And now a message from the troops!

These are messages from your deployed hometown troops.  There are 5,000 of them asking for the shirts off the backs of their hometown heroes!  We need these shirts by Valentine’s Day in order to get them out in this year’s pack out event.

Shirts can be sent to:
HeroToHero.us
P.O. Box 98954
Lakewood, WA 98498

*Questions or concerns, e-mail Liz at HeroShirts@aol.com

If you are reading this and have contact with any of the departments in these hometowns, please get the message of the troops to their hometown agencies. 

We need everyone to do their part … YOU might be the difference between a hometown troop getting a show of support from their home, or …

NEW YORK CITY~ “You guys are the true Heroes!  Thank you for your continued support.  Would love to put some Iraq dust on a REAL Heroe’s shirt! “
CPT Larry Jordan/ 3 BDE HHC

NEW BERN, NC~ “NBFD … Message to Jeremy Blaylock—Alright lil buddy, stay safe, don’t get burned!  I’ll see you next time I’m in town.  There are soldiers in the sand who need your support. Send the Bear across to show them you care!”
SSG Stephen Hadder/ 2 CR

CRESTVIEW, FL~ “Crestview is a small town, but lotta heart.  This soldier is asking them to step up to honor and represent for the deployed hometown troops”
E-2 Marvin Martin/ 1-23 C Co

ROANOKE, VA~ “Soldiers work hard and don’t get paid enough for the risks, you can probably relate.  We are all doing important stuff.  Might seem like a small thing to you, but your shirts can make a big difference for a deployed troop.  Send ‘em, Roanoke!”
CPT Charles Moore/ 2CR

RIFLE, CO~ “My town has a Volunteer Dept, and they a great job … they need support, too. This hometown troop would really appreciate the shirt off your back!”
PFC Jonathan Kitchens/ 2-3 Inf

VALENCIA, CA~ “I’m a firefighter, and a soldier.  I can tell you that support, messages,and packages from home mean a lot.  Morale is so important during a deployment, especially during the holidays.  The fact that we have the same goals/missions- think battle buddy/brotherhood … and you know my message.  Represent, and give us the shirts off your backs.  It’s important!"
SPC Ray Waliany/ 537 Firefighters

WAVERLY, NY~ “Back home we have a Volunteer Fire Dept.  It’s important to have volunteers support each other … without them, there’s no one to support us.”
PFC Andrew Ellis/ 2CR

SEVERN, MD~ “Our unit received shirts during our deployment last year.  You know, it seems like you’re on an island when you’re out there.  Having all the hometown shirts sent to us, let us know that people really do care, and we were not forgotten.”
E-5 Joseph Brown/ 1-24

BURLINGTON, NJ~ “I’d like to see Burlington show their support for our deployed troops … I’ll be one of them very soon!”
PVT Joseph Hadfield

CHEYENNE, WY~ “Thank you for everything!  Your support gives us the strength to go on everyday during our deployment.  We received shirts from the HeroToHero.us program last year while we were deployed, it made a huge difference in our morale!”
SSG Mark Mulvaney/ 1-24

TO: FREMONT, CA~ “Thanks for doing a good job.  It’s great to know that you have our backs while we are so far from home”
PVT Kyle Petricka/ 63rd ORD

COLUMBUS, OH~ “Keep doing a good job!  Please don’t forget about the deployed Columbus troops … We’d really like some shirts!”
PFC Stein Laudet/ 46 CAV

NAVASOTA, TX~ “You take care of things back home, and we’ll take care of things over there!  Send us shirts!”
PV2 Mario Aguilar/ 46 CAV/AVN

SALISBURY, MD~ “Your support can make a huge difference for a deployed troop. 
Support the effort, send us shirts!”
PV2 Christopher Barry/ 46 CAV/AVN

DEXTER, ME~ “Dexter, step up and represent for us hometown troops!”
E-1 Joshua Kinson/ 3BDE 2ID

ALAMO, TX~ “Alamo is a small town with a big heart.  I want them to show it to all of the deployed troops”
PV1 Juan Espericuata/ 3BDE 2ID

FULTON, MS~ “My hometown’s Army.  If you tell ‘em that we need the shirts off their backs for our morale … they’ll support us!”
PV2 Kerpon/ HHC

COSHOCTON, OH~ “When I came home, my name was all over Main Street back home.  My town does, and will, support our troops.  C’mon Coshocton, show our troops you support them … send us shirts”
PVT Hudson/ 1/25HHC

Eagle Pass, TX~ “I come from a small town in Texas, just one small Fire Dept,
but I know they’ll step up for the troops”
PV1 Luis Flores/ 1st BDE 25 Inf

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO~ “Getting things from home is so important to troop morale – When those things are from hometown Heroes it rocks!”
SSG Ian Walsh/ 1-5 INF

MIDDLETOWN, OH~ “We have to have support from home, because if we don’t have that, then we have nothing to fight for”
PV2 Bryan Forbes/ 2CR

San Angelo, TX~ “Keep us in your prayers and in your hearts”
Phillip Garcia/21st CTC

Prescott, AZ ~ “I miss Arizona!”
Laura Dyckman/44th CSB

Seabeck, WA~ “Thank you for all our support.”
SGT Travis McGilluiray/21st CTC

Kalispell, MT~ “Columbia Falls/Kalispell, Please show your support of the US Army.”
SGT Ty Edwards/24th QM

Greenville, SC~ “Come on guys, we need all the help we can get. Thanks ahead of time.”
Ricky Pruitt II/24th QM, 80th ORD.

Columbia, MD~ “Support the troops, my baby gurl is overseas”
Chrystal Blevins/24th QM

Watertown, NY~ “Keep on trucking. Good Luck”
Jason Lowes/21st CTC

Hazelhurst, MS~ “To Mr. Banks: Thanks for everything you do in supporting our troops.  May God continue to Bless you. Your newphew, Glenn”
Glenn Bozeman/44th CSB

JACKSONVILLE, FL~ “The morale of other Heroes helps our morale”
SPC Michael Williams/ A Co 1/5 Inf

MIAMI, FL~ “You’re our Heroes while we’re away from home. Would really like to see Miami send shirts!”
PFC Alexander Reyes/ 3BDE 2ID

Kailua, HI~ “Take care to my ‘Ohana back home Love to all of you- Taylor”
SPC Monmaney, Taylor/47th CSH

Malad, ID~ “Weare proud of our service men & women every where, who are protecting our country.  We need to show our support in every way we can!”
CPT. Gargan, Eliza/47th CSH

New Bedford, MA~ “Keep up the good work. Support our troops”
Marlize Dacruz-Vogel/47th CSH, Co. A

Indianapolis, IN ~ “Keep the faith and keep supporting the troops. ‘Til everyone comes home.”
CPT Mathews, Terry/47th CSH, A Co

Washington, DC ~ “Keep me in your prayers and send lots and lots of cookies!!!”
SGT Smittick, Katisha/47th CSH, A Co.

