Testimonies, Pictures and Articles

 --   Cathy

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I attended the event on Sun. Sep. 9th for Military families and was so very moved.  It was very evident the extensive amount of planning and hard work that went into this.

 I returned to work yesterday and relayed my experience and my intention of finding out who t he organizers were so I could send a Thank You.  Several other persons w/ deployed family members from work (I am a Nurse at The University of Nebraska) expressed frustration at me for not having called them to inform them of the event as they had not been aware of this and would have loved to have come. I explained that I did not have their home phone numbers and only found out about the event the evening prior  through my daughter-in-law who had heard about it by chance from someone's mother.  Others nearby said they read about the event in the paper yesterday morning (after the fact) and also wished they had known prior to so that they could have come. Despite others not knowing about and therefore not attending, some asked that I include a Thank You from them as well in my note for having had thought and organized such an event.

I attended with my daughter-in-law and 2 grandchildren whom are living with me in  Elkhorn while my son, a Marine, is deployed to Iraq.  They had been stationed in North Carolina but are originally from here, my son graduated from Gretna in 2003 and my daughter-in-law from Milliard in 2002.  Meeting other family members of deployed is beyond describable words.  For my daughter-in-law, only another military wife can understand how it feels t o be a "fifth wheel" when out with another married couple or how it feels like an act of betrayal to go out with a single girlfriend for a night, yet one needs to get out of the house in a years time.  It  feels comfortable with another military wife.  My daughter-in-law is not now with the other Military wives since she came back home to stay.  For myself, a mother, despite the kindness and honest caring of others, only another military mother can understand how it feels to hug a child goodbye for a trip as they carry their gun onto a bus and while a commander is shouting at them to make sure their body bags are tied onto the top and not the side of their duffles. Another military mother understands the frustration of missing a phone call from their child because they left the cell phone in the house when they ran out to the mailbox, a phone call that comes randomly maybe once every 7-10 days, and the frightfulness for the next 7 to 10 days because  the caller ID is listed as a US Government number that one cannot call back to or "unknown" and then not being sure if is was the child or someone with bad news about the child.  I now enjoy the neighbor kids when they come home at 2am with their car stereo blasting because having a car pull up outside with no noise and hearing car doors close could mean someone is coming to give me bad news, especially when the Omaha World Herald carried a story about more Marines killed in a roadside bomb days prior.  Only another military mother can understand that  going out with other friends makes one feel guilty, it is not enjoyable, because eating at a restaurant or having a glass of wine and having a good time does not seem right when one's child is somewhere where they were not able to take a shower, eating rationed food from a can or bag and perhaps are getting shot at or god forbid is hurt and hurting.   The best thing about being with other military families is that one does not have to explain the above, it is just known.  Being with other military families somehow allows it to be OK to enjoy oneself and laugh and have fun for awhile.  The children of the deployed too need this.  They are living in a single parent home but unlike children of divorce, they are not getting weekend and holiday visitation.  Last but not least, having an event for Military families of those deployed somehow lifts the anger and frustration some of us feel from time to time, knowing that the sacrifices do make a difference, are appreciated and are not in vain.  My daughter-in-law has said from time to time that she is sleeping alone so others might sleep free.  Although, my daughter-in-law is not struggling for money, she lives on a tight budget, she would never think about going out and spending money on a Pedicure, however, she received a Mall Gift Certificate at the event and this is what she used it for and she was so happy about this.  She would not have done something like that without a gift certificate.  what a nice thought this was of you.  

I sincerely hope that next year, if we are still at war, that in addition to putting on an event for another person or group, as I know each year is different, that you might again include Military families w/ deployed members and those that have returned with wounds and I would like to help in getting the word out.  In addition, I would like you to know that I plan to include both KJs carts for kids and the organization for care packages for the wounded (which Corporal South addressed) in my charitable gift giving. I no longer give to United Way but I make my own direct contributions to organizations I know and know that they serve directly and do well.

If possible, I would like additional information about Corporal South's organization.  I came during his talk and missed the first portion and I was unable to pick up a brochure or flyer about ways I could contribute.

Again, I thank you so much for having put this together.  It was greatly appreciated and you positively touched others who were not aware of and did not attend the event.  

Dana

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 thank you so much for thinking of us and for everything that you have put together, it is organizations like yours that really mean alot to all of us and our families!!!!   Have a great day  - april

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Thank you, thank you, ohhh thank you for such a wonderful day honoring Military families.  Since I got to join in the fun, be spirited by the music and talk with the wonderful families.  I gave the gifts to my husband.  The emotion in his eyes said it all.  He missed the day because he was in Ft. Riley, KS on hold after returning from two years in Iraq.  The gas card from Bucky's was used to help pay for a weekend away from Kansas.  He came to Omaha.  He ate the nuts on his trip back and the coffee is his morning drink of choice.  Thank you so very mcuh!  The day was the spirit lift that God knew I needed.  Your spirits were the "blinding brightness" on the dark of night ... God bless you!!  Thank you, too, KGBI and your many sponsors ... I am humbled by the amount of time and hard work that you and your volunteers poured into this event.  The song of your souls will keep my spirit dancing ... feel my hugs of gratitude!!! -- Jill

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