Volunteers
New Dawn Theater Company
Thank you to New Dawn Theater Company for raising $1,000 during this fundraising event! We appreciate the support from everyone who worked behind the scenes, corporate sponsors and individuals who donated items for the silent auction and raffle.
Operation: Taste of Home2010
We would like to extend our thanks to all who helped us bring a little "Taste of Home" to our military men and women. We shipped to troops from across the U.S. that are serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Korea. Over 6,000 boxes of cookies from thirteen states were donated for our Soldiers and many Girl Scout troops and individuals donated funds to help with shipping. Thank you to the Duluth, Dunwoody and Mill Creek Service Units of Greater Atlanta for their continued support each year.
Many Girl Scout troops participated in the Gift of Caring project making a world of difference...One Cookie Package at a Time! We shipped cookies overseas and donated to our Wounded Warriors and Veterans.
For all the gifts of the heart you give...We would like to extend our thanks to each of our friends for YOUR caring and support, sending respect and appreciation to our Men and Women in Uniform, along with the joy each finds in knowing they are NOT FORGOTTEN! God Bless!
THANK YOU GIRL SCOUTS for
Bringing a Smile and Taste of Home
TO OUR TROOPS!
Christmas for a Soldier2009
We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who participated in this year's Christmas for a Soldier. Whether you donated your time sewing stockings and filling them, assembled packages, decorated cards, or provided monetary donations, we are humbled by your continued support and wanted to let you know that it was because of you that we were successful in packing up and sending out over 2,300 Christmas packages to our adopted troops. Please know that your efforts helped these brave men and women serving this great Country feel a little closer to home and to know that they are loved and appreciated and certainly not forgotten at this special time of year. Our thanks to you all for your generosity, continued support and loyalty to our military personnel. God Bless you, our troops and our great Country!
Special Thanks
AGCO, Inc.
Big Springs United Methodist Church
Briarcliff United Methodist Women
Conservative Republican Women
Daisy Troop 1152
Duluth First United Methodist Church:
Andone Sunday School Class
Barnes Sunday School Class
Boy Scout Troop 419
Duffey Sunday School Class
Forum Sunday School Class
Senior Fellowship
7th & 8th Grade Sunday School, 9:30 Class
High School Sunday School, 9:30 Class
Early Bird Quilt Guild
Edisto Primary School
Ephesus Baptist Church, 9th & 10th grade boys, Bakers Sunday School Class
First Baptist Church, Duluth – Triple L
First Redeemer Church
GA Federation of Women’s Clubs, Fourth District
Genesis Child Development Center
Girl Scout Troop 1194- Duluth
Girl Scout Troop 1687, Debby Tumillo, Dacula
Girl Scout Troop 1743, Wendy Lorys, Dacula
Haw Creek Elementary PTA
Rhonda Hogan, DMD
Jackson Elementary School, Ms. Stacey Rood’s 5th Grade Class
Lavaca Elementary School, Mrs. Donna Harris' Kindergarten Class
Mud Pie
Mulvey Elementary School
Newcomers Club of N.E. Atlanta
Peachtree Corners Baptist Church
Penn State Erie, Behrend College
Perimeter Church, Disciple Group, John’s Creek
Providence Christian Academy
Puckett’s Mill Elementary School, Mrs. Anderson’s 3rd Grade Class, Dacula
Tom Rice, Georgia House of Representatives, Atlanta
Troop 2119, Sienna
Rock-Tenn Company
SELEX Senors & Airborne Systems
Southern Expressions Drill Team
Valley Hill Homemakers of Clayton County
Stephanie Adams
Susan Albright
Sue Amedei
Linda Bailey
Roz Behan
Miriam Chambers
Kelley Clark
Erin Coughlin
Donna Dennard
Angie Doerlich
Diane Eisert
Estell Family
Patricia Freeman
Sherry Griffeth
Miri Hess
Peggy Hill
Charlie Hudson
Tuck & Mary Evelyn Jackson
Betty Kristoff
Trudy Lehman
Patricia Maunus
Carolyn Moore
Joan Mortenson
Myers Family
Diane Near
Sheila Ovington
Annette Pierce
Katherine Posey
Dorothi Prescott
Dick Rodie
Lynda Ryerson
Beverly Sanders
Nina Sanders
Linda Smith
Erlene Srausert
Arthur and Dru Webster
Linda Wettlaufer
Elise Whitworth
Carol Williams
Thank you to all who helped send HUGS to our Soldiers!