Owingsville, KY~ “Support the troops and don’t forget about your freedom.”
Paul B. Huff/47th CSH

Fountain, CO~ “I enjoyed working at the Fire Department when I was there. Keep up the good work all.”
Harold “Evan” Willams/47th CSH

Shelbyville, TN~ “Thanks for your support and prayers. I graduated from SCHS 25 yrs ago this upcoming summer. I’m a chaplain in the 47th CSH. I really appreciate all you do in Shelbyville."
Chaplain Rick Stevenson/47th CSH

Houston, TX~ “Hope to hear from anyone back home. Love you guys, Sgt. Alfred Hernandez”
SGT Hernandez, Alfred47th CSH

Edinburgh, IN~ “I am a deployed soldier in Iraq. Please keep supporting our troops and our country.”
SSG. Waymon, David/B Co. 47th CSH

Auxvasse, MO~ “Stay Safe and keep praying”
Jim Govero/B Co. 47th CSH

Colorado Springs, CO~ “Thanks for doing what you do!”
James Polo/47th CSH

Fritch, TX~ “Thank you for your support. Keep us in your prayers.”
Maj. Bill Uptergrove/47th CSH

Farmington, NM ~ “Support us as we endure these times in Iraq. Farmington is my hometown and I will come home!”
John Travis Collard/47th CSH

Fairview, UT~ “My husband is deployed and my hometown is Fairview.  Please let him know that he is not forgotten.”
Suzette Collard- Spouse of soldier/47th CSH

Canton, MI~ “My daughter is deployed out there! Please give the message. Pass it on. Thank you.”
Joy Garrett/47th CSH

Dallas, TX ~ “Hey Rett,(DFD) I’m coming to have dinner with you when I get back.
Hook up some t-shirts. Git-R-Done. Longhorns Rule #1!”
Keith Longoria/HHD 44th CSB

Compton, CA~ “I am a deployed soldier, serving in Iraq. Please support our troops.”
Manuel S. Razo/HHD 44th CSB

Abbeville, LA~ “With Gods help we all can be free. Operation Freedom.”
Shari Harrison/HHD 44th CSB

Waipahu, HI~ “Support the local boys fighting the war onterrorism. Aloha & Mahola”
Jason Iseri/HHD 44th CSB

New Iberia, LA~ “Thank you for always supporting us.”
Troy Boudeloche/HHD 44th CSB

Gaylord, MI~“Support through the hard times. Support, strength, and Safety.”
PFX Allen, Tim/HHD 44th CSB

Sunset, UT~ “Stay safe and keep up the good work. Thanks for your support”
Sean Openshaw/HHD 44th CSB

Hughesville, PA~ “Send me stuff.”
Christopher Brady/HHD 44th CSB

Asotin, WA~ “Howdy, I’ll be in Iraq representing an Asotin home towner, and a Wazzu Cougar. Thanks”
James Wade/HHD 44th CSB

Baltimore, MD~ “Let’s show every city how Baltimore does it. The best always support the rest.”
Akil Alim/HHD 44th CSB

Moundsville, MN~ “Come on guys, I’m here for you.”
Russell Lund/HHD 44th CSB

Kettering, OH~ “It’s been a few years, but I will be back soon. Can’t wait to see all of you.”
SFC Musser John/HHD 44th CSB

Waianae, HI~ “See you soon. Lots of Aloha!!”
Raymond Belaski/HHD 44th CSB

Avon Lake, OH~ “Please support us”
Raymond Groves/HHD 44th CSB

Minden, LA~ “One team One fight” “We all we got”
1SG Randy D. Gilbert/HHD 44th CSB

Center Valley, PA~ “Thank you for your service“
Herb Weighknecht/HHD 44th CSB

Spanaway, WA~ “God Bless us!!! Support the troops.”
Aaronnie Bendo/HHD 44th CSB

Brooklyn, NY~ “Brooklyn, Stand up and support the troops!  Make our ‘stay in the fight’ motto hold us down over here.”
SGT Hendricks, Michael J/HHD 44th CSB

Lisbon, OH~ “Support my fellow Soldiers and me while we are fight for freedom in Iraq. Thank You. You help keep our morale up in our time of need.”
Justin Green/HHD 44th CSB

Corona, CA & DeWitt, MI~ “Please support our troops- God Bless and stay safe”
Sarah McQuarrie/HHD 44th CSB

Phoenix, AZ~ “Please support our troops in Iraq and all over the world”
Jason Kellar/HHD 44th CSB

Guam~ “I’ll be back”
Patrick M. Paulino/44th CSB

Hillsboro, OR~ “Thank you all for what you do.  Our jobs are hard but without us,
lives would be lost.  God Bless you. “
SSG Kathy Shaw/HHD 44th CSB

Jackson, NC~ “To Dad, (Chief of Police) Give me your shirt.”
PFC Young, Jonathan/21st CTC

Ft. George G. Mead, MD~ “You just don’t know how much your support means to us overseas. Thank you all for everything.”
Kenneth Whiteside/21st CTC

Farragut, TN~  “We appreciate you all keeping thehometown safe!
Give up a couple of shirts for my troops!!”
Seth Owen/21st CTC

Seminole, FL~  “Just like to know that my hometown is supporting me while I am overseas.”
Stephen Hall/21st CTC

Philadelphia, PA~ “Don’t worry I’m always safe and I will be home shortly”
SGT. Jones Rushonn/HHD, 44th CSB

To the city of Uniontown, AL, from your #1 Soldier~ Go Bobcats! Class of 1999.
“Go R.C. Hatch Bobcats, Class of 1999”
SGT. Fikes, Eric/HHD, 44th CSB

Hampton, VA~ “God Bless. I  miss you & love you. I’ll be back soon. Thanks for supporting soldiers!”
Chaplain (Cpt) Chris Wallace/HHD 44th CSB

McLoud, OK~ “If you can make a T-Shirt with words of encouragement to me and my troops, it will be greatly appreciated. And send care packages to me at Sgt. Tim Hannifan 44th CSB HHD APO AE 09381”
SGT Tim Hannifan/HHD, 44th CSB

Wasilla, AK
 “Support the troops”
SPC Banachowilz,. Stanton/HHD, 44th CSB

Puyallup, WA~ Thanks so much for your support!
SPC Fakhry/HHD, 44th CSB

Raeford, NC~`“Thanks for all of the support N.C. I’ll be back soon.”
SPC Gutierrez, Juan/HHD, 44th CSB

Goldston, NC & Sanford, NC~ “I want to thank you for the hard work you do back home, you are in a life saving business. I’d like to think I am too. Take care and God Bless.”
Sgt Seawell, John Wesley/HHD 44th CSB

Walla Walla, WA~ “Thank you for all your continued support. Keep it coming.”
SGT Bingham, Derrick/HHD 44th CSB

Waianae, HI~ “I miss home & all you Islanders a lot. Take care & God Bless”
Raymond Belaski/HHD 44th CSB

Gaylord, MI~ “Love you all. I will be back soon. Pray for me.”
James Allen/HHD, 44th CSB

Waipahu, HI~ “To all my family and friends.  Mahalo for all your support”
Proud Soldier of the HHD, 44th CSB

K.C., Kansas~ “I love you I miss you I’ll be home soon…”
CW2 Hawthorne, Jeffrey /HHD, 44th CSB

Venice, CA~ “Give the shirt off your back. Pray for one safe return. God is with us all.”
PV2 Masidonio, Shawn/HHD, 44th CSB

Los Angeles, CA~ “Give the shirt off your back”
SPC Jones, Vincent/HHD 44th CSB

Pharr, TX~ “All this is worth it.”
Violet Daniels/47th CSH

Carlisle, PA “Please support our unit, the 47th CSH. Thank you for what you do every day. Keep up all the hard work.”
William Waltus/47th CSH

Riverside, CA~ “Your support is appreciated. Soldiers fight foryou.”
Ian Harte/21st CTC

Los Angeles, CA~ “I’m in the Army. I’m tired. Please help our troops from Los Angeles County. Show how L.A. represents for our fellow Angelinos. Thank you.”
Emanuel Robert Vargas/24th QM Co.

