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Letters Stuffing Party

??? Previous Events?

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Memorial/Honor Cards

Steeler Basket

	? The Winery at Wilcox’s 5th Annual Wine Festival- Wilcox PA - ?????????????? September 2, 2006 ?
	St. Marys Hometown Festival on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, September 8,9,10 2006 Stop by our booth and say HELLO!! St. Marys, PA

? LETTER STUFFING PARTY

Help us assemble all the packages of support for the troops..

All are welcome to attend.

Sunday, July 30, 2006

?Pre-registration starts at 12:30pm for 1:00pm start of the 2nd campaign of 2006

"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Until They All Come Home"

Sacred Heart Activity Center

Center Street

St. Marys, PA? 15857

Currently we are looking for the Dinner Sponsor for our Christmas letter stuffing party on November 19, 2006. Could that be you, your restaurant or your

friends who could help make the Letter Stuffing Party a little more. When finished

assembling all the packages, we ask everyone to sit down and eat dinner together.? After all the work is finished,

we feel that we need to stop and take a moment, reflect on the day, and appreciate everyone's company,

friendship and compassion. Everyone leaves Letter Stuffing Party with a deeper sense of what they are and

what they have to give the program.? It is one of our highlights, as everyone is so busy in their own lives, that

we often take a simple thing as sitting down to dinner, and learn to appreciate it in a different way.

???????????? If you are interested in feeding our workers with a little party, please contact us??at??????

July 30, 2006 Campaign # 2 Sponsor for Dinner:

Rte 255
Saint Marys, PA 15857
Phone: (814)834-1022

1102 Million Dollar Highway, Saint Marys, PA 15857
(814) 781-1389

906 South Saint Marys Street, Saint Marys, PA 15857
(814) 781-1968

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April 30, 2006 Campaign # 1 Sponsor for Dinner:

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November 19, 2006 Campaign #3 Sponsor for Dinner:

????????????????????????? Sponsor our Christmas mailing dinner for the letter stuffers!!

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OPERATION ENJOYING OUR FREEDOM- MILITARY SUPPORT WEEKEND FOX TOWNSHIP PARK, KERSEY PA ????? FRIDAY JULY 14 - SATURDAY JULY 15, 2006 Sponsored by: Fox Township Park in Kersey, Pennsylvania & Letters from Home Program ?Elk County Community Foundation awards a grant to ?Letters from Home Program to help with the program. Operation Enjoying Freedom Ceremony Awards Units received ribbons for the following: ? White Unit - Air Force:? collected most items for troops and Tug of War 8-10 year olds ? ?Gold Unit - Army:? Best Appearance, Politeness, Unity, Clearness and Tug of War 7 & under ? ?Red Unit - Marines: Manners, Tug of War 10 & over ? ?Blue Unit - Navy:? Togetherness, Originality, Frozen Dress UP, Tug of War 7 & under, Best unit flag (guide on)?design, Best Cadence. ? Soldiers who helped make this weekend outstanding for the children: LTC G. Scott Carlson (220 th MP Brigade/Gaithersburg MD) He is soon to be the Battalion Commander of the 320th Military Police Battalion out of Ashley, Pennsylvania come September 9th. SSG Marv Goodnoe (Kane PA National Guard) SSG Volker Kiefer (Air Force Reserve, Niagara Falls, NY)- back from Iraq 2 weeks prior SPC Amanda Leavitt (Kane PA National Guard)- back from Iraq 3 weeks prior SPC Lance Jovenitti (Ridgway PA National Guard) Julie Anderson (PANG) SGT Doug Rowe ? Some pictures of the weekend. ? This was the "PX" where many found ?their way into our store to purchasing treats for the troops. We also sent children to Walmart in St Marys and Ridgway Bilo to have help in the 24 hour marathon.? Thank you all who purchased treats, donated money and helped the TEAMS with the competition. Together we all made it happen. ? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ???????????????? Overall: a total of 81 children from Pennsylvania representing the towns of Kersey, St Marys, Ridgway, Kane, Bradford, Johnsonburg, Force, Weedville, Dagus Mines, and 4 children from Kansas participated. 85 children all came together for the same cause...Showing our troops were proud of them and here ready to support their needs.? It was awesome!! A special thank you to the Fox Township Park, Fox Township Sportsman Club, Kersey Community Building, and the "ladies" who cooked for us in the "Mess Hall". There were no complaints of the food. It was great..And to our PHEAA workers who taught the children? games, cadence, marching, manners, and pride -? a big HOORAH to you.. We couldn't have done it without your enthusiasm. Thank you Debbie Agosti, Fox Township Park Director for allowing us to be a part of your park program and your community. Treats for the troops- 24 hour marathon showed these statistics:? It was a close race to the finish!! The children learned how to march, how to follow directions, how to sing a cadence, how to use a GPS, how to use an AK47 and how to tolerate rain.? They were all a very special group of children. White team brought in 3327 treats Gold team 3079 treats Blue Team 3048 treats Red Team 2686 treats Total items collected in 24 hours: 12,134 (approx $18,000 worth of products)- it filled a motor cross trailer! ? Numerous sponsors from all over the county helped make this weekend possible. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!! Judges were: Joe Kugler Pat McMackin Matt Doran Paula Fritz Eddy, Elk Co. Community Foundation ? *************************************************************************************

