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.