Dublin, CA~ “Thank you for all your support- It will certainly boost our morale and ultimately to our success in Iraq!”
LTC Pete Herting/HHD 44th CSB

Vacaville, CA~ “Thanks Frankie. You’re my hero. Vacaville Fire Department (Elm St.)”
Matthew Kennedy/21st CTC

Modesto, CA~ “Thanks for your support. God Bless”
SGT Navarro, Melissa/B Co. 47th CSH

Santa Rosa, CA~ “Please continue to support HeroToHero.us! May God keep you and yours safe as we all fight for peace and safety in our nation!”
Kanani Beck/B Co. 47th CSH

Yreka, CA~ “Thanks for all the support, keep up the good work”
SPC Picanso, Bart/47th CSH

Springerville, AZ~ “Please help with our deployment, Hero to Hero. Give us the shirts of your backs! Thank you!”
Kodi Burback/47th CSH

New York, NY~ “Thank you foryour support and may God Bless New York City’s Bravest and Finest”
Michael A. Cortez Jr./HHD 44th CSB

Honolulu, HI~ “Thank you for all of the support. We appreciate it. Thanks.”
Wally Hewitt/21st CTC

Eugene, OR~ “Looking forward to getting a shirt from you guys & gals. God Bless”
Joseph M. Muir/21st CTC

Omaha, NE~ “I just wanted to say I appreciate everything you guys are doing and I wanted to say
Thank You. “
Justin M’Sorley/21st CTC

Lynn, MA~ “Thanks for everything!”
Jillian H. Foisy/21st CTC

Kimball, NE~ “Please support us by giving us your shirt.
God Bless. I am proud to fight for us. Thanks Timothy Hickox”
PFC Hickox, Timothy/21st CTC

Thornton, IL~ “See you boys soon. (Chief Brian Kolosh, Thornton FD & Karen Leoni)”
Michael Nicola/21st CTC

Detroit, MI~ “Hello to everyone and keep me in prayer.”
Leslye Revis/21st CTC

**IF YOU RECEIVED SHIRTS FROM ANY OF THE HEROTOHERO.US EFFORTS OF THE PAST TWO YEARS, AND YOU DO NOT SEE YOU, OR YOUR SHIRT REPRESENTED HERE ... WE'D LOVE TO HAVE SOME OR YOUR PHOTOS!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Merry Christmas to All!

**A Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan wrote this poem. The following is his request. I think it is reasonable . . . "PLEASE. Would you do me a thoughtful favor of sending this poem to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities."


Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house made of plaster & stone.
I had come down the chimney with presents to give
And to see just who in this home did live.

I looked all about a strange sight I did see,
No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand,
On the wall hung pictures of far distant lands.

With medals and badges, awards of all kind
A sober thought came through my mind.
For this house was different, so dark and dreary,
I knew I had found the home of a soldier, once I could see clearly.

I heard stories about them, I had to see more
So I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.
And there he lay sleeping silent alone,
Curled up on the floor in his one bedroom home.

His face so gentle, his room in such disorder,
Not how I pictured a United States soldier.
Was this the hero of whom I’d just read?
Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?

His head was clean shaven, his weathered face tan,
I soon understood this was more than a man.
For I realized the families that I saw that night
Owed their lives to these men who were willing to fight.

Soon ‘round the world, the children would play,
And grownups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom each month of the year,
Because of soldiers like this one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone
On a cold Christmas Eve in a land far from home.
Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees and started to cry.

The soldier awakened and I heard a rough voice,
"Santa don’t cry, this life is my choice;
I fight for freedom, I don’t ask for more,
my life is my God, my country, my Corps."

With that he rolled over and drifted off into sleep,
I couldn’t control it, I continued to weep.
I watched him for hours, so silent and still,
I noticedhe shivered from the cold night’s chill.

So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,
And I covered this Soldier from his toes to his head.
And I put on his T-shirt of gray and black,
With an eagle and an Army patch embroidered on back.

And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride,
And for a shining moment, I was United States Army deep inside.
I didn’t want to leave him on that cold dark night,
This guardian of honor so willing to fight.

Then the soldier rolled over, whispered with a voice so clean and pure,
"Carry on Santa, it’s Christmas Day, all is secure."
One look at my watch, and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas my friend, and to all a good night!

This was sent to us by Shannon, a C-17 Loadmaster, spending the holidays on foreign soil ...

I hope this finds you well and happy, and that you are thankful for the blessings we have as Americans...if you get the chance, thank a vet, or someone currently serving in Iraq or Afghanistan...as they are partially responsible for your freedom to celebrate this year.

A late merry Christmas is now on it's way,  below is a letter from who I now consi a beloved friend, someone who has grown so much in the past couple years it's amazing...  I wanted to send everyone a merry Christmas but our computers were down, so when they came back up and I wasn't flying, I started to write an email but found Jason's email to be much more moving than any I could write.  I too am alone on Christmas in Turkey, but my crew and I, as well as a lot of other airlifters from Charleston decided to be family this year, for us to set aside the gripes and competition between our two bases and be happy for what we do have.  I applaud you Jason, there are worse places I could be, Turkey isn't so horrible.  There were a lot of mortar attacks on Iraq on Christmas day (as I had a couple friends involved).  And I sit back and think about how fortunate I was not to have ever been part of one.  So Jason, Merry Christmas from a lot of people out there who love and support you but don't know you personally for what you are doing. If you don't know Jason than you don't know that even though in Afghanistan this Christmas he asked that people not send him presents...he says he didn't need them...all he wanted was for his friends and family to make a donation in his name for someone who needed it more than he did.  Admirable considering...  I am so proud of you Jason, as Liz would say you are definitely done cooking!  See you soon safe and sound...Keep yur head down!   CatchYa on the Flip Side!

Love Always,
A1C §hannon W. Spencer  

As I sit here, alone again, I reflect about the importance of such a simple part of life. Holiday. It's just another day really. The sun still rises and sets like any other. But what makes a holiday special? A date isn't significant. No holiday is any more important than any other day. Just because something happened an even amount of years ago doesn't make today special. Or does it? It's not the holiday itself that's special, but there's definitely something to note about them. People change. For one day people celebrate life in one way or another. We remember what's forgotten every day. Be kind to others. Live life to the fullest. Give to someone for no other reason than to see them smile. People work harder for holidays and for what? Would it not be easier to just call it off, save your money, and relax for a bit? But we don't and we shouldn't. Why? Every day is the same. Get up. Shower. Shave. Brush your teeth. Go to work. Get pissed off because everyone you work with is an idiot but you have to get along with them anyway. Go home too exhausted to do anything but watch TV, missing out on precious time spent with loved ones. But on holidays its different. We actually get along with people. Suddenly you find yourself inviting the guy who makes you miserable at work every day home for dinner because you just learned his family lives in another state and he can't afford the plane ticket. So holidays aren't just another day. It's when we're at our best. Its when we pull our inner strength to work a little harder to get a little more out of life just for the simplest joys of seeing smiles on the faces around us.

I'm alone today on Christmas. I never thought it would be this hard. Just another day? No. I'm missing all that I talked about above. I'm missing the best of the people I love. People I see fight all year are getting together and remembering that they are a family and really do love each other. God willing, I will be a part of that tonight... I will not be alone. God bless everyone and Merry Christmas.

--- Jason
May you always find water and shade. **************************************************

All of us in the core group of HeroToHero.us would like to wish you and yours, the most joyous of seasons.

And whether it's Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa ... or any special holiday traditions ... We hope it is fun, happy, and safe.

Remember to be careful with all those lights and candles ... let's give our first responders some down time, too!

Please take a moment to remember those families who are separated due to military orders.  If there is a family near you with a deployed service member, let them know that they are not forgotten.

