I wanted to thank you for your very generous donation to the MD team of embedded trainers. We are scattered all over eastern Afghanistan.
The snack foods were great, but when I opened the latest version of the iPod, I couldn’t believe my eyes. We have been getting care packages from many places. All have been generous in different ways, but the iPods were a very nice touch.
Once again, thank you from Maryland’s 18.
Very Respectfully,
Richard Magnum, SGM, USA FOB Lightning
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April 16, 2009
Camp Taji, Iraq
To all supporters of A Taste of Home,
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you and A Taste of Home for the care packages that you’ve sent to us in Iraq. My 12 Maryland Army National Guard Soldiers and I are spread out over the Brigade, and we rarely get a chance to see each other; however, they’ve sent me emails saying how much they appreciate the packages that I distribute out to them. All of us are grateful for the support from our fellow Marylanders - It’s nice to know that people other than family and friends are looking out for us.
So far the first two and a half months in Iraq have gone as well as can be expected. It’s still a war, and bad things are still happening here, but again, having supporters like you back home make this a worthwhile endeavor.
Regards,
Michael A. Moskal, First Sergeant
On November 15, 2008, the Saturday after Veteran’s Day, the Carroll County Women’s Republican Club held a Bull Roast and Casino night. All net proceeds to benefit A Taste of Home. At their annual Christmas party, I was given a check for over $3,500!!! Pictured above is Leith Clinton ……. what a fantastic group of people. This wasn’t the first time they have helped ATOH. These people are simply the best.
680am WCBM hosted Operation Call Home (OCHH) for the Holidays at Fort McHenry on Veteran’s Day 11-11-2008. Tom Marr broadcast live from 9 am until noon. Donut Shack was one of the sponsors and kicked off the donation with a $1,000.00 check pictured here. We here at ATOH wish to thank Sean Casey and Eddie Applefeld for their hard work in putting this together. THANKS TO “TALK RADIO 680 WCBM”!!
MSG Theresa Rucinovich (pictured above) decided to use this package of goodies from ATOH to “pig out” and say: “I just wanted to tell you all thank you for your thoughtful boxes of goodies. The past few days have been somewhat stressful and receiving a box fill with “a taste of home” has given us all something to smile about.”
MSG Chris Johnson (ATOH contact for the 175th AVN ) had this to say: “The last of the packages have been distributed to the folks. You all have provided much joy for the troops.”
Lt. Col. David DeBorger: “Thank you so much for our continuing support and gifts. They mean a lot and remind us that the people back home stand behind us. ”
We had an urgent request for handwarmers. It turns out that, even though the Chinnok helicopter is heated, the rear ramp area is quite cold in the winter and mountains of Afghanistan. A Taste of Home sent over enough hand warmers to get B Company thru the winter!
Our contact person was SSG Gene Dalporto he had this to say: “Thank you all so much for all A Taste of Home has done for us. We cannot express our gratitude for your organization and all it has done for the B Co. and the Maryland National Guard.”
Believe it or not, this is a basic maneuver for the Chinook helicopter. It does require the whole crew’s involvement as the guy in the tail tells the pilot how to adjust. Very impressive and very useful in tight landing zones. The Chinook may look like a bus with rotors, but it maneuvers incredibly well. AFGHANISTAN - Aft Pinnacle Maneuver
(PICTURED: SGT YOUNGBLOOD, POSTER BOY FOR MDNG)
We just received a thank you letter from SFC Iriz Cruz-Story. She was our contact person in Kuwait with AVCRAD (Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot). They repaired damaged air craft back to operational status. Iris sent us the picture above over a year ago (they have been back in the U.S. for about a year now). She said of the picture above that Sgt. Youngblood is a perfect poster boy for the Maryland Naitonal Guard. (There is a picture of Iriz later on in this blog, below)
Iris had this to say in her recent letter to ATOH: “We have not forgotten what your organization did for us. The boxes you sent with goodies was such a Morale Booster for all. We cannot thank you enough. Thank you from all of us for all the support you gave us during our time away.”
Cpt. Eric Harrell 1-158th Cav: The AT&T calling cards are always a big hit, the guys really appreciate them as well. Great to be able to call our loved ones for the holidays. Please tell your supporters that they hit a home run! Smoked turkeys and calling cards……… its all good!!
1st Sg. Greg Kecken of B Co. 3/126th (Chinook Crews) in Afghanistan: I would like to personally thank you for all the gifts that you have sent to us. We prepared the Heavenly Ham smoked turkeys for our Christmas meal and they were the best we ever had.
My shipping agent (pro-bono) is Vincent David of Capitol Mailboxes. We are here on Dec. 7th 2007 shipping 30 smoked turkeys donated by Heavenly Ham for our brave men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan. This will help make them smile and boost morale during the Holidays.
Vincent has shipped over a ton of items including electronics and they always arrive in perfect condition. He is truly a blessing for A Taste of Home. Thanks Vincent and Merry Christmas!
In honor of Veteran’s Day A Taste of Home, in conjunction with 680AM WCBM, launched Operation Call Home for the Holidays on November 9th 2007. AT&T donated 1,000 International Calling Cards to kick off the event. John Berkridge at Bob Davidson Ford hosted this fundraiser. Sean Casey and Frank Luber radio personalities created a remote broadcast for their morning show and dedicated the entire 3 hours to Operation Call home for the Holidays.
More than $3,000 was collected at Bob Davidson Ford during the 6 am until 9 am Sean and Frank morning show. Operation Call home will use the funds raised to purchase AT&T International Calling Cards (the number one item requested by our Guardsmen/women) so that our MNG in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait call their loved ones this holiday season.
Operation Call Home for the Holidays fundraiser will be accepting donations from now until the end of 2007. If you would like to help, just click on the DONATE button on the homepage.
Pictured above is the tedious but rewarding work of shipping one individual box to each of the 575 members of the 1-158 CAV serving in Iraq. I wonder how LTC James Gehring determines who gets the one Sony PSP game system. Thank you to the Family readiness members, including Kerry Gehring, and the other volunteers for getting this done on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. A lot of the items came from the fundraiser pictured below.
The Republican Women’s clubs of Carroll Co. and Taneytown and the Central Carroll Republican Club (members shown here with me) joined in a fundraiser for ATOH to buy items including personal hygiene, non-perishable food, books, magazines, phone cards, iTune cards and electronics. They filled 25 boxes at Westminster High School and ATOH drove them to the Annapolis Armory. The soldiers family members and Family Readiness members then seperated the items and shipped one box to each one of the 575 soldiers of the 1-158 CAV serving in Iraq. Thank you Michelle and Gretchen!
