For readers who are unfamiliar with Marine Moms-Bethesda, these volunteers do great work! They do monthly luncheons and support the families who are there with their military member. Where Bethesda is, there is no restaurant for about 2 miles so it's hard for them to get food. It is now called Walter Reed.
Marine Moms-Bethesday send Greetings and Happy New Year.
Where has the year gone?
Marine Moms-Bethesda would like to take this day, the first day of the New Year, to Thank You for your interest and your support over the past years in our mission of bringing “touches of home” to wounded, injured, and ill Warriors and their families at Walter Reed NMMC/Bethesda and Richmond VAMC.
With your support, in 2012 we hosted 25 luncheons, serving more than 1,700 patients, family members and staff at Walter Reed NMMC and McGuire/Richmond VAMC, combiend, for under $11,000, not including out-of-pocket food expenses volunteers didn't turn in, and in-kind donations.
The luncheons, pantry bags, comfort items and notes of encouragement are very much appreciated by the families and Warriors. How often we’ve wished you, our supporters, could see and hear their “thank you’s” with your own eyes and ears!
All service branches – Marines, Navy, Army, Air Force, National Guard and Reserves, are served at our luncheons. We don’t recall serving Coast Guard patients, but we know they are stationed in war zones.
In addition to making a difference in the lives of Iraq and Afghanistan combat Veterans, you have also, through your support, brought cheer and smiles to World War II, Korea, Viet Nam, Bosnia, and Gulf War I Veterans and their families over the years at Walter Reed and McGuire/Richmond.
Retired Admirals to 18 and 19 year olds just beginning their military career cut short by an IED, a suicide bomber, a training injury or a motorcycle accident, a sniper, a fire fight, or a "green on blue incident" have read your encouragement notes – I’ve seen tears as someone read them, and I’ve heard one young Marine at Mercy Hall who had been there for a long time tell another Marine recently arrived there, "They really are heart-warming."
I will never forget a retired Admiral's wife who took a pantry bag that had the notes inside of it – she returned the pantry bag saying she didn’t know it was for the wounded warriors, but said "he wanted to keep the notes."
Many we have served have received a quilt, a hand-knitted hat or pair of slippers, a CD, DVD, t-shirt, afghan, a seated massage, have been given a bag filled with snacks – as one Mom on her way back to her son's room with a plate of food said, "Oh! It isn’t a 'one finger' bag!" No, the bags are stuffed full and they're heavy!
Doctors, Nurses, Corpsmen, Medics, therapists, and staff have also enjoyed our meals. It is difficult estimating how many we will be serving. If it is a beautiful spring day, family members and patients who are able may be out touring D.C. for the day, leaving the hospital ward almost empty. If the situation in Afghanistan is calm(er), the ward may not be as full as is it was the month before.
The number of patients on the wards can change overnight from few to many, or from many to few. So after we know the patients and families have been served, the luncheon is opened to staff. We don't bring food home with us unless it is non-perishable, unopened, and can be used at future luncheon. Leftovers are left at the hospitals.
These are our Nation's Sons and Daughters we are serving thanks to your support. Whether they made the decision to serve their country "for the benefits" or because they "wanted to make a difference in the world" (and "making a difference" is what I have been told by those I have asked!) the bottom line is – when they signed on the dotted line, they turned their lives over to Uncle Sam.
Thank you for caring and supporting these men and women who have sacrificed, at great personal price, their lives and their futures in the name of Freedom.
Thank You also for caring about their families – their spouses, their moms, dads, children – did you know some of the children of the wounded Warriors are born there at Walter Reed? Some are siblings in high school visiting, and there children all ages in between. There are also grandparents there giving the parent or wife a break.
Family members, far from home giving up their jobs sometimes, leaving younger children behind under the care of another family member, staying by their Warrior's side as caregivers during this life-changing "new normal" time of their lives. The whole family is affected when their spouse, son, or daughter is injured in war.
Tremendous Thanks to our Volunteers who, with support from across the country, make the luncheons happen. Their dedication and commitment to our Warriors and their families is outstanding. They’re a pretty quiet bunch, not in it for the accolades, most working fulltime jobs either in the workplace or at home (or both), some going to school fulltime while working a part-time job, some retired and busier than ever, and yet they set aside time in their busy schedules to help with the luncheons as they are able.
And not only do our Volunteers "walk the walk" with their time, they donated out of pocket toward the luncheons - close to $1,000.00 from what I have seen from receipts turned in was donated by volunteers in 2012. There was probably at least that much more from receipts not turned in.
Why? The Warriors we served could have been our son or daughter, husband or wife, our friend, our neighbor, our "Brother" or "Sister".
Thanks also to those who allow us to continue our mission at the hospitals – the VA staff at Richmond, the Marine Wounded Warrior Regiment Staff at Richmond and Walter Reed, the staff at Mercy Hall, and the staff on the TBI Ward.
We feel it is an honor and a privilege to serve the Warriors and their families at the hospitals, and we don’t take this trust placed in us lightly. Thank you for joining us in our mission.
Wishing each one of you the Best 2013 has to offer and many Blessings in the coming year.
Until next time, continued prayers for our military and their families.
With Gratitude and Thanks, Love and Hugs, Jane
