polite, and happy to be there. Most were young. It made me very proud of what I was doing but also a little broken hearted because it wasn't very much. One of the Soldiers was leaving to catch a plane and as he was leaving he shook the hand of the regular Friday night volunteer and said, thank you, it was great being able to come here for few hours, was almost like being at home.

What could be better for them?

As many of them were leaving they stopped to put some cash in the donation box, $5, $10, $20....

USO

As an update to another post:

I am volunteering at my local USO and my first shift is coming up in the next week 8:00 PM - midnight.



I did a tour and a quick orientation last week and will get my training next time I go in. I know when I'm scheduled to go in, but for obvious reasons (read: liberal freaks, rapists, murderers, internet perverts and the like) I'm keeping that info to myself .

It's pretty cool actually. There are showers - with a ton of donated samples. Bunk beds, (there were four Soldiers sleeping and the other USO volunteer that was showing me around turned on the light and was talking to me in the room and none of the Soldiers moved - they were totally crashed). There's a family room with cribs and toddler beds, they were just able to re-do the room thanks to a donation from Disney.

I'll make ham and tuna sandwiches from donated bread from Gai's Bakery, cookies are available from whoever has donated them.

I will be, by about 25+ years be the youngest person working there.

Surprisingly the USO at Seatac airport if the only USO that is open 24 hours a day. The others are only open 12 hours a day.

Since I have a regular Mon-Friday job I'm dreading the midnight to 4 AM and the 4 AM to 8 AM shift but considering what our Soldiers do for me and mine.... it's the least I can do.

Not joining the ARMY, but it's something...

I signed up to volunteer at the local USO office at SeaTac airport. I'm very excited and am looking forward to getting involved! They could use your help across the Country.

The USO is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide morale, welfare and recreation-type services to our men and women in uniform. The original intent of Congress – and enduring style of USO delivery – is to represent the American people by extending a touch of home to the military.

Tahoma National Cemetery, Memorial Day 2006

Grudges

I love to hold a grudge. Whether it is over something small or something big, the big or small of course being determined by me and my own stubborness. Some examples of my grudges, some are years old, and some are brand new:

1. The Sears Grudge.

Years ago I read the book Tears of Rage, the story of Adam Walsh. I'm sure that most everyone knows the story of Adam Walsh, in 1981 at six years old he was kidnapped and killed, his killer was never brought to justice.

While shopping at Sears Adam's mother left him alone to watch some video games that were being played by older kids. She went to the lamp section that was right next door.

Side note on this: my kid does not walk out to the mailbox without me watching, but different time, different mind set.

The older boys got loud, and were maybe fighting with each other so a security guard for Sears kicked the whole group out, including Adam who again, was six years old and did not know any of these boys. Also, he was sent out of a different side of the store than he normally would have used.

When the Walsh's started legal proceedings to sue Sears for kicking a six year old out of their store Sears played dirty. Their attorney's dug up all sorts of dirt on the Walsh's (who's perfect anyway).... because John Walsh was trying to get all sorts of different brand new laws passed to protect all American kids they decided to drop the case against Sears. I still remember what he said about them, " We have seen the softer side of Sears, no thanks."

That is why I do not and will not shop at Sears.

2. The Ben and Jerry Grudge.

This is a new one, and a rough one since they have some great flavors and my daughter whines about it every time she sees her favorite. But she knows me well enough to know I will not change my mind.

One of the founders of Ben and Jerry's has a company called True Majority, a non-profit set up by Ben Cohen. That company pays the bills for Fenton Communications, Fenton specializes in public relations for liberal non profits and one of their current pets is Cindy Sheehan. I loathe her and all that she stands for.

(New info on the dreaded Sheehan: I read today that Susan Sarandon will play her. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/03/19/INGEQHOQAA1.DTL ).

3. The Dixie Chicks Drudge.

I loved the Dixie Chicks. Had all three of their cd's and listened to them all the time. My daughter and I even went to their concert when they came to Seattle a few years ago. Then they had to jump on the Anti- Bush-American bandwagon. The quote from the singer Natalie Maines, "just so you know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas." To make it worse she said it outside of the U.S.

The group then went on a bunch of talk shows to talk about why she said it and what they believe. The group in my opinion has never recovered. I enjoyed very much destroying their cd's and will never listen to them again.

This grudge has the potential of extending to Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. I guess they have had a taste of Hollywood and now forget who has been their bread and butter. The two of them have been stumping for their latest tour and of course being professional singers they got around to the subject of George Bush. McGraw had this to say:

McGraw blamed state and federal politics for hampering efforts to get adequate shelter, food and supplies to victims. The 38-year-old country singer also criticized President Bush, who visited the devastated Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans on Wednesday.

"There's no reason why someone can't go down there - who's supposed to be the leader of the free world - and say, 'I'm giving you a job to do and I'm not leaving here until it's done. And you're held accountable,"' he said. Later in the news conference, McGraw let out a stream of frustration, growling, "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore." The couple were married in 1996.

When asked what their fans could do to help, McGraw said: "Vote."

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/3/10/122840.shtml?s=en

I'm not sure what he means with the vote suggestion, since I'm going to assume he is talking about Bush, maybe he doesn't realize that Bush won't be running for office again for the next go around? Since he seems to have great affection for Bill Clinton I'm also going to assume that he didn't mean vote out the Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco since she is a democrat.

McGraw had this to say about Bill Clinton:

In a 2004 interview, McGraw said he would like to run for public office in the future, possibly for Senate in his home state of Tennessee. In the same interview, he praised former President Bill Clinton, a somewhat unusual stance in the traditionally conservative country music industry: "I love Bill Clinton. I think we should make him king. I'm talking the red robe, the turkey leg - everything."

In early 2006, McGraw reaffirmed his plans for running for public office, saying that he would like to run for Governor of Tennessee about 10 years down the road. He has also said that he thinks Bill Clinton was the best President in history.

Okay? Seems to be some weird hero worship happening here. Lets hope for Faith Hill's sake he doesn't follow his hero's examples with women.