We just sent about 65 lbs. of candy your way. They will be coming in a big box from Erie, PA. All of the candy is already wrapped and Christmas cards are included. Thank you so much for all that you are doing. I am sure the packages will bring smiles to many soldiers' faces...Ellie
My family read about Hugs for Soldiers in the Christian Index. What wonderful work ya'll are doing. We would love to adopt a soldier...Pam in Georgia
Thank you for the wonderful work you do to support our troops...Lesa in Oklahoma
I have been trying to find someway to support our troops and last night I found your site. It is exactly what I have been looking for! Pam in Arizona
The Loveland Middle School, Ohio, made it their goal and project to collect as many blank greeting cards as possible for the troops to send home to family and friends. Hugs for Soldiers received over 2,000 cards for all occasions to include in care packages. Thank you to the students and faculty for an outstanding job of showing support for our troops!
Thanks to Linda in California for all the hand written thank you cards for including in our care packages and blank greeting cards for our troops to send home to their families and friends.
A note from one of our volunteers: Thank you so very much for allowing me to volunteer for your organization. You are a blessing and answer to my prayer...Esther, your friend in Tennessee
Patriotism packaged in Girl Scout Cookies!
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
To everyone who worked so hard in making sure our troops received a "Taste of Home" and a reminder that America cares and appreciates the dedication and sacrifices of our military men and women. The Girl Scout cookies are such a morale booster! The notes and cards that were made for the Soldiers are very special to them.
"Hugs" to our local Service Units who continue to support our program and the volunteers who dropped off cookies at the Duluth First United Methodist Church.
Dunwoody Service Unit - 2,580 boxes Troop 1732 Troop 1773 Troop 1195 Troop 1340, 1723, Troop 1845, Troop 1168, Troop 1034, Troop 1130, Troop 1380, Troop 1632, Troop 1641, Troop 1183, Troop 1188, Troop 1351, Troop 164, Troop 1215, Troop 1941, Troop 2935, Troop 1090, Troop 126, Troop 1112, Troop 1656, Troop 147, Troop 1841, Troop 1325, Troop 1214, Troop 1125, Troop 1102, Troop 1394, Troop 142, Troop 1596, Troop 21176, Troop 20146, Troop 21135, Troop 20183
Thank you to Genesis Child Development Center, Wisconsin, for the St. Patrick's Day decorated shamrocks to send luck to the troops that are far away from their families and friends!
Hugs to Ross Hill Baptist Church in North Carolina for your continued support. The snacks, personal care items, puzzle books, stationery, pens and other items for care packages are greatly appreciated.
We would like to thank the organizations who have mentioned Hugs for Soldiers on their websites as it has generated much support for us.
Thank you, Girl Scout Troop 538 in Ohio, for the patriotic box filled with cards, Girl Scout cookies and care package donations.
Many "Hugs" to Esther, our friend and volunteer in Tennessee, who has been so faithful in sending us beautiful cards and letters for our care packages.
We appreciate all the patriotic pictures and notes from 2nd and 3rd graders in the American Red Cross-Prairie Valley Chapter, Columbus, NE. Our Soldiers are going to love receiving them in care packages. What a perfect opportunity to say "thank you" for your service.
