Free Republic

Welcome and thanks for visiting our site. AVTT and the Lake Havasu Hospitality Association have joined together to create a signature event that celebrates freedom, promotes patriotism and demonstrates community support for those men and women who have and continue to protect and defend us.

Sponsored by Operation Gratitude, the American Veterans Traveling Tribute recently rolled into Southern California, and founder Don Allen shares why honoring, respecting and remembering America's heroes remains his biggest priority. On Crap of Bull, the KGB also has more than a few words for Target and those who would strong-arm their Halloween division.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15, 2009 – Operation Gratitude, a troop-support group, is joining forces with Washington, D.C., Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and thousands of volunteers from across the country on Jan. 19’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday to assemble care kits for servicemembers deployed overseas. The effort, called "A Day of Service for Our Military," allows for people to show their support and express their appreciation to those in the military, organizers said. “We are thrilled to partner in this event, as this is a great way to introduce more Americans to the great work of Operation Gratitude and...

So here's the deal(copy from their website): Every time we get a request for free samples of True Lemon from a new customer, we will donate 10 packets of True Lemon to Operation Gratitude, a non-profit organization providing care packages to U.S. Troops. Here's the link:http://truelemon.com/gratitude-sample.html get a free sample and help out the troops!

Just wanted to remind the good people of this forum that throughout all the nastiness of politics; the ugliness of some of our own humanity; the cynicism we read about, talk about, and fall under its influence... This time of the year is a time to thank those who unselfishly give to our Troops, as well as, many many others. Operation GratitudeSalvation Army MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

Operation Gratitude is delighted to announce that a very special American, Lt. Gen. Hal Moore (Ret.), will join Operation Gratitude Volunteers at the National Guard Armory in Van Nuys, CA on Saturday, December 1 to assemble thousands of Care Packages to be shipped to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan for the Holidays. Lt. Gen. Moore, a legendary Military leader, who co-authored the NY Times #1 best-seller We Were Soldiers Once...and Young, will also be our special guest speaker during our lunch-break starting at Noon. As a very special gift to be included in every Holiday Care Package, General Moore, through...

WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2007 – Thousands of servicemembers get care packages with surprises in them every day, thanks to caring folks back home. Some of the surprises, however, are bigger than others. Army Spc. Alfonso Sanchez, of 16th Military Police Brigade, thanks Army Maj. Kristian Sorensen, the brigade’s civil affairs officer, July 24 for sending the names of the unit’s soldiers to Operation Gratitude, a troop support group. Sanchez, who is currently serving in Iraq, had just received Operation Gratitude’s 250,000th care package, which came with a surprise -- keys to a 2007 Jeep Patriot Limited. Photo by Spc....

I heard Carolyn Blashek on The Dennis Prager radio show this morning talking about her group, Operation Gratitutde. They put together care packages for our troops. They need everything from handwritten letters, sanitary items, knitted scarves, books, dvd's, $, and more. I thought my fellow FReepers would like to know about this group. It sounds like a wonderful idea. Here is the link.

Operation Gratitude Denied Building by LAUSD Because of Anti-War Sentiments! Operation Gratitude sends care packages to our troops Carolyn Blashek via Susan King, Pasadena Dear All, I am sorry to report that the deal we had for the new facility was pulled out from under us at the last moment. To say I am angry and disappointed is an understatement, as you can imagine. However, I, and I trust all of us, are committed to press on and I have already re-initiated my outreach to various quarters to find another space. Time is clearly of the essence as we need...

WASHINGTON, June 15, 2006 – Now that they have collected the goods, it's time to send them. Checkers/Rally's, the nation's largest double drive-through restaurant, has teamed up with a grassroots troop support group called Operation Gratitude in a drive to collect packages for America's servicemembers overseas. The partnership, called the Patriotic Drive, started on May 8 and ended yesterday with 720 drive-through restaurants across the country offering drop-off points. Packages will be delivered to the troops by July 4th. "Our troops throughout the world will know they are appreciated and supported at home this Fourth of July when they...

During the Father's Day weekend of June 17-18, 2006 hundreds of volunteers will join together at the California Army National Guard Armory in Van Nuys to continue the Patriotic Drive and assemble Operation Gratitude’s 150,000th Care Package for shipment to a U.S. Service Member deployed overseas. Operation Gratitude Director of Operations, Charlie Othold, expects to hit this milestone moment approximately 1:00p.m. on Saturday, June 17th. In addition to regular Wish List items provided by more than 50 Corporate Sponsors and Friends, and by tens of thousands of individual donors across the country, the 150,000th Care Package will feature a DVD...