Troop support is one of the most selfless, and important things you can do.  It is part of a long American history ... check out the photos.  This is not the first ... nor sadly ... will it be the last time we have troops serving on foreign soil over the holidays.

And keep that spirit of giving ... after the season is over, HeroToHero.us will be back at it!  5,000 shirts, folks ... that means 5,000 of our own troops are looking to see if they are remembered.  Please don't let them down!

Bless us all!

Liz, Kathy, Aris & Ron, Larry & Chani, and Leta

 PS ... Has anyone seen SHertz lately?  Can't find him, or his passport.  Hmmm ...

SOMETIMES THINGS GO RIGHT WHEN THEY GO WRONG!

So I get this call about a week ago, from a printing company.  A very nice young woman tells me that they printed up an order for a Washington Fire Dept, but there was a small error that rendered the shirts useless for uniform wear.  They weren't sure what to do with the shirts ... Fortunately one of the firefighters is aware of H2H and sent them our way!

So we are 160+ shirts closer to our goal.... but still a ways from that magic 5,000 number that we need.

We had already done the Stomp, but knowing that there was extra effort, it was worth a quick trip up to Snoqualmie.  What a beautiful place!  Sad to live so close and not get there very often.  I have been there twice now in the last couple weeks, and enjoyed both trips.

You know, no one told me who the firefighter was that had given our name to the printer, so when I saw it was our own "Mr January", I had to smile!  Robert is just such a positive guy, and happily, and big supporter of our troops.

We are trying to take troops with us to visit departments now.  This was short notice, and I wasn't sure I could make that happen.  Then, our young USAF loadmaster, Shannon, called and asked what I was doing.  (Light bulb lights over head)  She was between trips, and has been a part of this from the start.  So she donned her desert flight suit, and off we went.

Robert wasn't even on duty, but was a great sport and put his uniform on for the photo ops.  And let's be real, if you have the opportunity to have one of the WSCFFA Firefighter Calendar guys pose for you for your project ... need I say more?  ( ;  www.FirefighterCalendar.com

We presented the program, showed our scrapbook from prior events, and started taking pictures.

All the guys got into it ... one of the wives came by, and left with visions of emptying drawers of unused shirts, in her head.  Remember, this is a great way to recycle shirts in good shape!

As at others houses, the goal was troop support, and smiles.  They were challenged to find a new photo op for SHertz, and stepped it up with use of the Stokes Basket.

Shannon had forgotten about the shirt swap possibility ... it was her first department visit.  And in the rush of getting ready, let's just say she was not in the right "uniform" to take off her top.  So for the swap, she stepped back inside to change, then we "made" it happen for the photos.  (Don't want anyone getting the wrong idea ... including her boyfriend, or Commanders!) 

The firefighters were complete gentlemen, which is almost always the case.  Most often, they are laughing at the one who gets chosen for the place of honor, ie, shirtless!  This was no exception, but a lot of the laughter came from watching Robert squeeze into Shannon's shirt!

Bear in mind that Snoqualmie in late November can be a tad chilly.  The temps were at freezing, so when you see us outside to make the shots happen, realize that we were all beyond cold.  And the guy in the Stokes looked really frigid!

We want to thank the Snoqualmie FD for remembering us, and for making the day special.  Thanks Robert ... you are indeed our Hero!

Special thanks to Absolute Graphics, there may have been an error for official purposes ... but the shirts are very well done!!!  Think of us any time you like!  Great quality, and the troops receiving them are gonna love them!

Enjoy the photos!

Don't forget ...WE NEED YOUR SHIRTS BY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!

And we look forward to seeing Snoqualmie Fire representing at the Pack-Out on February 25th!

lj

Island hop ... Part Deux

As promised, here is a peek at the last three stops on the Island Hop.  

Everett ~ Mount Vernon & Lummi Island.

Two of these three were return visits.  And again, more familiar faces ... always a welcome sight!

We hoped to see one of our favorites in Everett, sadly Joe was not available.  Sigh.  But, then Jolie showed up to represent for Mukilteo, and the Paterniti family.  We have met several married firefighter couples along the way, and never met one we didn't like.  No exception here!

Jolie had called when she saw the planned route.  She let us know that Mukilteo Fire wanted to represent & show their support for the troops.  And that they did! 

Everett & Mukilteo Firefighters and EMS personnel covered  the tables with shirts and signed them all.  Tough to get them all in a room at the same time with all the calls that were going on for all of the departments on Saturday.  But we managed to have a really good visit, share some photos, stories, and more.

Next up was a return to Mount Vernon.  Another familiar face! 

We all love their antique engine, and had fun with Kimberly and Dominique ... though they weren't completely comfortable  as they realized this was an antique.  Think they were scared to move!  lol

Just like Everett, another department came by ... Mount Erie.  Few things are as heartwarming for us, than departments making the above & beyond effort of coming to another house to show their support of our troops. 

It is happening more and more, and if we could get it to happen a lot more, our combined efforts could really help the mission of troop morale.  Just think about it ... and maybe get hold of some of your brothers and sisters, and tell them we NEED them all this year.  5,000!!!  Sheesh!

One of the departments that is stepping up this year ... a newbie for us ... is Lummi Island.  What a cool place!  You take a small ferry over, just outside of Bellingham.  The ferry holds about 20 cars, and some walk ons.  The island is green and lush ... and has been both times I visited.  But it is the people that draw me back.  They are just down to earth, and warm, and greeted us in as if we were old friends.  ... And we are now!

It sounds like they will be making every effort to join us for the Pack-Out ... The party is getting bigger!

By the time we got to the Island, we were starting to drag.  Most folks know I am just not a cheery crack of dawn kinda gal.  But even our morning people in the group were hungry and tired.   Chani & Leta absolutely lost their minds when they saw the Chuckanut signs on I-5.  They were so slap happy by this time, that all you had to do to get them going was to walk by and drop a Chuckanut on 'em!  It was actaully either reallllly funny, or we were all realllllllllllly tired.

Fortunately there was a wonderful shared meal brought in by the families attending the holiday party there at the firehouse.   We were a bit more refreshed and energized after dinner.  some wonderful recipes!

We weren't able to stay near as long as we'd have liked.  But the dinner, the presentation, and everything before and after was just as we hoped.

We had one of those great small world moments when  one of their people recognized Larry.  Turns out he was part of the medical team that treated and cared for Larry when he was med-evac'd to Madigan Army Hospital after the bombing he endured.  Larry was a little fuzzy about those first few days, but Chani sure made the connection ... more Heroes and Angels.

Larry got to spend a little time sharing his experiences, with the medics at the different departments.  Listening to him, and watching the firefighters respond was really heartwarming.  They all share something most of us watching from the outside, can only imagine.  They are all the more special to us when we hear them share their stories.

Thank you all for making our one and only Stomp of the season, a complete success.  And a special thanks to Terry & Jolie ... aprreciate your hard work on behalf of heroToHero.us!

Now mark &d clear the date for the Pack-Out ... starts before noon on February 25th, 2006.  To volunteer, or RSVP, please contact us at HeroShirts@aol.com

First Responders who are not able to make it ... we need your contributions by Valentine's Day, February 14, 2006. 

FIVE THOUSAND TROOPS ARE ASKING FOR YOUR SHOW OF SUPPORT!

Just an Island Hop away from more shirts!

**PLEASE NOTE ... This entry will be in two parts due to the massive amount of photos to be edited and posted.  This entry covers, SEATAC ~ KIRKLAND ~ LYNNWOOD.  The rest of the Stomp will be posted by week's end.

For those of you new to the journal ... the photos are broken down by department, but are in no specific order in that category.  It is a glitch in the program that does not keep them in the order uploaded.  Sigh.

