Posted on 12/19/2008 4:10:31 PM PST by kburi
Walter Reed - Week 191, December 12, 2008, Busy Season for DC FReepers
A very cold Friday night and we broke out cold weather gear including hand warmers to stay warm. Hot coffee helped ward off the chill.
Many drivers honked in support of the troops as they passed by our signs and flags.
Halfway down a long block several moonbats stood like mannequins with their morbid messages serving as a grim reminder as to why we are there.
The bus with its wounded warriors and their families returned at 9:50pm.
NEWS FROM THE FRONT GATE
Plea Deal wants to share the following thoughts:
‘Tis the season for giving and FReepers have come thru as always.
Many of us in the DC area regularly visit with the wounded warriors and their families inside Walter Reed.
We’ve had the great pleasure and honor to meet and befriend people whose real heroics have made lifelong impressions on us. They have fought and bled for our freedom. They have sacrificed and suffered so that we can live and breath as free people.
Is any “thank you” sufficient for such a gift?
Anyone who has tried to answer that question by thanking a veteran will get pretty much the same answer: “No thanks necessary. It was my pleasure!”
Try giving a gift or comfort item or taking a vet out to dinner and you’ll typically be thanked exuberantly yourself. Truth be told, it just feels darn good to give back at little to these wonderful folks who have given, and continue to give so much.
I wish FReepers FrogHawk, Cathy, Zoomie81 and Mudpuppy could have been here when their boxes were opened and shared with our beloved wounded warriors. These kind folks have sent book, magazines, toiletries, snacks, knit caps, gloves, stuffed animals and much more to brighten the lives and warm the hearts of the families living at the Malogne House on base.
If you would like to give a gift to the veterans and families this Christmas season, or any time, write to Tom the Redhunter or PleaDeal for a list of suggestions and the address to send your box to.
You can also make a cash donation to America’s Wounded Heroes, a 501(c)3 charitable organization founded by Sgt Joshua Sparling and his father, Mike. Josh was wounded in Iraq and ultimately lost a leg. During his stay at Walter Reed he saw a need to help his brothers and sisters-in-arms with transportation and transition assistance and thus started the foundation.
Wreaths Across America, Saturday, December 13, 2008, Arlington National Cemetery
Several DC Freepers participated in laying wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery on 10,000 graves. These wreaths donated by a wreath distributor in Maine arrived in two large trucks and were met by almost 9,000 people at Arlington ready to place the wreaths in the designated section.
At 9am after a short ceremony, people started picking up the wreaths. The participants were families, uniformed service members, scout troops, Civil Air Patrol, Patriot Guard, VFW members, but mostly patriotic Americans. The 1000’s of cars were allowed to park inside the cemetery and licenses were from many states.
As we were leaving we found ourselves standing silently with many others in Section 60 looking at the final resting place for those who had given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.
At the end of the Walter Reed photos are some photos of the wreath laying.
HONOR ROLL
Securing the four front gate corners were: PleaDeal, Trooprally, VictoryNY, Fraxinus, Lurker Bill, Rongkirby, Kburi, TomtheRedhunter and JimmyValentinesBrother.
Photos by Plea Deal and Kburi
We are always looking for troop supporters to stop by and visit. Parking is free right across from Walter Reed’s front gate.
If you can't get to D.C. to join us but would like to do something for the wounded, you can find a wealth of ideas by FReepmailing Tom the Redhunter, Cindy-True-Supporter, VAFlagwaver, or PleaDeal.
A Big Thank You to all FReepers who transport and store our many signs and banners every week.
Come join us every Friday night between the hours of 6:30pm to approx 9:30pm.
* Thank you to BufordP for maintaining the BIG LIST of all Walter Reed FReeps.
* Tom the Redhunter blogs at The Redhunter
December 12, 2008 Photos
Christmas Tree In front of Main Entrance at Walter Reed
Victory NY
Lurker Bill not at all bothered by the cold.
Rongkirby
Trooprally and Kburi
TomtheRedhunter
Fraxinus
Jimmy Valentines Brother
Losers All
Wreaths Across America at Arlington National Cemetery ( Photos from December 13, 2008)
To DC PING LIST
Beautiful photos:
tough DC freepers
and
the Arlington wreaths
Outstanding report!
Well worth the wait.
Stay warm!
Looks like one of the losers in the photo is Kevin McCarron of “Veterans For Peace” who used to take his “Maimed For A Lie” sign up to the ambulance bus windows and rub in in the noses of the wounded on stretchers.
The guy is an unstable bastard.
Dr R:
“Looks like one of the losers in the photo is Kevin McCarron of “Veterans For Peace” who used to take his “Maimed For A Lie” sign up to the ambulance bus windows and rub it in the noses of the wounded on stretchers.”
Plea Deal does a great job on ID’ing these losers.
Thanks for putting a name on that one.
Great photos and report. Thank you all for doing so much and always standing strong.
Merry Christmas and may God continue to bless all of you.
Beautiful.
God bless ye everyone. MERRY CHRISTMAS to all who have stood the test of time and effort. Great will be your reward.
Another great one by the DC FReepers, whoops, I mean another great two. DC so often FReeps in twos, threes fours and even fives I get confused! God bless our troops and Merry Christmas, everyone!
Bump for your excellent labors in the vineyard.
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