2010 Events

Annual Valentine's Day Card Collection - Sunday, February 14, 2010

Home collected hundreds of valentine cards, very many from local students, and sent them - along with assorted chocolates and candies, to America's wounded sons and daughters being cared for at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center at Ramstein AFB, Germany. We have received letters from the Wounded Warrior Ministry Center at Landstuhl thanking all who contributed to this effort. Our cards, to quote from a letter we received.... "provide both comfort and encouragement for the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and their family members that come to Landstuhl.... Your generosity makes it possible for us to assist these wounded warriors and their families. What you have given blesses these precious men and women. I want to thank you for your caring compassionate service to all those who serve their country so well."

HOME is honored to have participated in making the lives of a few soldiers a little better and brighter - if only for a moment. We thank all the folks who helped make this happen, especially all the young people who put so much thought and caring into their cards. Well done! You make a difference!

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Operation Shoebox 2010 - Monday, February 15, 2010

Students at Clear Lake City Elementary School got into the Valentine's Day spirit again this year and collected donations for care packages to be sent to the troops deployed overseas.

In conjunction with the non-profit organization HOME - Help Our Military Endure, and with the 5th grade Student Council spearheading the event, the students collected $91.00 and 90 shoeboxes of items such as paper and pencils, games, puzzle books, personal hygiene items, candy, and baby wipes. These items might not be everyone's idea of a Valentine's Day gift, but to the troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, they're much appreciated in an area lacking even the most basic supplies.

The objective is to give them a little piece of home and show we support them and appreciate what they are doing. No soldier should walk away from a mail call with nothing.

In addition, tucked inside the care packages the students created beautiful cards with heartfelt messages hoping to brighten a lonely soldier's day.

View More Images in the Operation Shoebox 2010 Image Gallery

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1st Annual HOME Golf Tournament - Friday, May 14, 2010

With the wonderful presentation from the Pearland High School ROTC and the beautiful rendition of our National Anthem sung by Anita Hughes from HOPE Church, eighteen golf carts started their engines and motored onto their designated holes at the picturesque Country Place Golf Course in Pearland, Texas on Friday May 14th.

Eighteen holes later, all teams made it safely back to the club house before the weather changed to the rain we so desperately needed. While all enjoyed the meal, Ronnie Duhon announced the winners:

1st Place: Technical Industrial Specialist Services (TISS) Team

• Jimmy Clark
• Darrell VanKirk
• Bill Warren
• Robert Green

2nd Place: WorleyParsons Team - The Strokers

• Kevin Fore
• Victor Fore
• Mike Clark
• Andy Willer

3rd Place: Blue Bell Ice Cream Team

• Don Stoeltje
• Sandy Peyton
• Jim Rector
• Ray Traber

Closest to the Pin: Elga Senviel
Longest Drive: Bill Daniel

The raffle and silent auction of donated goodies from the community was enjoyed by all, and I truly believe everyone had such a good time that we will do it again next spring.

View More Images in the 1st Annual HOME Golf Tournament Image Gallery

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2010 Annual Christmas in July Packing Party - Thursday, July 15, 2010

The "Christmas in July" Packing Party was a huge success culminating in 192 boxes packed for shipment.

View More Images in the 2010 Annual Christmas in July Packing Party Image Gallery

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2010 Annual Christmas Packing Party - Thursday, December 2, 2010

Every minute that I work with all the HOME volunteers I tell myself it cannot get any better than this. I AM WRONG. It does get better. Every single day it gets better. Every time someone stops me to make a donation or ask about HOME and how they can help, IT GET's BETTER! And the 2010 Christmas Packing Party was proof that it gets better every single time.

To all HOME volunteers and beyond: Not only did everyone do an outstanding job with the collection of donated items, letters, cards, money and packing, you never cease to be amazing. On the evening of December 2nd in among the controlled chaos, 501 flat rate boxes were packed with some of the best items and letters I have ever seen. The next day even more items were delivered to the HOME office which culminated into another 179 boxes ready to go. This total brought us to 680 boxes that will be mailed out on behalf of ALL OF YOU, to our well deserving military serving all over the world. We have addresses in Africa, South Korea, Germany, Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo. HOME has certainly beaten their previous totals in shipments and now we stand at 1002 packages and items are still coming in and being prepared for shipment.

We have had groups hand sewing Christmas stockings and filling them, Scout troops collecting items, Women's Church groups crocheting hats, thousands of letters from CCISD, and many more from Pearland ISD students not to mention many many Christmas Cards going to Lundstuhl Hospital for our recovering soldiers. Many cards and letters are still coming in from Pearland Junior High East and will be included with the items that are still coming in for our military. It is a great combined community effort from the youngest to the oldest, from the simplest item as a tooth brush to special ordered bug repellant. This is truly a joint effort and I cannot thank each one of you enough for all your efforts, thoughts, prayers and imagination to Help Our Military Endure.

View More Images in the 2010 Annual Christmas Packing Party Image Gallery

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