Our volunteers are the best! Thank you for the cards, letters or donations for our troops:
Portola Elementary (P.E.A.K.), Ventura, CA
American Heritage Academy, GA
Athens-Oconee Junior Woman's Club, GA
Oliver Hoover Elementary, FL
Brownie Troop, St. Edward's Catholic School, IL
Moultrie, GA Federated Guild
Sylvester, GA Jr. Woman's Club
Communicators for Christ Chapter S.E.E.K., CO
Muscatine Learning Center, IA
Salem Women's Assocation, OH
Girl Scout Troop 320, KS
The Crawford Family, GA
Central Christian School, OR
Cobb Woman's Club, GA
Dollar Smart, Dacula, GA
Many of our troops asked for "hot sauce" to be included in their care packages. Thanks to Wendy for undertaking this project and to the restaurants who contributed packets:
Sonny's BBQ, Buford, GA ~ 3 cases
Sonic, Dacula, GA ~ 1 case
Hardee's at Hamilton Mill, Buford, GA ~ 1 case
McDonald's inside Walmart, Suwanee, GA ~ 70 packages
Hugs and Hearts for our Troops2009
Thank you to the following volunteers who touched the hearts of many Soldiers with such beautiful cards filled with caring thoughts:
St. Joseph School
Mitchell Elementary
Fairway Elementary
Ida Rankin Elementary
Girl Scout Troop 5029, Staten Island, NY
Genesis Child Development Center
Montessori School of Westfield
Friendship United Methodist Church, Youth Group
Girl Scout Troop 709, Heart of NJ
United Methodist of the Resurrection
Community Presbyterian Church
Presbyterian Church of Sweet Hollow
Notre Dame Academy, Girl Scout Troop 147
Shay Scofield
Running Creek Elementary School
Brownie Troop 1058, FL
Duluth First United Methodist Church
Zeta Chapter, Beta Sigma Phi
North Rome Church of God
Peachtree Corners Baptist Church
Girl Scout Troop 1743, Wendy Lorys, Dacula, GA
Conservative Republican Women
American Heritage Girls Troop 593
Mason Elementary
B.B. Harris Elementary
Bednarcik Jr. High
St. Mary School
Valparaiso University, Delta Sigma Pi
Faith Baptist Church
The Remingtons
Orchard Hills Elementary
Lake Harriet Community School
Brownie Troop 605, NJ
Tipton Rosemark Academy
First United Methodist Church, Appleton
Elm Grove Ev. Lutheran Church & School
And....for everyone who dropped cards off at Duluth FUMC anonymously
September 2008
Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, were among the honored guests at the annual Duluth Fall Festival in Duluth, GA, on September 27-28. The "Panther" Soldiers traveled from Fort Benning to the Festival to march in the parade and to be recognized for their service during the Opening Ceremonies, among other community-sponsored events. Major Chris McKinney, the battalion's executive officer, was an Honorary Grand Marshal. The relationship between the community of Duluth and the 2-69 Armor dates back to 2003.
Thank you to the following who made their weekend most memorable:
Russ and Melanie Sheldon - Military Sponsors
Duluth Fall Festival Volunteers
Conder Flags
Country Inn & Suites - Gwinnett Place
Duluth First United Methodist Church
Kroger
Olive Garden, Duluth
The Real Food Catering Company
Rexall Grill
Wild Bill's
September 2008
September 2008
Lots of "Hugs" go out to Wendy, Camden and Trey for decorating and filling 31 Welcome Home Hero Bags for the Single Soldiers of HHC, 13th CSSB at Fort Benning, GA. The Hero Bags were filled with snacks, bottled water, personal care items and notes of thanks and appreciation for their service. The Hero Bags will be placed in the barracks for the Soldiers to enjoy when they return home. Thank you, Wendy, for being such a wonderful volunteer and always stepping up to the plate to help our troops.
Special Hugs to Sidney DeMello, President of To The Fallen Records, who donated 897 Hip Hop Vol. 1 CDs to Hugs for Soldiers in Georgia for distributing to the troops.
To The Fallen Records exclusively showcases military artists and their music as a strictly non-partisan entity, as their tagline states, "it's not about politics, it's about music."
The purposes behind the label are to provide American citizens insight into the men and women that serve their country and to give American service members an outlet for expression. Through powerful lyrics military artists tell the world about their lives in a way that few have heard.
Thank you to the following volunteers who have donated items to make care packages for the troops:
Girl Scout Troop 320, McPherson, KS
Hickory Flatt Elementary School, Junior Beta Club, Canton, GA
Ross Hill Church, Beginners Class, Bostic, N.C.
"Welcome Home Hero Bags"
Provides Comforts of Home to Ft. Benning, GA
Single Soldiers Returning from Iraq
Volunteers came together at the Duluth First United Methodist Church to assemble 420 "Hero Bags" to make sure the Single Soldiers of the 2-69 Armor, 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division received a warm welcome when they returned home in May after a 15-month deployment.