Dec 3, 2005 - ISLAND HOP ... We truly thought we would have no Stomps this time around.  the decision was made shortly after Katrina when requests were being made that Americans curtail excess driving.  But the combination of departments asking if we would come, the lowered gas prices, and the fact that we need EVERY shirt we can get our hands on ... we did a Stomp. 

This one was called the Island Hop, to honor Lummi Island Fire, who had been pretty intent on their request for us to visit.  Besides, Larry really liked the name!

We did 6 stops ... SeaTac, Kirkland, Lynnwood, Everett, Mount Vernon, and Lummi Island.  With the exception of Lummi Island, all of these stops were return visits.

SHertz is till not speaking to any of us.  Not sure if it was being tazered, or strapped down to the papoose board.  He just seems a tad moody ... hehe.

We left from Lakewood.  For the first time, we had no escort leaving our home base.  But when LPD called to tell us they were searching for a missing little girl, we were fine to head out on our own.  We wish the Jackson Family a safe and speedy return for their daughter.

Before 9am we were at the SeaTac Fire Dept.  They were just getting back in from a call, but were very prepared for us, and made us feel just as welcome as last year.  It's nice to go back to departments where they "get it".  Their hearts open, and they make each time more memorable than the last.  This was no exception.

We hope you enjoy the photos, we shot a lot of them!

Each department we visited was given an invitation to the Pack-Out on Feb 25th.  So far it looks like we will have some nice representation from our first responders!

lj

Turn about is fair play!

Okay, we always hear about how the various cheerleader teams are heading out to the desert to pick up the troops morale.

Well, turn about is fair play, right?  So for all of you keeping the home fires burning at Fort Lewis and McChord AFB, it's your turn for some morale boosting!

Friday, December 2nd, come out to the McChord Base Exchange from 11-1, or the Fort Lewis PX from 2-4 and support some of the firefighters who have been supporting our troops ... and yours!

Purchase a calendar to help the WSCFF Burn Foundation, there will be calendar firefighters on hand to sign the calendars.  They make great gifts!

You do a good thing and have something to show for it!

http://firefightercalendar.com/

The 2005 All-Star calendar is still available on their site or over the phone by calling 1-800-847-6572.

Please take the time to view the pictures from the calendars and get to know the Fire Fighters by reading their bios.

Also, this is where you can find information about:

• Where you may find some of the Fire Fighters to sign your Calendar
  
• Most importantly, remember the reason for this all is to fund Burn Research to improve the lives of victims that have been burned.

See you Friday!!!

PS ... Recognize one of our favorite firefighters in the photos?

**~*~**

Dec 2 ... The BX/PX calendar signing event started out slow, but to be very fair ... we were in the middle of our "Blast of Winter".  None of us were thinking we would have snow and ice, and that the roads would be as difficult as they were in some areas locally.

We had fun with the folks who braved the elements for the McChord portion of the event.  By early afternoon, the weather had warmed slightly, and the signings were more rushed as people came up to say thanks, shake hands, and buy calendars to help support a great cause.

When you watch the calendar reps you saw dedication.  Some of these folks might be coming from a very involved shift at their departments, but still they realize the importance of the cause and give a lot of their time.  Another reason so many look to firefighters as Heroes.

Bringing them to the bases, was perfect.  It was a good feeling watching the uniformed personnel meet and greet.  There is an obvious respect between the two groups.

That was brought out at the following event, at the KISS 106.1 Jingle Bell Bash, at the Tacoma Dome on December 4th.

As the Backstreet Boys crooned, cameras flashed, and the Pussycat Dolls did what they do best to get the crowd stirred up even more, there were a few special moments on the side opposite the stage. 

 Over at the signing tables, two little girls, identical twins approached with their young mother. 

I recognized them from other occasions, and knew that this was a Fallen Hero family.  Their Fort Lewis soldier was killed in Iraq this past April.  Some time back, we had shown each other our black bracelets, and discovered that our families had suffered a loss on the same day, a year apart. 

We have bumped into each other rather frequently.  So when I saw her in line, I wanted to make sure the firefighters knew that they were talking to a family that had gone through a lot.

I cannot tell you how much they responded.  It was completely genuine.  They looked at those little faces, and went from the men and women signing the calendars, to the firgefighters ... those Heroes we all think of when we hear the sirens.  This was exactly the kind of compassion you want to know exists in the hearts of our firefighters.

The girls were hugged, and held, and made to feel very special!  I can tell you personally that throughout the event, these were the only people to have all of the firefighters pose for a photo with them!

When you see these men and women out signing calendars, think about how much extra they are giving from their personal time to give to what they believe in.  Yeah, they are really nice to look at, but when you get to see their hearts, they will melt you!

Thanks for making me remember why our troops look to you all as Heroes! 

Kudos to the WSCFFA Firefighter Calendar men and women!!!

lj

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Well, helllooooooo readers!!!  Thought I'd never be able to post again!  That was frustration beyond belief.  Hopefully though, AOL has the issue fixed and the journals will be to a complete state very soon.

Hmmm, since last I wrote ...

... Welcomed home the 42nd MP Brigade ~ love those guys!  Their journal is in the process of being moved over to this site.  Stay tuned.

... Bid a teary farewell the the 542nd (part of the 44th CSB) ... just got their photos loaded.  Lots of hugs and kisses in that group.  Really good people there.

... Accompanied the Angels and members of the 3/21 Gimlets to the Tacoma /fire Department, Local 31 Union Meeting.  We presented the banner that soldiers signed at the homecoming, and a large photo collage of events that Local 31 has been part of to help us with HeroToHero.us  The soldiers wore their DCU's and represented beautifully for their comrades.  Will  write more about this event.  Thank you Colonel Gibler & the young men who joined for the evening.

... Took off on the road to visit some of the more local departments, to give them personal invitations to join us for the pack out event on February 25th.  Mark your calendars!  We need 5,000 shirts to make sure that every troop asking to be adopted receives their Hero shirt.  Get out there and contact your local Fire and Police Departments, or get the contact info to us and we'll do it!  We NEED your help!

... Got a heads up from the Northwest Burn Calendar Firefighters.  these men and women in uniform have been great supporters of the our efforts at HeroToHero.us ... and beyond that, they give many hours of their time doing personal appearances to raise awareness and funds for the WSCFF Burn Foundation. The money goes to burn research and burn victims, burn camp etc.  A great program, that has helped so many and continues great work, in part, thanks to donations from people buying the annual calendar. 

So be sure to mark your calendars if you are near Fort Lewis,  or McChord Air Force Base on December 2nd.  You can purchase a calendar, get it signed and let some of our best supporters know they are appreciated!  I will post more on this as it comes closer ...

... Also finished the much requested "Comrade Heart" pins and necklaces that honor troops who have experienced the loss or wounding of a comrade.  And, the "Love & Honor" pins and necklaces that honor the sanctity of vows and oaths during deployment. 

They are available on the PatrioticPastime website, and purchases help fund the HeroToHero.us program.  They will also be available ONE DAY ONLY at the Fort Lewis PX, the day after Thanksgiving.  If you're local, come say "hi"!

We at HeroToHero.us wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!  Now, it's family time.  Be back in a few days.

To the troops so far from home ... 

Know that you are not forgotten, and never far from our hearts.  We miss you all, and look forward to your safe returns!  Take care of each other.  We love you all!

lj

And now it can be told! LOL

Any idea how hard it is to keep a secret when you're doing a journal ... and the local paper prints what you were doing during recent events?  Well, it's tough!  lol  

Our "Strykers" have come home again, and of course, Fort Lewis made sure to show them that they were appreciated, and we are all happy they are back with us.  

