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Hello Cypress Cares Volunteers and Stakeholders!
We hope this message finds you enjoying the relief from the heat of the summer. Whether that relief is in the form of a finely-tuned air-conditioning system, a cool breeze on the verandah, or simply in a refreshing beverage - hopefully your summer days are going swimmingly.
We've got a few updates for you this month. First and foremost, we are pleased to announce the confirmation of our New Board of Directors! They are as follows:
- Director: Donna McCarty
- Vice Chair: Lois Malone
- Secretary: Terri Tank
- Treasurer: Tom Zahn
We're pleased with our new team, and we know that great things will result from their hard work and guiding wisdom for Cypress Cares.
We held several box packings this month, to include the following:
- Prince of Peace Catholic Church yielded 292 boxes along with a huge banner from Ink Dots. The banner was signed by both parishioners and supporters. The Church presented a check to Raquel and it included funds contributed by both Prince of Peace and the Catholic Daughters of America. We're grateful for the support and thrilled that PoP has continued their support through this annual effort.
- Kim Russell and her cadre of Morning Glory Ranch parents boxed 50 boxes with the Cunningham and Tank families.
- Members of Woods Edge Church's Armor of God Military Ministry filled 126 boxes in their third annual box packing event, led by Army parents LTC (ret) Jeff and Sandra Presnal and the super-organized Robin Joncyk.
- One of our local parents decided to add a twist for her son's 11th birthday party this year. Instead of presents, the children brought items to be boxed and shipped to troops via Cypress Cares. The kids filled 22 boxes and Gny Sgt Dusty Tank got a chance to talk to the children and adults about what our troops do on a daily basis. Tank also watched the kids participate in an obstacle course challenge upon completion of the box packing.
- And last, but certainly not least - a group of girls from Girl Scout Troop 13514 came to the Cunningham home on the 12th and filled boxed 60 boxes as part of their service project.
Overall, May was a great month for box packing!
We have a group of Cypress Cares volunteers in partnership with Team Red White & Blue who will participate in the Hempstead Watermelon Run for the Fallen on Saturday, August 18. This 5K Walk / Run for Texas' Fallen Heroes honors our fallen comrades who were fighting in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Enduring Freedom (OEF). If you'd like to join us, you can visit www.watermelonrftf.org to print the registration form for sign up. There is no on-line registration. In addition to this event, Cypress Cares will participate in other 5K events, and we'll be proudly sporting garb from Cypress Cares and/or Team Red White and Blue (TRWB) to help bring awareness to our organizations and support our military comrades in arms.
Just a reminder, Cypress Cares will be on a brief hiatus during the months of August and September 2012. On the menu during these two months: quality time with family and helping our children acclimate to a new school year. But don't fret - we'll start our packing events again in October, which is our heaviest season! We'll be fully operational again for the holiday rush. Come join us!
We hope you have a wonderful month. Stay tuned for more news from Cypress Cares!
As always, thank you for your continued support.
The Cypress Cares Team |
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Volunteer Corner | |
Our spotlight volunteer this month is David Carey, and he is going to be a junior at Langham Creek HS this next school year.
David plays soccer for both the school and a club team, Texas United Football Club, runs cross country, and is involved in Young Life and FCA. The middle of three children, he has a brother in college and a sister in middle school. David says "I got involved with Cypress Cares because my father, both my grandfathers and many other relatives have served in the United Staes Military. I enjoy assisting with such a tremendous program helping the men and women who are serving our country."
At this time, David has aspirations to become a lawyer.
Thank you David for being involved with Cypress Cares! We're happy to have you on board! |
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Save the Date....upcoming events | |
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!!
June 14, 2012, TBA
Box Packing
First Ladies of Bridgeland
This smaller, private box packing event will be the 4th one held by the First Ladies with Cypress Cares. We look forward to working with them again. One or two CC volunteers will be needed to assist with this.
July 21, 10:00AM
Box Packing
Foundry United Methodist, Houston
Public event; all are welcome to attend. The church is doing a donation drive which will kick off at the first of the month, but please feel free to bring some items for our troops to enjoy as well.
June 30, 5:00PM
Fund Raising Bowling Tournament
Copperfield Bowl, Houston
This is the third year that Copperfield Bowl has chosen to allocate the proceeds from their annual summer tournament to Cypress Cares. You don't have to be a bowler to have fun on the lanes, come join us! Call the lanes to pre-register to play. |
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Quick Links for our Website
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Feedback from the Frontlines....
the reason we serve! | |
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It's another fine day we thank God for care and protection, as we carry-on with mission here in Afghanistan. Your care package meant a lot more than you could image, soldiers opening them with smiles and sense of cared for. Everything was appreciated and may God bless you, for its through you that a smile prevailed on our face. Once again thanks for remembering us in prayer and your support in various ways.
Respectivelly,
SPC Anzeze E.
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Dear Friends,
I arrived to Afghanistan about three weeks ago, and began opening boxes containing gift packages for troops here. We do this periodically in order to fill the shelves of a very small "outlet" here in our building where troops can come to pick up necessities or goodies. There were several boxes from "The Cypress Cares Team."
Thank you so ...much for your contributions; I can tell you--because I have seen it with my own eyes--that you have made many Soldiers very happy. I wanted you to know that your donations have made a significant difference in the lives of service members you will never know, but who really appreciate your efforts.
God bless and keep you all, and all those who assist you in assembling these gift boxes.
Best wishes,
Sean
Proud Sponsors of
Cypress Cares
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EDITORIAL: Flag Day
by Paul Marshall, Capt (ret) USNR | |
Flag Day is one of our lesser known but more important American holidays. Even less known is the history of our flag and how it came to look the way it does today.
Today the American flag is ubiquitous in our culture -- and after major events like 9/11, the flag seems to drape every window. But it wasn't always this way. There was a time it was unheard of to fly the flag, even in the north.
When the American Revolutionary War broke out in 1775, the colonists were not united under a single flag. It wasn't until June 14, 1777, that the Continental Congress passed a resolution regarding the flag.
The resolution stated that "the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white" and that "the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation."
No one knows who designed the flag or why the particular color combination and pattern were picked.
Legend holds that Betsy Ross made the first American flag in 1776 after being asked to do so by George Washington, but primary sources backing that up are almost nonexistent.
Yet even at that point the American flag had yet to earn its stripes. The flag was barely used, and it was almost unheard of to fly it until the breakout of the Civil War in 1861.
During and after the war, the Stars and Stripes became a popular image in the north. However, it wasn't until 1912 that the flag's appearance was standardized, when President William Howard Taft signed an executive order that clarified for the first time what the flag should look like. Up until then, some flags were oddly shaped, or even had six- or eight-pointed stars.
Four years later, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation officially establishing a nationwide observance of Flag Day on June 14, the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777. And in 1949, President Harry Truman signed legislation designating June 14 of each year as National Flag Day.
Though Flag Day is not a federal holiday, the U.S. government encourages its citizens to display Old Glory outside of their homes and businesses. So proudly fly you flag on every National Holiday to show your "Love of Country and what our nation stands for in our world". GOD Bless America | |
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