The white Hero Bags were decorated in a patriotic theme with the Battalion's emblem, tanks, Panthers and slogan, "Speed and Power", by Mason Elementary School students in Duluth, GA and Girl Scout Troops from the Millcreek Service Unit in Dacula. Each bag was filled with donated snacks of granola bars, trail mix, peanut butter and cheese crackers, large candy bars, gum, bottled water and a box of Girl Scout cookies donated by the Duluth Girl Scout Service Unit.
Also, included were personal care items of shampoo and conditioner, lotion, toothbrush/toothpaste, mouthwash, razor and shaving cream, deodorant, soap and Kleenex. Special bags were made up for the female Soldiers as well. Cards and letters of well wishes, thank you for your service, and the student’s name who decorated the bag, grade level and teacher’s name were tucked inside the bags. These bags were placed in the barracks of each Single Soldier. The barracks were also decorated with Welcome Home Posters made by Volunteers. We tried to make the first couple of nights at home as comfortable as possible. In addition to the 420 boxes of Girl Scout cookies included in the Hero Bags, over 2,000 boxes were delivered to the 2-69 Armor and 1-15th Infantry Battalions for ALL the Soldiers to enjoy!
Special Thanks and Hugs to everyone who helped to make this project special and to make our Soldiers feel Welcomed Home!
Annette Pierce; Carol Williams; Carolyn Moore; Cordy Reagan; Dollar Smart, Dacula
Duluth First United Methodist Church Groups
Duluth Girl Scout Service Unit
Fort Benning: Paula Perry, FRG Leader and Sergeant First Class Donna Larkins-FRG LNO
Gwinnett County Convention and Visitors Bureau
Jim and Terri Adkins; Joanne Hurtig; Linda Bailey
Mason Elementary School Students and Teachers
Duluth Mill Creek Girl Scout Service Unit, Dacula
Russ and Melanie Sheldon
Wendy Lorys (Camden & Jordan)
Operation: Taste of Home 2008
Girl Scout Cookies continue to be one of the most requested items by our military personnel. One Soldier in Iraq wrote, “Girl Scout Cookies are like gold around here. You just can’t get enough.”
The Girl Scouts of the Northwest Georgia Council made sure our Soldiers received a little “Taste of Home” by donating 4,416 boxes of cookies. All together, 4,845 boxes, valued at $16,957.50 were donated for our troops to enjoy! Each box of cookies shipped contained a special “thank you for your service” message along with well wishes in the form of letters, drawings or hand-made cards from Girl Scouts, families, schools, churches, businesses and civic organizations.
Every year we collect more cookies and more groups express an interest in getting involved with our effort. The Girl Scouts and their Leaders have worked hard and it’s wonderful to see this kind of community support for our deployed soldiers.
Volunteers from Duluth delivered over 2,400 boxes of cookies to the Ft. Benning, 3rd Brigade soldiers returning from Iraq after a 15-month deployment. What a nice Welcome Home gift!
THANK YOU and HUGS to everyone who made this project a huge success. This is a real morale booster for our soldiers and lets them know people back home really care about them.
Thousands of boxes of cookies were donated. The following is a list of those that we know donated cookies or helped with the project:
Jim & Terri Adkins Wendy Lorys and Camden Diane Near Duluth Montessori School Duluth First United Methodist Church Hickory Flat Elementary School, Junior Beta Club, Canton Mason Elementary School Staff, Duluth The Mitchell Family, Scottdale, AZ Russell Reynolds Associates, AtlantaDuluth Service Unit:
3,400 boxes
Troop 103 Troop 126 Troop 142 Troop 164 Troop 1034 Troop 1112 Troop 1130 Troop 1163 Troop 1168 Troop 1183 Troop 1186 Troop 1215 Troop 1393 Troop 1378 Troop 1380 Troop 1449 Troop 1596 Troop 1600 Troop 1635 Troop 1641 Troop 1720 Troop 1841 Troop 1845 Troop 1941 Troop 2935 Troop 20146 Troop 20183 Troop 21135 Troop 21138
Snellville Service Unit: Cadette Troop 167
Special HUGS to the following volunteers who have sent items to make up care packages for our troops. It is important our Soldiers know that we care and support them and your care packages will do just that! Thank you!
