Ok, so I have not written to the BLOG in a while. Writing apparently takes inspiration which I have been too busy for lately.
Yesterday, Saturday, November 20th, we held a 'Salute to our Hometown Heroes' at our store. This was NOT a marketing event, it was an opportunity for us and you to thank our soldiers for the sacrifices they are making or have made for us, whether recently or 40 years ago. I asked that veterans who shop with us to show up and let us show you our gratitude for your service as well as I asked other customer's to show up and show support for our veterans. I announced many times in many different venues about this event and I also announced about the LARGE box we have that is just waiting for items to send overseas to our soldiers currently deployed.
The main part of the event was to be at noon yesterday. I have to say I was shocked at the lack of showing by everyone. There were a few who came and showed their support and I do appreciate that, but where were you? I put on a lot of events throughout the year, some are blockbusters, others are bombs, but this event wasn't about us. It was about our soldiers.
I am usually an optimistic person, but by the end of the day yesterday, I just wanted to sit down and cry. Not for me, but for you. I mean, really, was your day so jam packed that you could not take 5 minutes to thank a veteran. We had a very large full sheet cake and only 1/3 of it was gone. That says alot. This is November, the month set aside to show our respect for these brave men and women. Where were you?
Our box for Operation Gratitude, which I have been asking for donations since the 1st of the month, is only 1/2 full and it must be mailed no later than Wednesday, 11/24/10, to reach it's destination in time. Thank you to those who have so kindly donated. But to those of you who have not, consider how it would feel to you to be overseas, away from your family, and no one notices because they are too wrapped up in their own little world. I will spend tomorrow making sure that box gets full before I ship it.
So now I am not sad, I am angry and I still don't feel better having vented!
Thanks so much to everyone who came through and contributed to our Operation Gratitude box for out soldiers serving overseas. We sent a box weighing 98 pounds. It was filled with jerky, candy, cookies, personal care products, Christmas lights, nerf toys, reindeer antlers,notes of gratitude and thanks and a bunch of beanie babies from the folks at Cox North. "Beanie Babies" you say? Yes, we have been told that the soldiers prefer to give them to the kids rather than candy as they leave a lasting impression. 
