From left are Gerard and Carolyn Whitman, BJ Foster and Rick Harris
Karen Furu
Are you aware that Santa has many elves that live outside of the North Pole? Some of the elves live here at Robson Ranch. The SOT-AZ elves were quite busy the two weeks before Christmas. Support Our Troops-Arizona uses some of the monies donated for our local program, Christmas for Vets. This program assists veterans in need at Christmas. The Troop Appreciation committee contacts local veterans’ organizations to obtain referrals. The program is meant to give a Christmas gift to our veterans as a way of thanking them for their service. It may be a single veteran, spouse or parent of a veteran or a veteran and his/her family that is honored at Christmas. Usually the gift we give is something the veteran has requested. Most of the requests are modest such as a warm blanket, space heater, toys for the children, new shoes or clothes or even food.
This year the committee was able to help about 25-30 people. The gifts were taken to the local VA Outreach Clinic, the Veterans Center in Eloy and Housing for Heroes office in Casa Grande. Most of the families came to the various centers to pick up the gifts. The committee did the shopping for the gifts, wrapped them and delivered them to the centers. There were many smiles and tears when we delivered the gifts.
The Troop Appreciation Committee for SOT-AZ would like to thank everyone who has paid dues, participated in our silent auction, golf tournament, given a donation, your time or given to our other fundraisers that were done over the past years. We could not continue to do good deeds for our troops without your help. May 2016 bring you love and prosperity.