Posted on: Monday, October 3, 2005
Show support for troops during holidays
By Karen Blakeman
Advertiser Staff Writer
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HELPING THE TROOPS To help Hawai'i National Guard's Delta Company, 2-299th Infantry, contact Maddy Taufa'asau at 258-3206 or maddy.taufaasau @us.army.mil, or Kathi Oto at 722-2274 or kathi.oto @us.army.mil To help the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron, contact Staff Sgt. Shanon Tanuvasa-Lole at 656-1165 or shanon.tanuvasalole @hickam.af.mil, or Airman 1st Class Deanna Smith at 656-1451 or deanna.smith @hickam.af.mil. |
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Hawai'i-based military members and citizen soldiers will be away from their families when the holiday season approaches, and at least two groups have started making preparations for a happier season.
The family readiness group for spouses of 100 soldiers in the Hawai'i National Guard's Delta Company, 2-299th Infantry are preparing holiday care packages to ship to their soldiers in Iraq.
The group is accepting cash and donations, and hopes to have the packages together by Oct. 31.
The Koa Ohana Advisory Council is hoping to make the holiday a little brighter for the families of the 25th Air Support Operations Squadron, an Air Force unit from Wheeler Army Air Field that arranges close air support and tactical air control for Army troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. About 50 members are deployed.
The Koa Ohana Advisory Council is arranging a holiday party for families of deployed 25th ASOS soldiers and for their comrades who remained behind. Contributions will be used as door prizes and will be collected until Nov. 28.
Individuals, businesses and organizations wishing to help the troops in other ways in the upcoming holiday season — or anytime — may contact the following sources:
People who wish to donate or volunteer services — from childcare to relaxation exercise classes — to the families of Army Reservists deployed to the Middle East may contact Kristin Heck, family program director for the Army Reserve, at 438-1600 ext. 3191, or call Sara Eighmey at ext. 3292.
Those who wish to donate to Hawai'i Army National Guard members serving in Iraq or Kuwait or their families can contact JoAnne Yamamoto, Hawai'i National Guard state family program director, at 732-1823.
Those who want to help Hawai'i-based Marines deployed to the Middle East may call the Marine Family Services Director's office at Kane'ohe. That number is 257-7787.
Those who want to support the families of military men and women being treated at the nation's military hospitals can make a donation to the Fisher House, an organization similar to Ronald McDonald House that serves the military community. Go to www.fisherhouse.org.
A number of other programs to assist deployed soldiers, wounded warriors and the families of soldiers are listed at www.army.mil. Click on the "How You Can Help" button on the left side of the screen.
Reach Karen Blakeman at kblakeman@honoluluadvertiser.com.