Linda Duke, Palmetto Bay, FL
Karen Gelhaar, Lawrenceville, GA
Roseena McLaughlin, N. Huntingdon, PA
Laura Twardzik, Pembroke Pines, FL
B. J. Young, Locust Grove, GA
Valentine’s Day is one day out of the year that we show someone how much we care about them. Over 4,000 cards came from everywhere in different shapes and sizes, but they had one thing in common … the love and appreciation of our American Soldiers. SPECIAL HUGS to our volunteers who took the time to make or purchase cards and fill them with love and caring messages for our troops. Thanks to everyone who donated candy – over 200 Valentine Treat Bags were filled with Hershey’s Hugs ‘N Kisses, chocolate hearts and various other candies. We have tried to list everyone below that contributed cards, but many were sent without a note enclosed.
Mary & Claire Ackerman & Mrs. Garmon’s Class, Perrysburg, OH
Alcoa Middle School & Teachers, Alcoa, TN
Brownie Girl Scout Troop #71 & Marilyn Mense, Manlius, NY
Brownie Girl Scout Troop #1743 & Wendy Lorys, Dacula, GA
Congregational Church of Boca Raton, FL
Conservative Republican Women, Northeast GA
Daisy Troop #226 & Jennifer Rink, Coral Springs, FL
Daisy Troop #4759, Ashburn, VA
Dean Family, Vonore, TN
Deer Hill School & Ms. Suzi Corkhum, Cohasset, MA
Duluth First United Methodist Church, Duluth, GA
Fairview Elementary School & Judy Russell-Wade, Maryville, TN
Faith Wesleyan Church, Terre Haute, IN
Forum Class, Duluth First United Methodist Church, Duluth, GA
Girl Scout Troop # 453 & Jennifer Oreste, Mill Valley, CA
Girl Scout Troop #487 & Sarah Mulligan, Ramsey NJ
Girl Scout Troop #21150 & Debra Waddell, Dacula, GA
Heritage Middle School & Leigh Terry, Maryville, TN
Heritage High School, 9th Grade Academy & Phyllis Pompeo, Maryville, TN
Hillcrest Baptist Church, Maryville, TN
LaSalle Language Academy & Deborah Cohen, Chicago, IL
Lakota West High School, West Chester, OH
Lakota West Scrap Club & Doreen Peck, Cincinnati, OH
Gina Lauterio, Stewartsville, NJ
Chris & James Lyng, St. Charles, IL
Mason Elementary School, Duluth, GA
Oviatt Elementary School & Ms. Nedved, Norwalk, IA
Patel’s, New Port Beach, CA
Peachtree Corners Baptist Church & Susan Albright, Norcross, GA
Powers Elementary School & their PTO, Beloit, WI
Representative Tom Rice, GA House of Representatives
St. Mark Lutheran Church, West Des Moines, IA
St. Patrick’s School, Cleveland, OH
Stephanie Fagan, Riverside, CA
Texas Education Agency & Dr. Philip M. Cochran, Austin, TX
Townview Elementary School & their PTO, Beloit, WI
Valley View Middle School, Student Leadership Council, Edina, MN
Vonore Baptist Church & Peggy Payne, Vonore, TN
Vonore Elementary School & Nancy Kersten, Vonore, TN
Vonore Middle School Beta Club & Tammy Webb, Vonore, TN
Walland United Methodist Church, Walland, TN
Sandy Zanni, Norcross, GA
I" just wanted to extend my Thanks You's to everyone . Thank you for helping Soldiers and their Families and providing Soldiers care-packages. Your contribution is very much grateful and a blessing." A Proud Military Wife Special thanks to Global Caps and Pete Bauer who have been wonderful in working with us to make it possible (budget-wise) for a commander to give ball caps to his soldiers for Christmas.
We're always looking for ways to save money ... so many thanks to Rock-Tenn Company, Norcross, GA, for giving us an avenue for complimentary boxes for our "Christmas for a Soldier" campaign.
Blessings to Laurie Gilmore, Christ the King Lutheran Church, Norcross, GA, for donating the personal care and snack items for our care packages. Thank You!
Thank you - Wes and Ellen Benton, Red Planet Entertainment, for all the care package donations. The snacks, personal care items and hand held games will be much appreciated by our Soldiers in Iraq.
