Sunday, November 21, 2010
The Christmas Issue of Woman's Day, and Ways to Help Service Members and Their Families...
If you happen to read the December issue of Woman's Day magazine, please look for my essay starting on page 30. My assignment was to write about how I felt when Ben, my son, joined the military when I was against it, and how I came to terms with his decision. Though I have covered this ground in poetry, it was very liberating to write about it in prose. I loved going back again to memories of our first visit to West Point, and how, over time, Ben re-educated me about the importance of having a strong military, and the part our great military leaders have played in securing the freedoms we talk about but often take for granted. And the article gave me a chance to include some quotes from Ben that aren't included in The Warrior.
I was delighted to see the partnerships Woman's Day has forged with organizations that help our service members. There is information about how to contact The Bob Woodruff Foundation which helps wounded service members and veterans and their families. You can find a wealth of information on their website. Visit reMind.org to learn more about this dynamic foundation.
You can also help by joining Woman Day's seventh annual Woman's Day/Armed Services YMCA Holiday Joy Drive. If you want to participate, here are the instructions as stated in the December issue of Woman's Day:
The ASYMCA helps junior enlisted service members and their families. One hundred percent of every donation goes to providing Thanksgiving food baskets and Christmas presents. To donate to the Woman's Day/Armed Services YMCA Holiday Joy Drive, send a check payable to "Armed Services YMCA" (specify the WD/ASYMCA Holiday Joy Drive) to 6359 Walker Lane, Suite 200, Alexandria, VA 22310. To donate by credit card, call 800-597-1260 (9am to 5pm ET) or go to womansday.com/asymca
Warmest wishes to everyone for a safe and warm Thanksgiving holiday.
