USO Canteen FReeper Style - "Thank You Troops and Veterans" - Oct. 2, 2002

Snow Bunny and friends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style

[Jen]

Part of our mission at the USO Canteen FReeper Style every day is to show our gratitude and respect for members of our military and veterans who have honorably served our country.

An experience by Tomkow6 sparked the idea for the Canteen members and lurkers to have an official "Thank Our Troops and Veterans" program. Several months ago on his way to work, Tomkow6 met a young Marine in uniform in a convenience store. Tomkow6 extended his hand to the Marine and thanked him for wearing the Marine uniform and for serving our country. The Marine seemed shocked that someone would thank him and want to shake his hand.

"This was a small thing that I did," Tom said, "and I hope I made that young Marine feel a little prouder about that uniform he had on, and what he was doing in it. I know I felt proud, just seeing him in uniform, serving his and OUR country, and knowing that he and others like him are out there, in the "all volunteer" US Forces, protecting our nation; to let them know that THEY are NOT forgotten; that there are citizens of the US that are very proud of them and what they are doing; that they are prayed for daily; that they WILL NOT have to suffer the shame that was heaped on my brothers and sisters returning from Vietnam; that they are our HEROES!"

So today the Canteen is kicking off an official program and a challenge to all Canteeners and lurkers to personally thank a service member or veteran when you see him or her. To make that a little easier and to help publicize the Canteen, we've created a business card that can be handed out after you greet the person and thank him for serving.

Snow Bunny wrote Free Republic's founder and owner Jim Robinson about our plan and desire to use the FR web address on it and got his approval on June 18.

When you see a member of the US Forces, go out of your way to shake his or her hand and say "Thanks for being there and putting on that uniform, and serving our country" or something similar, then hand out a Canteen business card and invite them to visit. That's all there is to it.

It's a simple thing that can have huge benefits in the lives of our troops and veterans who can never be thanked often enough for the sacrifices they make to defend our country.

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U.S. Coast Guard Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Michael Walker of Havre de Grace, M.D., U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant Andrew Amor of Grain Valley, M.D., U.S. Navy Senior Chief Intelligence Specialist Christopher Roades of Eureka, Calif., U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Damian Wright of Idalia, Col., and First Sergeant Curtis O'Neal of Tuskegee, Ala., all have deployed to serve in Operation Enduring Freedom and are participants in the Pentagon Sept. 11 Observance Ceremony.

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The cards could also be placed under the windshield wiper of a car that has a bumper sticker or tag that indicates the driver is a military member or veteran. Or handed out in VA hospitals, VFWs, commissaries, BX/PX, wherever troops or veterans would gather.

Another great group of people to thank for their service and tell about the Canteen are military recruiters as Bluesagewoman has done so recently. Since they come into contact with the men and women who will become our country's newest military members, they are an ideal group to honor and help promote the Canteen.

Below are some business cards which can be copied and pasted into a Word document template for Avery business cards #8371. You can buy the perforated business card sheets and print your own cards, or have them printed at a copy center. You may have to change the font size if the text over-laps on the perforations on the pre-formed business card stock from Avery.

You may also want to take the liberty of "customizing" a little bit by adding your FR screenname, so the person you give the card to will know who to look for when they visit the Canteen.

If you would like to receive a ready-to-print template, send your email address by freepmail to AntiJen and she will email it to you.

Tomkow6 also created a small poster to put up in some of the local stores in his town that have community bulletin boards.

Thank you Tomkow6 for your wonderful idea!

[LaDivaLoca]

That is so wonderful! There's nothing like receiving words of praise, appreciation and encouragement from the next generation. I'm sure our troops who get to visit the Canteen will truly appreciate these gems. Thank you for sharing them.

[Snow Bunny]

waaaaaaaaaaaaa IN and Out. Let me know when you want me to Fed Ex you one ok? I will too. heh heh

(((((((((( hug )))))))))))))

[SAMWolf]

Obviously an oversight on the Canteen's part. We apologize.

[SAMWolf]

I'm always amazed at the total innocence of little kids when the try to express "deep" thoughts.

[LaDivaLoca]

God bless you and your friends in the Navy too! And Thank you all for your service to our country.

[kneezles]

Hiya Bunny darlin!!! {{{{{bigolehugs}}}}}

[Kathy in Alaska]

Nice to see you today here at the USO Canteen. Please stop in again as we honor our military every day for protecting our freedoms.

