Greetings!
The college and professional football seasons are in full swing, the major league baseball playoffs are about to begin and across the country the leaves are beginning to turn hues of gold, red and brown. Yet, with the continued beautiful weather we're experiencing in San Diego, it's hard to believe that Halloween is nearly upon us. We've had another fantastic summer here in Southern California, and it was made all the more gratifying to see the joy on the faces of our Little Warrior surfers at this year's inaugural surf camp, made possible by the generosity of you, our members and supporters. This support is all the more appreciated during these difficult economic times. We at Freedom Is Not Free hope to be able to continue providing rewarding experiences to our nation's heroes and their families; however, we can't do it on hope alone. We need your continued support. Our Little Warriors Surf Camp was so popular, in fact, that it was featured on the Today Show in early September. Visit our web site to view the segment! In the coming weeks and months, we have a number of exciting events on the calendar, beginning with the Lest We Forget Poker Classic & Charity Event, followed by a screening of the widely acclaimed Kathryn Bigelow movie, "The Hurt Locker," on board the USS Midway Museum on Veteran's Day. Read more about these great upcoming events in this issue of the Freedom Is Not Free newsletter. We look forward to hearing from you and hope to see you at these upcoming events. Wishing you all a terrific Fall season!  Jay Kopelman Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired) Executive Director Freedom Is Not Free
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SAVE THE DATE!
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE is pleased to announce three exciting events coming this Fall. On September 26th when Gary Sinise and the Ronald Reagan Foundation present the GI Film Festival's one-day 'Best of the GI Film Festival' road show at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.  Visit their web site to learn more about this exciting event! Tickets are $25 for the GIFF All-Day Pass and only $40 for the All-Day Pass PLUS admission to the VIP reception with Gary Sinise beginning at 9 PM. The GI Film Festival is the first film festival to celebrate the successes and sacrifices of the military on film.  On Saturday, October 24th, we'll get things going early at Talega Golf Club with the 2nd Annual 'Lest We Forget' Poker Classic & Charity Event. Bring your friends and 'own' a table, or come alone and test your poker skills against the best players Southern California has to offer! Sponsorship opportunities are still available, beginning at $250 to sponsor a wounded warrior. Visit the Lest We Forget web site for more information and to register for this event. FREEDOM IS NOT FREE is pleased and excited to announce a very special Veteran's Day event. On November 11, 2009, we will present a screening of the widely acclaimed movie, "The Hurt Locker,"  in conjunction with the USS Midway Museum. This special movie night  event onboard the USS Midway will be the culmination of a day-long tribute to San Diego's veterans that you won't want to miss! Join us and our special guests for this not-to-be-missed celebration! Go on line to get more information about these and other exciting future events and be sure to check your email for updates and specific information about these exciting opportunities for you, our supporters!
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FREEDOM IS NOT FREE ON NETWORK TV!
 FREEDOM IS NOT FREE and the Little Warriors Surf Camp program were recently featured on NBC's Today Show earlier this month. Click here to see the segment on our web site. And go to FuelTV to catch their coverage of the Little Warriors Surf Camp, featuring FINF executive director, Jay Kopelman, Surf Diva founder, Izzy Tihanyi and Estee Lauder spokesperson and SI swimsuit model, Carolyn Murphy.
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2009 Little Warriors Surf Camp a Success
 Freedom Is Not Free employees, supporters, volunteers and beneficiaries hit the beaches of La Jolla Shores from 10-14 August, to 'hang 10' and support our military families. The 2009 edition of the Little Warriors Surf Camp for military children, ages 6-16, was a gas and all the 'groms' who participated were stoked on the surf lessons, burritos from our sponsor, Wahoo's, their ocean conservation classes from the Surfrider Foundation, and most of all, the brand new INT surfboard they were each given at the conclusion of camp. We 'dropped in' on the camp with a  'retail therapy' party at Surf Diva in La Jolla Shores. Guests included former Green Bay Packers fiirst-round draft pick and San Diego Chargers standout, Aaron Taylor; supermodel and Estee Lauder spokesperson, Carolyn Murphy  (pictured here with Surf Diva owner, Izzy Tihanyi and NYC talent director, Jen Starr); and other notable La Jollans. Freedom Is Not Free would like to thank sponsors and partners INT Softboards, Surf Diva, the La Jolla Shores Hotel, Bessell Surf, Wahoo's Fish Tacos, Sector9, Sanuk, Ando & Friends, George's at the Cove, Third Stone Media, Standard Graphics, Rainbow Sandals and Brillo Productions. Special thanks to our volunteers and the amazing surf instructors who made this event so special for our Little Warriors! |
About FREEDOM IS NOT FREE
FREEDOM IS NOT FREE is a San Diego-based 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of our wounded military service members and their families, and the families of those fatally wounded in combat. We do not receive any local, state or federal government funding, relying on the generosity of private donations from individuals like you. We are proud of the support we are able to provide to those in need; however, the assistance and programs we offer, much like the freedoms these brave men and women afford us, come with a price. We need your help to keep giving to those who've given so much to us. Please visit us on line to make a donation of any amount
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