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