MAFRW---Support The Military

Melbourne Area Federated Republican Women
Support The Military

We recently received this letter from U.S. soldier Spencer Rogers, who is stationed in Iraq.

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December 23, 2007

Here is a wonderful email we received from a serviceman who received one of our packages.

Dear Mrs. Collins,

My name is 1st Lt Benjamin A. Cunningham and I am currently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with First Battalion, Seventh Marines.
I recently received a care package from your group and wanted to take the time to say a very big ‘Thank You,’ to you and all of the members of The Melbourne Federated Republican Women’s Club.

Since our arrival four months ago, the amount of care packages and letters of support from organizations like yours has been enormous and unexpected. It means a great deal to my Marines and to myself. Of course it is always nice to receive needed supplies, but the mere fact that thoughtful people we have never even met are taking time out of their busy schedules to help us and show their support is the really impressive thing. Every time we receive mail, we can always count on scores of packages from organizations like yours, which is obviously reflective of the immense support the American people have for their deployed troops.

Once again, we are very grateful for your efforts and want you to know that you are making a difference in the day-to-day lives of many Marines in Iraq . Your organization is doing a good thing and it is certainly appreciated greatly.

Thanks again and Merry Christmas,

1stLt Benjamin Cunningham
CAAT White, Wpns Co., TF 1/7

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These are photos from our November 3rd "Save The Date" dinner honoring the military.

Col. Danny McKnight and Barbara Davis

Col. Danny McKnight (speaker) , MAFRW President Barbara Davis

Russ and Paul Marek and Col. Danny McKnight

Seated: Sgt. Russ Marek (honoree), Col. Danny McKnight (speaker)
Standing: Paul Marek

Rose and Russ Marek, Jeff and Carlie Rogers, Col. Danny McKnight, and Paul Marek

Seated: Russ Marek (Honoree)
Standing: Rose Marek, Jeff and Carlie Rogers (parents of more Honorees), Barbara Davis,
Col. Danny McKnight, Paul Marek

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This letter was recently sent to Melbourne Area Federated Republican Women by CH (MAJ) Larry H. Block, 260th Military Intelligence Battalion in Iraq. Photos from the CD mentioned in the letter are posted below as well.

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THANK YOU LETTERS FROM OUR TROOPS

Here are some recent letters sent to our club from U.S. troops who received Christmas care packages.

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MELBOURNE AREA FEDERATED REPUBLICAN WOMEN COLLECT DONATIONS TO BENEFIT LOCAL VIETNAM VETERANS

MAFRW members load up Joy Powshok's van with donations for the veterans after our Christmas 2006 luncheon.
Left to right: Joy Powshok (Vietnam Vets Liason); Marlene Frye, Deanna Reiter (MAFRW 2nd V.P.);
Barbara Davis (MAFRW 1st V.P.); Irene Hall; and Cheryl Hiteshew

December, 2006----At a recent meeting, the Melbourne Area Federated Republican Women met and collected a van load of linens, clothes, toiletries and food stuffs for the Viet Nam Veterans Transitional Housing Facility in Melbourne along with a $600 gift card.

The organization meets the first Wednesday of each month in the At Ease Club at Indian River Colony Club. For more information, please visit the website at www.melbournegopwomen.org or call 727-1212.

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PRESS RELEASE: NOVEMBER 20, 2006

REPUBLICAN WOMEN REMEMBER SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN AT CHRISTMAS

soldier in fatigues

Members of the Melbourne Area Federated Republican Women's club sent twenty one individual Christmas stockings to three units of Florida troops recently.

Over $1300 was donated by members and friends to purchase phone cards, DVD's, CD's, books, magazines, candies, and cookies. Troops requested special items such as chewing tobacco and specific magazines which were also included. Each stocking had a 200 minute military phone card. Special items were sent to the women troops. Christmas greeting cards signed by club members and friends were included.

The Melbourne Area Federated Republican Women meet the first Wednesday of each month at the At Ease Club in Indian River Colony Club. Please visit their website at www.melbournegopwomen.org for further information or call 727-1212.

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Our ongoing fundraiser for U.S. troops in Iraq has been a phenomenal success! Here are some letters we received from the soldiers themselves.

The original copy of this letter wasn't available to us, so MAFRW's web master transcribed it from a fax print out.

Christmas tree with gifts

Nov. 28, 2005

Ladies of the Melbourne Area Republican Women's Club,

Learned today that a coworker had signed up our unit on anysoldier.com, and pegged me as the organization's history buff. Your very kind and generous support of gifts and stockings during the holidays was appreciated so much when it arrived today. Moods and morale lifted about ten feet.

We are assigned to the 101st Airborne Division, arriving in Iraq at different times between six and eight weeks ago for a one-year tour. Fort Campbell, Kentucky is our home base back in the states, but we hail from all over the country: Two from Florida; Alabama; Illinois; Minnesota; Pennsylvania; New Jersey; Maryland; and Nebraska. Two people in our unit are on their second tour in Iraq. The rest of us, me included, are on our first tour.

In Iraq, we are based at Forward Operating Base Speicher, a former Iraqi air base outside Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown. He was captured near here by members of the 4th Infantry Division almost two years ago. His trial resumed today, and we are watching it closely. The base is a place we call home while we are here and is named for U.S. Navy Commander Scott Speicher, who was shot down and has been missing in action since Operation Desert Storm.

The division headquarters of the 101st Airborne Division is named Task Force Band of Brothers in honor of our division's World War II veterans made world famous by Stephen Ambrose's book, and Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg's fantastic miniseries by the same name. We are a task force because our command is made up of units from different bases in the United States grouped, or task organized, for the missions we have in north central Iraq to train Iraqi security forces and conduct security operations.

You would be very proud of your Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines who are serving in Iraq. I think you would also be proud of the patriots of the Iraqi Army and police our Soldiers are working with who are braving great personal risk to try to make their country a safe place for their families to live. They are truly Iraq's future.

Thank you for your thoughtfulness. With your support there is nothing we cannot do.

Very sincerely,

Ed Loomis

This is the original Christmas card sent to us by the troops. This is the front of the card.

This is what the troops wrote on the inside of the card:

Thank you to all the MAFRW members who have volunteered for this project. As you can see, your efforts have made a difference!

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