WE RETIRE THE COLORS 

 Our program retired on April 22, 2012.  To see the thank you notes coming in go to Response Tab on our website.

You can work with another program getting your letters of support to the troops by going to: www.operationgratitude.com  OR  www.ourmilitary.mil

Here are some of the pictures from our retire the colors ceremony/letter stuffing party.

April 22, 2012

    

    

    

    

    

         

     

There are plenty more pictures to see from our special day.  To view and / or order pictures go to :

http://www.carnessaliphotography.net

click on proofs

click on events

type in your email address

password is lettersfromhome

Our packages have arrived!!


*******************************************
I am a Sailor stationed in Afghanistan. I just received a care
package from Letter from Home. I just wanted to say thank you and tell
you how much this means to me and my unit. I could believe the amount
of time and effort spent on this package for us, with all of the gift
bags, letters and many many decks of cards. Thank you all for your
support and for bringing a smile to many sailor's faces here in
Afghan.

--
MA3 Dockins
A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush, but Id rather have 2 on the collar.
.

***************************************************
April 28, 2012

Hi Christine,
Just wanted to let you know that at least 15 of your 26 large boxes arrived last week and I saw some of the donations yesterday while at the armory and WOW!!   Really wonderful items.    We will send a formal acknowledgment to you and your volunteers/donors, but please tell them sooner how truly thankful we are for their support and generosity. Such a perfect selection of goods--that will be greatly appreciated by the troops.

Thank you so much for entrusting these cherished donations to Operation Gratitude. We will take good care of them, and get them to their intended recipients as quickly as possible. I am truly honored to do so.

Hope you are getting some well deserved rest! And please remember our invitation for you to come out to visit us! :)

Fondly,

Carolyn Blashek
Operation Gratitude 
****************************************************

   

       

here is  the stats from OUR FINAL campaign

overall in 9 years :  73,899 men/women served by the program

overall in 9 years : 677,088 cards and letters were collected.
_____

200 volunteers arrived to help with the  "Shower them with Thanks" campaign 4/22/2012
1273 care packages were made for "Shower them with Thanks"
16,044 cards were collected for "Shower them with Thanks"

 

Mission Accomplished!

Letters from Home Program a non profit 501 c 3 announced recently of plans to wind down gracefully, not over financial problems but because their mission is nearly finished.
 
The program has sent 661,044 cards and letters of support to touch the lives of 72,626 military all over the world on active duty.
 
We have had a great run; we have saved a lot of American lives with our morale support.  They say to hold a letter from home, is like holding the hand of the person who wrote it.  You can be proud that you have been a part of this and played a crucial role in the support over the years. It goes without saying that God will greet you with open arms at your journey’s end saying “well done thou good and faithful servant”. To you, I am very grateful for your compassion and contributions. 
So with the announcement of the troops from the Iraqi war coming home, Letters from Home mission statement of “Until They Come Home, We Will Send Them Letters from Home”, the feeling of pride overcomes any potential regrets.  There is a great sense of accomplishment with the ending, a strange feeling of a bittersweet celebration of its success and its legacy.  The communities of this great Nation created love and support for the fine men/women defending our freedom shows it is then appropriate and fitting for us to draw together to mark its transition.  Please join us April 22, 2012 as we finish our 35 th campaign of Letters from Home at Sacred Heart Activity Center, on Center St, in St Marys PA at 12:30 pm . There will be a very solemn military style ceremony after the final packages are packed and the colors will be retired. 
 
May God continue to bless you all as you have blessed me.
 
In his grace,
Christine Jovenitti, Founder/Director
Letters from Home Inc.
Founded May 2003 – Will Retire April 2012.



Beautiful comments coming into the program:

•  you have been an inspiration to all for your steadfast energy and commitment to our military.

•  thank you for guiding the local civilian corps all these years to support the troops around the world.

• and a job well done Chris!

• You should be very proud and I am sure he will bless your service!

• an amazing ride!

•   What started out so small for one, became an unbelievable tribute to our military all over the world.

• I can't say enough of your accomplishments and that you kept it going thru thick and thin.
   

• What a program you started, Letters from Home will not be forgotten.
   

• Yes indeed, your mission is now complete, Welcome home troops!!
   

• Congratulations to LFH on your formal recognition from the Elk County Commissioners for your many years of service to our military personnel.
   

• Thank you to all the volunteers who packed parcels and/or donated to the cause.
   

• It is a good reason to retire the program in the spring due to our troops finally coming home. God bless them all as they return to their civilian lives.
   

• Thank you for caring for other people's children and continuing to plow thru no matter what life had given you.

• Amazing Grace was with you all the way!

• Great news! Congrats. What a great accomplishment!

• I think it is awesome and really admirable that you lead the program to completition. What a long time. I am so glad the troops are coming home.

•  Great choice of where the programs memoribila will be displayed.  The Elk County Courthouse Annex building is a perfect place for all to see.

• My gosh 2003 - 2012!
   

• We are sooooooooo thankful for you Chris. I'm so glad I heard you speak on PCN call-in show with the two Marines many moons ago :). From then on, we met many new friends and had the priviledge to serve our troops along with you.
  
    

  
We are proud to be a member of the America Supports You network under the Department of Defense at the Pentagon.  To see the organizations supporting our military go to their new website www.ourmilitary.mil and click on the SUPPORT tab.
 

         

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