June 17, 2006

	Tri County Fireman's Parade
	The kickoff for the start
	of our "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Until
	They All Come Home Campaign".
	Thank you to Paper City Transfer for the Semi Truck-
	To Butera's Hardware for the New Flag Poles-
	and
	State Representative Dan Surra for the
	Pennsylvania Flag on the float.

April 30, 2006

Letter Stuffing Party Pictures

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2,879 packages were made April 30, 2006 for our campaign "For Love of our Country".??

There was also special packages made for our wounded soldiers in the military hospitals.

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???????????????????????????????????????? St Marys Box Company surprised us today with a supply

??????????????????????????????????? of custom made boxes for the troops big mailing.

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???????????????????????????????????? And what a surprise it will be when the troops see the

???????????????????????????? boxes with our name imprinted on them.? Thank you so much

??????????????????????????? to all at the ST MARYS BOX COMPANY for the awesome donation.

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4/7/06

"A Night with the Stars"

Chris Denem as "Neil Diamond"

&

Lori D. Hall as "Cher"

Lori, Suzy and Jody take in? a moment

of fun during the concert.

A special thank you goes out to Suzy Carlson, above

for chairing the evening.? Suzy you organized a spectacular event!!

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Thank you to all who supported our program!!

Elk County Catholic Middle School Youth Rally

found 600 students writing cards and bagging

tootsie rolls for the troops on March 26,2006.

3/10/06

Letters from Home Program Ice Cream Social and Card Making Party was a big success with many people attending including Brownie Troop 234.? We thank all who brought Chinese auction items which proved to be a fun time for all.? We especially want to thank Debbie and Scott Carlson for the toppings and ice cream cones for our party.? Overall we made 800 cards of support and flat Stanley projects for the troops.. Thanks everyone for helping.

Brownie Troops 234 Leaders Barb Daniels and Amy Anderson

Troop members include: Janae Anderson, Julie Daniels, Maria Hoh, Angela Schneider,

Miranda and Marissa Deming, Kali Smith, Olivia Catalone, Taylor Huff, Emily Steele,

?Grace Bonifay & Sage Terwillinger.? Missing from photo was Rachel Herbstritt and Katrina Lewis.

Also attending from Troop 627 was Cassie Daniels

11/19/2005

Holiday fest in Johnsonburg

Winner of the Patriotic Basket donated by John Schlimm II

was Roger and Barbara Delong of Johnsonburg,.

Thank you John for a beautiful donation.

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Autumn fest 2005

Thank you to Bucktail

Plaza Merchants and all

who supported this evening.

In all, we were able to raise

over $3000.00 for our program

for the Christmas Campaign.

It was a great evening.? Below are some of the recaps? of the day and evening and the especially successful "dinner with a soldier auction!" Thank you everyone for a great fundraiser for our troops.

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"A Salute to You from the Red, White and Blue 2005"

August 28, 2005

Cards arriving for support for the troops...13,000 cards for 2619 soldiers!!!

Precious cards that can make a soldier's day.

Many treats fill the grab bag of supplies

the letter stuffers had to choose from

to put in each soldiers bag.

In all, "A Salute to you from the Red, White and Blue 2005" brought 119 volunteers together

to assemble over 3000 pairs of socks, many thousands of freezer pops to share, and

hundreds of pounds of tootsie rolls.? There were a variety of everything under the sun

to give our troops a large variety of treats and necessities from the good caring people

who help support Letters from Home Program.?

Upcoming Event

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Letter and Card Guidelines

Our guidelines are simple. All we ask is that you keep your correspondence on a cheerful note. Some of our favorite letters and cards include thanks to the soldiers for their service, protection and selflessness. It is very encouraging for them to hear they are thought of and prayed for. On cards we ask that no glitter is used, it has been a problem in past mailings. Glitter pens are fine to use. We also ask that you do not seal your letter or card in an envelope, this way we can inspect all items. Envelopes can be included, just not sealed. If you are sending more than one card inside an envelope, they do not need postage?put on them.?Only the card the envelope that is mailed to us at our headquarters needs postage.?Thank you for your compliance.

