Caring For America
Barbara Perales
Caring for America Chairman
The goal of Caring For America is to encourage state and local clubs to attract new members, to keep the ones we have and to provide positive public relations by attracting new Republicans through working in the community which shows that Republican women do care.
The NFRW realizes that Republican women are caring, responsible members of their communities, always willing to provide help and assistance where needed. In 1999, the NFRW established a program to encourage local clubs and state organizations to form Caring For America committees and to commit to at least one service project. Since that time, hundreds of local clubs have energized their membership by getting involved in community service projects.
Each local club and state organization should have a Caring For America chairperson. The chairperson should be selected based on interest and personal involvement in local community projects and the willingness to search out new projects that the club will actively and enthusiastically support. Remember to select projects that have REPUBLICAN values with REPUBLICAN women. In this issue of the President’s Newsletter, I will be focusing on supporting our troops here and abroad. Here are a few suggestions that your chapter might consider:
v Provide Christmas and other holiday boxes for veterans in local hospitals.
v Consider volunteering to work at the Fisher Houses throughout the state.
v Donate funds for food and other needed supplies.
v Sponsor “Support our Troops” rallies and to provide care packages for the deployed troops.
v Participate in programs for the spouses and families of deployed troops.
v Knitting Helmet Stocking Caps for our soldiers in Iraq. ( I can email you the instructions)
v Operation: Take A Soldier to the Movies Program ( I can email you the complete program)
Some information about the Fisher House and how to contact them:
Fisher House is a home away from home for families of seriously ill or injured patients receiving treatment. San Antonio has two facilities: Wilford Hall Medical Center, the Air Forces’ premier medical facility and the Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston. They receive no appropriated funding and appreciate all charitable donations and volunteers. The contact for Wilford Hall Medical Center Fisher Houses is Paula Lewis, House Manager at 210-671-6037 and the contact for Brooke Army Medical Center is 210-916-6000 ext.1.
We have had a special request that I would like for the state to respond to. Daniel E. Vargas, Director, Family Support Network has requested a Call to Action. At Balad Air Base, Iraq, they are having a shortage of water and must limit their shower time and how many showers they are allowed to take. To help with these issues he would like to see if we could get as many Americans as possible to send them Baby wipes! This is a great way for them to stay clean. Any amount would help. He has also requested blankets for their flight to Germany or the states. It gets very chilly in the backs of the C-17’s that are transporting them... Any amount would help. All items can be shipped to the POC below:
Capt Desiree Pointer
USAF–332 EOSS/ EAES
APO AE 09315-9997
Capt. Desiree Pointer is presently in Iraq. There is no phone numbers available for her at this present time. Again, all items are to be sent to her directly.
TSgt, USAF (retired) writes:
“Items that they really could use are baby wipes, blankets, batteries, DVDs, Religious books; unopened toiletry items (no travel sizes), unopened snacks and stationary. These items are kept in the Chaplain’s store and are distributed to the service members by the chaplain. The Company Grade Officers are also collecting for the Iraqi outside the wire. They are asking for school supplies and Arabic books. Again, any amount would help.”
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me and I will try to get the answers.
Thank you for all you do,
Barbara Perales
Caring for America Chairman