JustRalph
05-13-2004, 01:14 AM
When I lived in California in 2003 I took care of this ladies computers. She is a Veteran. She lives in an area with a real strong military presence.............anybody up for gathering up a few bucks to help out? Please check out the story......... and maybe we can get one of our California members to make a delivery for us? I just happen to see this article tonight. She doesn't know I am posting this. I haven't spoken with her for about 4 or 5 months. She runs a small time operation with just her, no employees and it runs on a shoe string. FYI
http://www.avpress.com/n/westy5.hts
AV business owner helps troops send gifts home
This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press
on Wednesday, May 12, 2004.
By HEATHER LAKE
Valley Press Staff Writer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LANCASTER - Enabling moms and dads stationed overseas to send a little something special home to their kids is one Valley business owner's plan.
After hearing a story about a soldier sending a package home to his kids containing a couple Band-Aids and some sunscreen, Rose Sliepka, owner of 1st Place Awards in Lancaster, decided she wanted to help them send something more personal.
Backed by the Rotary Club of Lancaster, she decided to manufacture aluminum dog tags engraved: "With Love From Dad U.S. ARMY Iraq 2004."
She has already started shipping them to Iraq where the troops, in turn, can send them back home.
The colors of the tags and wording on them differ to accommodate all branches of service and to include moms overseas as well. They are also being made in Spanish.
The Rotary Club is helping to raise money.
"We are 100% behind it," said Andy Meyer, chairman of international projects for the Rotary Club.
"Being a retired military man myself, I think it's a great idea for the GIs to have something to send home to their kids," Meyer said.
Sliepka said after she heard that story, she just wanted to do something.
"I heard the story about that guy that sent the package for his kids … I decided there had to be something we could send Dad (or Mom) that he could easily send back to his kids," Sliepka said.
On Monday, Sliepka packed a large envelope with 600 of the tags, and she has collected enough money to make 4,000 more.
Included with the tags are chains so the children receiving them can wear them or put them on their backpacks.
"What soldier's child doesn't want a dog tag of their own?" Sliepka said.
At 40 cents each, Sliepka is hopeful that she can send out 10,000 in coming months.
She is looking for volunteers to feed the engraving machine in her shop and also for monetary donations to fund the project.
Last month, Sliepka said she sent out 1,000 Mother's Day cards so soldiers would be able to send them home.
The Rotary Club is trying to arrange space at the Antelope Valley Fair to solicit donations.
At present, Meyer said, all tables are sold out.
"In the meantime, I've got a jar on my counter," Sliepka said.
Word has apparently spread of her project.
"People have been walking in with checks," she said.
Sliepka also sent out 15 letters to celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Walter Cronkite and Loretta Swit, who played Maj. Margaret "Hotlips" Houlihan from the television series M*A*S*H, soliciting their financial support for the program.
"Anybody who made money off of wartime movies or songs … those people are perfect," Sliepka said.
She is also attempting to get the Arizona Cardinals to back a similar effort with troops in Afghanistan in memory of Pat Tillman, the former NFL player killed April 22 while serving there with the Army Rangers.
1st Place Awards is at 1209 West Ave. K in Lancaster and can be reached by calling (661) 940-7624
http://www.avpress.com/n/westy5.hts
AV business owner helps troops send gifts home
This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press
on Wednesday, May 12, 2004.
By HEATHER LAKE
Valley Press Staff Writer
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LANCASTER - Enabling moms and dads stationed overseas to send a little something special home to their kids is one Valley business owner's plan.
After hearing a story about a soldier sending a package home to his kids containing a couple Band-Aids and some sunscreen, Rose Sliepka, owner of 1st Place Awards in Lancaster, decided she wanted to help them send something more personal.
Backed by the Rotary Club of Lancaster, she decided to manufacture aluminum dog tags engraved: "With Love From Dad U.S. ARMY Iraq 2004."
She has already started shipping them to Iraq where the troops, in turn, can send them back home.
The colors of the tags and wording on them differ to accommodate all branches of service and to include moms overseas as well. They are also being made in Spanish.
The Rotary Club is helping to raise money.
"We are 100% behind it," said Andy Meyer, chairman of international projects for the Rotary Club.
"Being a retired military man myself, I think it's a great idea for the GIs to have something to send home to their kids," Meyer said.
Sliepka said after she heard that story, she just wanted to do something.
"I heard the story about that guy that sent the package for his kids … I decided there had to be something we could send Dad (or Mom) that he could easily send back to his kids," Sliepka said.
On Monday, Sliepka packed a large envelope with 600 of the tags, and she has collected enough money to make 4,000 more.
Included with the tags are chains so the children receiving them can wear them or put them on their backpacks.
"What soldier's child doesn't want a dog tag of their own?" Sliepka said.
At 40 cents each, Sliepka is hopeful that she can send out 10,000 in coming months.
She is looking for volunteers to feed the engraving machine in her shop and also for monetary donations to fund the project.
Last month, Sliepka said she sent out 1,000 Mother's Day cards so soldiers would be able to send them home.
The Rotary Club is trying to arrange space at the Antelope Valley Fair to solicit donations.
At present, Meyer said, all tables are sold out.
"In the meantime, I've got a jar on my counter," Sliepka said.
Word has apparently spread of her project.
"People have been walking in with checks," she said.
Sliepka also sent out 15 letters to celebrities like Jennifer Lopez, Walter Cronkite and Loretta Swit, who played Maj. Margaret "Hotlips" Houlihan from the television series M*A*S*H, soliciting their financial support for the program.
"Anybody who made money off of wartime movies or songs … those people are perfect," Sliepka said.
She is also attempting to get the Arizona Cardinals to back a similar effort with troops in Afghanistan in memory of Pat Tillman, the former NFL player killed April 22 while serving there with the Army Rangers.
1st Place Awards is at 1209 West Ave. K in Lancaster and can be reached by calling (661) 940-7624