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"The Gift of Freedom 2005"

November 13 - December 16 2005

38,080 plus cards and flat stanley projects

collected for over 6,012 servicemen and women.

Over 125 volunteers arrived to package thousands of treats, tree ornaments,

phone cards and beautiful Christmas wishes for Peace for the coming year.

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"A Salute to You from the Red, White and Blue 2005"

August 28, 2005

2619 Service men and women received cards and care packages

full of socks, freezer pops and tootsie rolls along with many numerous items.

119 volunteers arrived to help, including Gordon Huie, survivor of the Twin Towers

and Elk County Catholic High School Varsity and JV football team.

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Can we do it??

August 2005

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Yes we did it...We collected 6672 all occasion

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cards- 2452 Flat Stanley projects-- and 3876

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postcards from all over the USA and Canada.

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13,000 in all!!

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"Remembering You 2005"

June 2005

The boxes are ready to pack.

Licorice sticks and Kool-Aid were some of the many treats

the soldiers received in their package.

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Past Events

Armed Forces Day 2005

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2005 Valentine's Day Campaign

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The Heart of America 2005

Click here for more info and pictures.

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Jingle All The Way From The Hearts Of USA

Christmas 2004 Campaign

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Go here for pictures and information about this campaign.?

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Letters From Home Raffle Items

The winners were drawn on Sept.12, 2004 at the closing of St. Marys Hometown Festival. Thank you to all who supported The Letters From Home Program.

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"Picture" Hometown USA, 4th of July 2004

This was our first care package campaign and certainly the largest mailing we have done. Letters From Home would like to thank everyone who participated and made this campaign an overwhelming success.

You, the good and caring citizens, made this campaign go above and beyond anything we planned or imagined!

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Number of Letters From Home sent to each Soldier: 6
Total Number of Letters From Home sent: 6,000
Number of Phone Cards sent: 961
Total Number of Boxes shipped: 138
Total Weight of Boxes shipped: 1,750 lbs
Number of caring Citizens that made this Campaign a success: Countless
A homesick Soldier getting a Letter From Home: Worth It All
Letting 961 Soldiers Know They Are Not Forgotten: PRICELESS!!!!

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Memorial Day Parade May 2004

It did rain on our parade, but that couldn't dampen our Patriotic Spirit. Click above to see pictures and read more about the parade.

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Easter Wishes From America/March 2004

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Please click above to read about our Easter campaign and to see more pictures.

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St. Marys 2004 Home & Business Expo

Please click above to read about this event and to see pictures.

Our list of winners from our drawing is here too!

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Send Your Heart To The Troops/February 2004

Please click above to read about our Valentine's Day campaign and to see more pictures.

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January 2004

Having found out that the Clearfield 629 Unit in Iraq was in need of hand warmers, we purchased 80 disposable warmers and we mailed them out to the unit.

The Ridgway PA National Guard in Kosovo did not request anything from us, but we found from talking with them that the children in their area were in need of warm clothing and school supplies. On January 9, 2004 we were able to mail out 10 boxes of donated clothing and supplies for the children of Kosovo.

One of our soldiers handing out items we sent to the children.

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Help A Hero Call Home For Christmas

Please click above to read about our Christmas campaign and to see pictures.

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October 2003 Mailing

This was the first big mailing that was done. It included 300 letters and cards that were sent out to 65 soldier's addresses that Chris and Jim had collected while performing their "Music By Jim & Chris Military Musical Program" at various events. The Jovenitti's stuffed all the envelopes for the first mailing themselves and paid for the mailings with donations from the Women of Grace Breakfast program that they had played at, and from money donated from other good caring people wanting to see the program be a success for our troops. This group of soldiers included 51 from PA National Guard of C-112 Ridgway stationed in Kosovo.

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May 2003 Mailing

This is when it all started! Chris and Jim's son, Lance, left May 11, 2003 for basic training in Fort Benning, GA. with the Pennsylvania National Guard. It was Mother's Day.

?During his first weeks of basic training, Lance was required to do push-ups for every envelope of mail that he opened. Chris and Jim had no intentions to quit mailing their son. Instead they handed out a clipboard on Memorial Day weekend while they were performing at a gathering to have the crowd send a message. "Write a note to a soldier," they said.

As they performed, and for the rest of the weekend, they carried around paper and a camera to take photos and messages back to stuff in the one envelope. They had 55 messages to go on to Lance. As the weeks progressed at Basic and Advanced Training, so did the amount of push-ups. Lance asked why his Mom was only sending one envelope per week, saying, "I can do all the push-ups in the world, for as much mail as you can send! It helps me to hear what is going on at home."

?And the rest is history...

????? All donations are tax deductible.

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