WASHINGTON, April 24, 2006 – The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, sparked a fire in Carolyn Blashek to do something to show servicemembers in harm's way that somebody cares. She tried to join the military, but the Army Reserve wouldn't accept her. "I was too old," she said. Soldiers with the 3rd Infantry Division in Iraq pose together for a picture to say thank you to Operation Gratitude for care packages the organization sent to them. Courtesy photo   About a year and a half after Sept. 11, a conversation with a despondent soldier rekindled the desire of the...

Our Mission Hundreds of thousands of American troops are deployed indefinitely in remote parts of the world, including the Middle East, Afghanistan, Africa, the Korean Peninsula and on ships throughout international waters. The physical conditions they must endure are difficult and they may be separated from loved ones for long periods of time. OPERATION GRATITUDE, together with the California Army National Guard, 746th QM BN, Van Nuys, seek to lift troops' morale, and bring a smile to their faces by sending care packages to service members overseas. OPERATION GRATITUDE care packages contain food, toiletries, entertainment items and personal letters of...

Operation Gratitude Update The Holiday Drive Has Begun! Dear Friends, The Operation Gratitude Holiday Drive kicked off over the Veteran's Day Weekend and was a huge success! With rock music blaring, more than 1000 volunteers assembled, labeled and shipped 16,028 packages at a record-setting pace! And to everyone's surprise and delight, the first package has already been received by a sailor deployed in the Persian Gulf: "Greetings, I received my package today and the gratitude shown by your organization is so appreciated. As you already know I am deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and receiving mail is one...

Over Veteran's Day Weekend, November 10-13, Operation Gratitude, a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization, will kick-off its Third Annual Holiday Drive, assembling and mailing over 30,000 care packages to deployed troops for delivery by the Holidays. Operation Gratitude's ( www.operationgratitude.com ) mission is to put a smile on a service member's face, lift morale, and express the appreciation of the American people for the sacrifices of the men and women defending our freedom. To date, Operation Gratitude has sent more than 71,500 care packages to individual troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Guantanamo, Bosnia, Kosovo and onto ships all over the world. Throughout...

Van Nuys, Cal. - Over Memorial Day Weekend, Operation Gratitude's 1500 volunteers kicked off their Patriotic Drive, assembling and shipping almost 20,000 care packages to deployed troops. With round-the-clock service by the U.S. Postal Service, the first packages have already arrived in several of the deployment zones--a record-setting 7 days! A proud member of the United States Air Force serving in a deployed location in the war on terrorism wrote: "I just received a wonderful box of love from Operation Gratitude. I want to express my appreciation for this incredible surprise blessing. Your thoughts, prayers and warm wishes are greatly...

WASHINGTON, May 25, 2005 – Batteries are the lifeblood of many things electronic. Without them, most CD players, digital cameras and handheld games are essentially useless. Lizzy says her favorite Navy SEAL, Capt. Robert Hayward, showed her "how important it is to be mentally strong." Courtesy photo When 12-year-old Lizzy Lulu, of Lancaster, Calif., learned that American servicemembers in Iraq often use these electronic devices, she decided to launch a campaign to collect 1,000,000 "AA" batteries. "I knew that they would not have enough batteries to keep them running, so I started to collect batteries to send to them," Lizzy...

Dear Volunteers, Our Patriotic Drive, May 27-30 is fast approaching! We hope you will be able to join us during the 4 day weekend to help assemble 25,000 care packages to send to our courageous service members deployed overseas. In order to maintain a steady pace throughout the weekend, we like to assign specific shifts to all volunteers. We have all sorts of jobs available during every shift, from seated to standing to running to lifting! Please contact our volunteer coordinator, Penny Alfonso, ASAP to set up your day and time: pennyalfonso@yahoo.com. Please write "Operation Gratitude" in the subject line....

<p>Encino, Cal. - Over Memorial Day Weekend, Operation Gratitude, a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization, will conduct its Patriotic Drive, assembling over 25,000 care packages that will be sent to deployed troops for delivery around July 4th. Operation Gratitude's ( www.opgratitude.com ) mission is to put a smile on a service member's face, lift morale, and express the appreciation of the American people for the sacrifices of the men and women defending our freedom. To date, Operation Gratitude has sent almost 45,000 care packages to individual troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Bosnia, Korea, Kosovo and onto ships all over the world.</p>

Operation Gratitude sends care packages to our soldiers to let them know we care about them. I know this has been mentioned on the board before but I don't think it would hurt to remind everyone that even though the holidays are over we can still support this great cause, so dig deep. With all the attention on the tsunami victims it would be easy to forget that they still need our support. Read the thank you's from the soldiers, they are great. http://opgratitude.com