So, they had the welcome home event on Oct 27th for them all.  Families arrived from all over the country, including one of our personal favorites ... "Pops", who came to honor his grandson John.  Sports stars, NFL cheerleaders, WWF personalities, mascots, band members, prize drawings and more, made the day even more special.  Kudos to AAFES, and Services, for a job well done!

After the formalities, and ceremony, it was over to the hangar for barbecue, and music, and all kinds of fun.   And of course we had things up our sleeves as well ...  

John and Pam, from AllGaveSome.us helped us out, again!!!  We had a small banner made for the Tacoma Fire Dept, Local 31 firefighters. 

It was just a way for us to allow the Fort Lewis soldiers an opportunity to show their appreciation to the local Heroes who gave the shirts off their backs. 

And so we brought out the silver Sharpies, and off we went.   In no time at all, that banner was filled to near capacity, by the soldiers of Fort Lewis, even by the young wife of a Fallen hero who wanted to make sure her husband was able to show his thanks, too.  

We took it around and had all kinds of folks pose with the banner, and SHertz, of course ... he really is becoming a camera-hog, I mean, bear.  

Then on the eve of Veteran's Day, along with members of the 3/21 "Gimlets" ... thank you Colonel Gibler ... we paid a visit to TFD.  The troops were wonderful, and represented perfectly ... they are invited to any event they want with us!  

The Union President, Pat McElligott (Happy Birthday!), and our old buddy, Karen Leming knew what we were up to when we interrupted the end of the meeting.  

We presented them with the banner, then let them know that we wanted to thank them on behalf of the troops.  However, not being soldier's we didn't have that authority ... the door opened and a small contingent of soldier's stepped in to say thank you in their own way.  

They presented a framed photo collage of various events we had shared with TFD, and then went a step beyond, and tossed out their signed unit shirts to some of the firefighters in attendance.  

This evening was for them, not us, and so after a few photos and shared stories, we left the Heroes with the Heroes and bid them good night.  

Oh, wait ... one of us did stay behind.  When last we saw SHertz, he had arranged a card game of "Go Fish" ... (okay, that's what he told us, anyway).  And made some new friends. 

He even spent the night with the TFD ... Mom was nervous.  But all was well.  Turns out SHertz made friends with Bart, from Hilltop.  Hmmm ... 

Seriously though, thank you guys for taking care of him.  

To the troops who joined us, thank you!  Too often, people don't get to hear that what they are doing (like giving the shirts off their backs) for you during your deployments, makes a difference.  We can tell them, but having it come from you directly speaks volumes. 

Hope you all had a good time, and made some new friends, there are some good people in TFD!  

Another thanks to two of our core team ... Larry & Chani Kaibetoney joined us for the event.  That might not seem like a big deal, until you understand that just 2 hours prior, they were still at the hospital after yet another surgery on Larry's hand after the Mosul dining hall bombing.   Larry was still a little wobbly, and Chani was obviously exhausted ... but they both believe in the efforts for the troops. Larry has been through Hell, and Chani has been there tirelessly, like all the spouses of our wounded and deployed troops.  These two are 2 of my own personal Heroes.  Way to represent.  

So, here are some of the photos you have missed out on over the last few weeks.  Hope you enjoy.  

Please continue getting those shirts to us!  We have a lot of requests to fill, and every one has a troop on the other end of it.

And remember ... THANK A VET!

lj

The "TENTATIVE" Route~ WATCH IT GROW! 13 of 55

NOTICE --- THIS PAGE ALTERS, DO NOT THINK THE JOURNAL HAS STOPPED.  WE NEED TO KEEP THIS PAGE UP TIL NOVEMBER 15th, TO GIVE EVERYONE A CHANCE TO GET THEIR HOMETOWN ON BOARD!

**ALSO, check the journal links on the side of the page.  Deploying troops that have been adopted, will all have their own pages.  We have opened an avenue that allows them to send their words to their hometowns directly.  Be sure and take a peek.

Okay, folks ... here it is!  This is the PROPOSED ROUTE ... the exact stops are open for your input.

For a one month period, we will take requests to make alterations to the route so that we can encompass stops of your choosing.

Some of the 55 stops are already in cement ...  We always visit the three 9-11 sites over Memorial Day Weekend, so those stops are on the confirmed list. 

*55. New York , NY

*54. Shanksville, PA

*53  La Plata, MD (DC)

The following are departments, or cities that have officially made a stop request ... and been confirmed ...

The list will grow as we get contacts, refer back to this page, and as we grow larger, we will post the official stops list.

(The list is posted by request order, not stop order.  We are counting the stops down from 55, so you know how many we still need.)

#52 . Sarnia, Canada  ... Welcome aboard, Sarnia!  You are our first official sign up for 2006!  And you are our first venture to our neighbors to the north ('cept we just found out that technically we will go south to get there, go figure!  Eh?) ... we look forward to this visit!

#51.   Orange County, Ca 

#50 .  Clarke County FD, Las Vegas, Nv 

#49 .  South San Francisco, Ca  

#48 .  Tillamook, Or ... We actually got these guys right off the side of the road on last year's national!  Now they want to be an official stop ~ you got it!  See you in May.

#47.  PEYTON, Co ...  Thanks, Dayna.  You asked for it, you got it!  We got close at the IAFF Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Colorado Springs ... this time we'll bring it on in!

#46.  ST LOUIS, Mo ...  FINALLY getting there!  We originally had this stop planned on the first tour, and never finalized it.  There is a dedicated "Stryker" mom waiting for us to come let St Louis represent, and we're glad to be able to make it happen this time!  See you in June!

#45.  PROVIDENCE, RI ...  Hellllllllllllooooo Providence!  This is a welcomed return stop.  Danny and the crew there were a lot of fun.  We stayed overnight at the station last time, and except for SHertz, we all had a great time.  lol  (You'll have to check the archives for that story!)  See y'all in June!

#44.  MODESTO, CA ...  This is a highly anticipated stop for H2H!  Mark Crook and his crew responded with well over 200 shirts!  Our troops received Modesto FD shirts, and rumor has it that they may top themselves this year!  We stopped in Modesto on the 1st National Tour, but I look forward to meeting a lot more of these fine reps!  Glad to have you with us again ... we make a great team!

While you're at it, here are some of the other stories that have run on the program, including the recent story from the IAFF site...

http://www.iaff.org/across/content/Spotlight/05Stories/093005hero.html 

  http://www.everettwa.org/cityhall/insidecityhall/press_releases/view_release.asp? id=205  

http://www.wscff.org/ 

#43.  RICHFIELD, UT ...  Loved Utah the first time around, and we look forward to what Pops calls one of the most beautiful drives in the country!  Folks in Utah were so welcoming, and warm.  This will be a great stop!  Welcome aboard, Richfield.

Some stops are planned, but not locked in ...  We need contact from these POC's, to make it official.  We have verbal invites from the 05 tour, but requests must be in writing for tracking purposes. 

*Portsmouth, ME

*Chicago, IL

*New Haven, CT

*Buffalo, NY

*Boston, MA

In any event, we will make 55 Official Stops on the tour.  If you are interested in your town being one of these stops, contact us immediately and lock it in!

Some stops will be overnight stays, most will be enroute.  We are very open to what happens during the visit.  To get an idea of what we do, check out last year's National Tour journal ...  http://journals.aol.com/hwytoheroes/NationalTour/entries/200

This is your chance to show the troops following our efforts for the past three years, that their hometowns across the country support them still ... no matter their politics or stances on the war. 

This is about the morale of our troops ... REPRESENT!!!

For more info, or to get your town locked in, email us at:  H2HHeroes@aol.com

See you this summer!