[Snow Bunny]

Hi Johnny I am so glad you like the business card. Great to see you my friend.

Snow Bunny

[Valin]

0939 - Battle at Andernach: King Otto & Hermann of Zwaben beat Eberhard of France & Giselbert of Lutherans

Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor
912-73, Holy Roman emperor (962-73) and German king (936-73), son and successor of Henry I of Germany. He is often regarded as the founder of the Holy Roman Empire. Boldly developing the policies that his father had begun, Otto brought the Middle Kingdom of the Carolingian Lothair I (see Treaty of Verdun, ), including Italy, Burgundy, and Lotharingia, under German influence and broke the independence of the duchies.
The rebellions of Otto's brother, Henry, and of Duke Eberhard of Franconia were ended by the battle of Andernach (939) and Henry's submission (941). King Louis IV of France, hoping to gain Lotharingia, had assisted the rebels, and Otto campaigned against him (940) with Hugh the Great; in 942, however, Otto and Louis reached an agreement, and Otto helped Louis to defeat Hugh (950). In 951, Otto invaded Italy, taking advantage of an appeal from the widowed Italian queen, Adelaide, who was about to be forced into a marriage with the son of Berengar II. Defeating Berengar, Otto assumed the title king of the Lombards, married Adelaide, and returned to Germany, where Berengar eventually paid him homage.

In Germany another revolt was brewing. Rivalry and jealousy among the dukes, particularly against Otto's brother, Henry, whom he had made duke of Bavaria in 947, resulted in a rebellion in 953 led by Conrad the Red and Otto's son Duke Ludolf of Swabia.
New attacks by the Magyars ended the rebellion and forced the dukes to form a united front against the invaders, who were defeated (955) in the Lechfeld. Otto had already begun to counter the ducal power by creating the „Ottonian system,” entailing close alliance between the crown and the higher prelates.
An important exponent of the alliance was his brother and chief adviser, St. Bruno, archbishop of Cologne, whom Otto made duke of Lotharingia. Meanwhile, in Italy, Berengar II resumed his aggression.
Pope John XII appealed to Otto, who entered Rome and was crowned emperor early in 962, reviving the imperial title of the Carolingians and legitimizing the German kings' claim to the Middle Kingdom; Otto thus linked the destinies of Italy and Germany.
John soon found the emperor too powerful and, while Otto was campaigning against Berengar, secretly negotiated with Otto's enemies. Otto hastened back to Rome (963), deposed John, and installed a new pope, Leo VIII. The Romans, seeing all independence lost, rose in 964 and restored John, but John died the same year and Otto reinstated Leo. Otto's campaign (966-72) to gain control over S Italy was unsuccessful, but a minor diplomatic triumph was scored in 972 when Emperor John I of Byzantium gave a Greek princess in marriage to Otto's son and successor, Otto II.

[Snow Bunny]

Hi there........ I am so sorry Sassy is without a computer.....waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

It is great to see you Kneezles.tra la la la la la

[LaDivaLoca]

Simple words but straight from the heart. Innocence is a valuable but rare treasure indeed!

[The Shrew]

Just the way I like it! Double-Double, Animal Style, with Cheese!

Apology Accepted!

Who says the ladies are the only ones who care about you?

Regards,

TS

[Jen]

Hi Radix! Good to see you and thanks for that link. It's good to see our soldiers coaching Little League baseball for Afghan kids. Remarkable! You doing OK today?

[Snow Bunny]

That is fantastic Sam, ,thank you soooo much.

Lookie TS a real live In and Out Burger. giggle

[The Shrew]

It is great Snow!

Personally, I think you should do an entire thread on In n Out Burger! But, then, I'm a fan!

Dining there with you, Interesting Times and FallGuy was one of the highlights of the summer for me!

Regards,

TS

[SAMWolf]

Hi linda. Nice to see the History back.

[LaDivaLoca]

Time for me to hit the sack. It's been a fun and lovely evening, Canteeners. good Night, everyone! Take care and God bless you all.

[Jen]

Linda, so good to see you. Glad you finally have some time to visit and say hello. Thanks for your kind words. I am so excited about Tom's idea. And I already have handed out two cards! Well... I handed out one and put one under the windshield wiper of a car that I saw in the WalMart parking lot that had "Support Our Troops" and "Navy" bumper stickers. hehehe