Happy Memorial Day!

Hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! I meant to get this out yesterday but that darn family kept asking for things... the nerve, right?

We had a fantastic weekend filled with train rides, carousel rides, picnics with fried chicken (yes, made by me!) a bar-b-que with friends, fun in the water and Mr. O even smoked a pork shoulder for dinner on Monday. All it all it was a perfect family weekend. 

Of course the most important aspect of the weekend was remembering and honoring the men and women who fought and continue to fight to protect our country and our freedom. We attended a memorial ceremony honoring Alexandrian's who fought in Vietnam. It was a beautiful service and I was particularly moved by so many former military men and women who attended, many with their families and young children.  

Here are a few paintings that come to mind when I'm feeling patriotic. I hope you enjoy! 

On the Hudson at Newburgh, Gifford Beal, 1918

Avenue in the Rain, Childe Hassam, 1917

Soldier and Girl at Station, Alex Colville, 1953

Servicemen receiving care packages from Adopt-a-Platoon

Lastly, and most importantly I'm including a link to Adopt-A-Platoon. Its very simple. You contact the group and they assign you a specific platoon and give you a list of things most troops appreciate or miss from home. Then like any care package you fill up a box with goodies and ship it to your assigned platoon contact, usually the platoon chaplain.

I have only done this once, but it was one of the most rewarding things I've done. I don't know if this always happens but I received a beautiful thank you note from the platoon chaplain, which included photos. To think he took the time to thank li'l ol me was a gift in itself. 

Happy Memorial Day!

Cheers, 

Ouiser

Patriot Day

At first I wasn't sure how to handle today's post. It seems hard to think of much else for very long on this particular day but the memories of Sept. 11th 2001. Although I was living and working less than 5 blocks from the US Capitol at the time, I don't want to use today's post to remember how the day effected me. Instead, I'd much rather talk about how we (all of us as a nation) can do something today to support our country and service members still fighting and defending freedom around the world.

I had only a vague knowledge of the USO until about a year ago, mostly it was images of celebrities performing for overseas troops. I had no idea all the work that this organization does for our troops and their families. I should stop for a moment and recognize that there are thousands of wonderful organizations in our country supporting our troops and their families and by no means do I want to forget about any of them. However, this is just one post from one person and lets be frank, I'm probably only talking to my own family right now so I'm going to focus this post on the USO.

I was blown away by a USO representative who spoke at a DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) chapter meeting I attended. In addition to entertainment, the USO provides services and programs including referral services, Internet and e-mail access, housing and emergency assistance and support groups to more than 1.4 million active duty service members and 1.2 million national guard and reserve members as well as their families. Stop and think about that, this organization helps over 2.6 million Americans, that's an enormous effort.

I hope that you will take a moment today and look at their website, and perhaps find a local chapter in your area. There are so many ways that you can easily help this organization. Send a care package, write a letter or if you find you have the time in your schedule volunteer for a shift at the USO organized airport hospitality suite. In the Washington DC area each of our three airports host a suite for troops as they wait to depart or are on their way home.

And although it's not just about money, as a professional fundraiser I'd be remiss by not at least posting a way for you to make a donation to this very worthy organization. Please visit this link to make a donation.

I can think of no better way to honor our soldiers than to give back, just a little, today of all days.

Cheers,

Ouiser