Liz, Kathy, and SHertz

Welcome Home 25 BSB!!!

We want to share the faces of some of our troops who have been part of Hero To Hero ... very happily, these are return shots!   Several of the Angels stood with me a few days ago as we watched families, friends and loved ones welcome home members of the 25th BSB.   What a wonderful thing to see, and experience!   The tension in the gym rose by the minute until the door opened, and our returned Heroes came marching back into our lives.   The tears fell, screams, laughter, and happiness ensued.   Some of these troops were meeting their babies for the first time, or seeing them for the second ... what a difference a year makes!   The 25th BSB has been a strong supporter of Hero To Hero ... standing with us as we kicked off H2H '05, sending the Rear Det for the pack out, and receiving shirts from firefighters and police from all over America!   They also made a donation to the cause for the National Tour, and we hope they will continue to stand with us for future events!   I am going to do my best to get some of them to come meet some of the local heroes who gave the shirts off their backs for these troops, and maybe get some photos of them in these shirts for the site.  It will be good to see another year come full circle!   Now we just need the rest of our adopted troops to come home ... can't wait!  And we'll see you all at the redeployment, very soon!   For now, it's time for the 25 BSB to shine!  These pix are for you ... WELCOME HOME!

The IAFF Fallen Firefighter Memorial

(17 Sept 05)  This past weekend, I experienced a wonderful honor when the Tacoma Fire Department Honor Guard allowed me to accompany them to the IAFF Fallen Firefighter Memorial in Colorado Springs, CO.  

The TFD Honor Guard & Pipers have been such a blessing for the Hero To Hero effort, and the pictures here are our way of saying thank you to some of our favorite Firefighters (& Medics).  

We left from SeaTac on Thursday, and returned last night (Sunday).  In between, we met firefighters from all over North America.  We met families of the Fallen Heroes and shared stories of people we all had in common.   I listened as past visits were relived, and watched as new friends became lifelong buddies.  There were lots of hugs, and plenty of "Hey, remember that time..."  

 I watched the first practice with over 500 Honor Guard members from the United States and Canada, as they formed into their various groups ... readers, presenters, pipers, drummers, axes and poles ... and probably a few I am forgetting.  

It was impressive to watch these representatives from so many places come together, to work as a team, and combine their talents into a ceremony that all who attended will remember for a very long time.   You cannot imagine how unforgettable it was to stand by as all the pipes and drums struck up for the first time, in a huge circle, in a field beside the memorial.  Don't know what it is about those bagpipes that give me goosebumps, but, wow!  Everyone was in their street clothes, and it made you wonder how amazing this would all be when they donned their respective uniforms.  

Between being a driver and taking all of these pictures, I spent most of my time sharing the H2H project ... getting it out to as many departments as possible.  I'm sure I made the TFD crew nuts, but the opportunity to network for Hero To Hero was invaluable. When you have so many requests from troops for these shirts, you do what you have to do to make it happen!  And TFD will deserve much of the credit this year for our success!  

It was very cool that I knew some of the guys there, as we had met on previous national tour stops!  There were reps there from Everett, WA ... Spokane, WA ... Portland, OR ... FDNY ... Orange County, CA ... Anne Arundel, MD ... Chicago, IL ... Phoenix, AZ ... Dallas, TX ... Cleveland, OH ... Fargo, ND ... Sacramento, CA ... and soooo many more, all of them great guys from very supportive houses.  I spent a lot of time visiting with these heroes of ours.  (I truly apologize that I am tired right now, and may have missed some really special folks ... it is exhaustion, and nothing more.  Let me know if I skipped you, and we will fix it!)  

There were some pretty special people I was introduced to, and I carry that as an honor for our group ...  

Jay Bishop, National Honor Guard Commander ... What a great guy!  An Air Force vet, who truly understands what the shirts for our troops mean to their morale.  Loved your heart, it showed in everything you did to make this the event it was!  We look forward to visiting you and yours in Springfield ... thanks for the invite, Jay!  

Kelly Fox, Olympia Firefighter, and President of the Washington State Council of Firefighters ... Kelly had helped Hero To Hero before, we had spoken on the phone and emailed but this was the first time we had met.  He was just exactly as I imagined ... great guy, very personable, and very supportive.  Thanks Kelly, we'll let you get back home and then get with you again.  

Ricky Walsh, a Richland Firefighter and Vice President of the Washington State Council of Firefighters ... When I saw Ricky he looked really familiar, turned out we had met before when we did our WA State "Stomp."  We visited 20 department across Washington State in 2 days, with military families and troops to get shirts and show our thanks ... turns out we stopped at his house along the way.  Richland was extremely generous in their support of Hero To Hero.  We spent about an hour along the way, as they signed their shirts and other items with supportive messages.  Their shirts were part of the H2H '05 shipment, and are on the backs of troops all over the desert.  Thank you Ricky, and Richland Fire!  You all rock!  PS: They brew a mean coffee!!!  ( ;  

IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger ~ We have wanted to meet President Schaitberger for a long time!  We wanted to shake his hand and say thank you on behalf of all the troops who have been recipients of the shirts off the backs of so many IAFF Firefighters.  Being the mother of a son who has already done a tour in the sand, and will likely rotate in again very soon ... morale of a soldier, sailor, airman or marine is imperative, and near and dear to my heart.  I finally got a chance to shake the hand of the man, and tell him Thank You.  He must have heard me, he shook my hand said it was a great thing and gave me a kiss on the cheek ... didn't expect that last bit, but he made me proud in that moment.   

President Schaitberger, thank you!  You will never know what it meant to this Mom.  Hope we get the chance to meet again ... in the meantime, I will visit your firefighters, (and our Heroes) for our troops.  We make a great team!   I was able to make personal contact with folks we will likely visit this next time around on the tour ... like Springfield, KC and Colorado Springs, and Sarnia, to name just a few.  After all of the pictures are posted, I will post the proposed route for our next tour, as promised.  

Speaking of pictures, boy did I take a lot of them!  LOL  I am going to have to post the photos in increments.  I will post the actual ceremony shots first, then let you see all the hard work these folks went through to make this such an amazing moment.   As you go through them, you will see just a slice of what happened.  If you are ever able to make it to the event, I can assure you, you will want to go back!  The firefighters and their families are amazing! 

With rare exception, I have never met a firefighter who did not impress me with their heart, integrity and professionalism.  It is no wonder that the troops look to these people as their heroes, and want to wear their shirts.   So enjoy the photos, feel free to use them for honorable purposes, but please give credit for the shots you use, to HeroToHero.us  

To the Tacoma Honor Guard ... thank you so very much for allowing me to come along.  I hope I was a help to you along the way, and you will have to forgive me for my passion ... it is as important to me as is yours.  

Karen Leming "MS July" ... you know, I think I will just leave you all with that teaser until we get through all the pictures.  But, thank you Karen, we would not be this far without your support.  God bless you, and God watch over your son, Aaron, as he deploys.  We'll be there for him along his journeys ... he too, is one of our Heroes!  

Photos are in no specific order, and you will find some that are similar group shots - cuz there's little worse than a group shot where you are the only person who doesn't look their best.   

Would love to see some of your comments ... and remember, we need your shirts by Valentine's Day.  

Anyway, here goes...  

lj  

Today was a picnic!

(Sept 14, 2005)  We had a blast today!  Kathy, Aris, Ron and I accepted the invitation extended by JTF6.5 for a bbq ... and these folks know how to put on the feed!  Kudos to the cooks!

We asked that those who received shirts at the kick off, wear them, and they did.  And even more shirts came out from their barracks to be given, in turn, to fire and police departments from Heroes ... to Heroes.  You gotta love these guys!  (We do.)

We spent most of the afternoon with them, laughing and talking about hometowns .. many of which we have visited on our national tours.  There are folks there from New Orleans, who assured us that their families are okay ... from Puerto Rico ~ with a huge smile ... from Missoula, Coeur D'Alene, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Brooklyn, Boston ... and many more.  We had several requests asking if  we had their hometown shirts, some we do, and we will try make sure that they get as many of their hometowns as possible.  As for the rest, remember, contact your hometown fire & police so we can get enough shirts to take care of you all!

As the Navy was enjoying life before they leave American soil, "next door" was an Army unit practicing maneuvers.  It was nice, knowing how often the esprit de corps can separate the branches, that they were friendly and allowed a former Marine (now Navy) to hold a "saw" once more.  There was some good-natured banter among them and handshakes before we left them to their tasks at hand.  Another great group of guys ... and possible adoptees for this year!

Before we could leave, SHertz got in there and had his photo op ... that bear has some of the coolest pictures!  He had the ladies buzzing around him all afternoon, and didn't mind a bit!  The guys were checking out all his "bling" from the various departments, and offers of more pins for SHertz were made.

The gratitude for the Hero To Hero effort was evident here, they made us feel very special to be their guests.  Good food, good people, good times ... and lots of hugs ... we can't ask for much more.

I want to share something we encounter on a fairly frequent basis .. the selflessness of some of these groups.  Before we left, one of the sailors came up to us, and made this statement, "Don't make us a priority ... take care of the others first.  We have access to some things they don't".  They will be shipping out in a few days, they will not go to the desert, but they will be away from their families for a year.  They too will be without the comforts of home and family, but they still think about the others in the desert.  We love and respect their heart.  And just for the record ... To us, a troop, all troops are priorities!

Thank you all for sharing your day with us, we were honored to attend!  You all take care (even you, Cheeseball!) and hopefully we will see you in a year!  (And until then, in pictures.)

Stay safe, you will be in our thoughts and prayers!

lj & the Angels

Welcome to Hero To Hero '06

Hero To Hero '06 has officially begun!

(Sept 11,2005) We stood side by side with some of our local Heroes from the Tacoma Fire Department for their "9-11 Remembrance" ... and some from outlying departments.  Tacoma Police Department was missing in action due to a conflict in scheduling ... there was a big race downtown, and they were needed there.  But they came by beforehand, and they were with us in spirit, as always!

The event began quietly, with TFD Honor Guard Cmdr, Karen Leming, welcoming us and the pipers piping in the background.  We may have been there to kick off '06, but first we needed to pause and reflect.  September 11th was honored with the dignity it requires, as was evident by looking out in to the audience, Tacoma FD was everywhere, and it was very touching to see their salutes, and bowed heads throughout the ceremony.  We are proud to have again been part of this remembrance.

We were also joined by Tacoma Mayor Bill Baarsma, and TFD Interim Fire Chief Ron Stephens, both of whom spoke eloquently.  TFD Chaplain Wilby Casey said the invocation, and lent his wonderful presence to make the day even more special.

The Tacoma Fire Department Honor Guard and Pipers were awesome, as always!  Don't think there was a dry eye when the pipers played "Amazing Grace," and the Honor Guard brought the moment home when the flag (already lowered from Hurricane Katrina) was raised, then slowly lowered once more.

Many of the units we adopted for H2H '05 are still deployed, and happily nearing their return date.  As such they were unable to attend, but their loved ones were with us.  Family members of the 42nd MP BDE, 25th BSB, 73rd Engineers (if I missed any, please advise) were spotted throughout the event.  We look forward to welcoming these Heroes home, and having them standing with us next year!

Troops were represented by the Navy's JTF 6.5, who will be deploying very soon.  This was the first time we had Naval personnel with us, and we are honored.

Also representing, from Fort Lewis ... the 555th, & 44th CSB ... all of these units are on our adoption list for H2H '06.

There were some moments that will stay with us for some time ...

We were caught off guard by a lone soldier from Fort Lewis, a "Patriot" with the 2/3 Inf Stryker BDE who was part of the initial shipment of shirts.  After I had spoken and was leaving the podium, he approached bearing a Stryker t-shirt, and a photo of his unit in the desert flying a Tacoma FD t-shirt from their vehicle. (This is one of my favorite photos!)  He wanted to present the shirt to a member of TFD, so we called Chf Ron Stephens forward.  This is what it's about, touching a troops' heart, so far from home.  The 2/3 paid their respects earlier this year, after their return when they accompanied us to Auburn FD and presented unit coins to the firefighters there.  We love our Strykers!

There were a number of very touching moments ... Larry Kaibetoney, of the 25th BSB, who is still recovering from injuries incurred in the Mosul Dining Hall suicide bombing, gave the shirt off his back to TFD Chaplain Casey.  Larry continues to amaze us with his recovery and incredible positive outlook.  He currently works at the Fort Lewis Museum, stop by and shake his hand!

The moment that got me most was when we surprised Karen Leming.  She is always so in control, a firefighter, TFD HG Commander, Mom to 4 sons, and driving force for H2H ... who'd think she would get another title?  Recently Karen called to tell me that her son Aaron was deploying, so it was only right to give her a Blue Star flag to honor him.  She held it together for the bouquet of flowers we gave her, but the flag touched that spot in her heart reserved for her boys.  When she cried, I saw Aaron in her eyes ... and he radiated the pride and love he has for her.  We love you Karen.  Aaron's unit is the first to be adopted for H2H '06!

And it just got better ... Fife Destination Harley senta small contingent of riders to help us kick off this year's program, and show their support of our troops.  Gene made sure that we had shirts from Destination again this year ... and the troops loved them! 

Not only did they send riders, and more shirts ... they sent a wonderful photographer who captured some great moments.  These are their photos (and this guy can take pix at our events any time he wants!)  Enjoy the pix ... their photos begin at #112.

Thank you again to Gene, Kevin, and all of our friends from Fife Destination Harley!  You all rock!

Global Bikers Films had planned on filming our event, but due to a fatality accident on I-5, they were unable to get to us til very near the end.  Packages sent this year will include DVD's generously donated to us by GBF of the "Run for the Wall" ... a wonderful job!  We look forward to working with them at the pack out!

KrispyKreme's (Tacoma & South Hill) made sure we had a yummy start to our day, and Mountain Mist quenched our thirsts ... we really appreciate their continued support, and look forward to more shared experiences in the future.

Speaking of adoptions, they opened at midnight on September 11th ... within 12 hours we had requests for over 2,000 shirts.  By midnight the number had risen to over 3,000!!!

This year will be busy, we need everyone's help!  Please contact your local fire and police (all first responders)! and let them know that they can show their support for our deployed troops in a real way by actually giving them the shirts off their backs.

As always, we follow our three basic tenets ... no politics, no pro/antiwar stances ... strictly morale for our troops.

And so it begins!  The shirt drive has begun, you have all the way to Valentine's Day to get those shirts to us.  The shirts ship at the end of February.

Remember, we make it possible, you make it happen!  PLEASE, look in your closets, and drawers for shirts you can share ... this is a great way to recycle shirts you are not wearing.

Our troops are waiting, don't let them down!

**The photos were taken at today's ceremony ... they were in order, until I transferred them into the journal, and I am just waaaaay too tired to rearrange them.  Enjoy!

lj

PS... If you attended the event and have photos, we would love to have copies of them.  You can send them to H2HHeroes@aol.com

Photos are coming in ... they are added to the end of the collection and you can reverse your way in to see them.  Keep 'em coming!