LAPTOPS FOR THE WOUNDED
Non-profit - Donations are Tax Deductible
Laura L. Brown
1526 19th St.
Cody, WY 82414
307.587.9371
10 February 2006 - Newsletter
Hail to all who participate, donate, pray for us and spread the word!!!!! Laptops for the Wounded has taken off like gangbusters!!!!! When I started this in October of 2004 (or whenever it was - September? Don't remember!!!) my PERSONAL goal was to place 4 computers! Yesterday I ordered our fifth!!!!!
Nicole in Georgia packed up their family's Playstation with 2 controllers and about 6 games which I shipped right out to Walter Reed (and they received it yesterday) because at the moment, that was the only place I had permission to send to - I got permission to send to Balboa Naval Medical Facility later that day. The contact ladies I have at both of those places are so excited they get giddy and tears come to their eyes - you can hear it. I would be VERY happy to get any unused laptops, PC games, or other original Playstation games (not PS-2).
I have more business cards that will be ready in a few days; HOLLER if you need any for just placing in stores that have agreed to it, in local VFW, DAV, Elk clubs, American Legion Halls, activities you have organized etc. and if you can talk to some of Commanders, Presidents, or whatever the big shots are in these places, maybe you can see if they will sponsor a dinner and maybe get some door prizes or set up a raffle if you know somebody who will donate something of some significant value. Personally? I'm hitting up the owner of a local business that is well known for donating great stuff that always goes over well in raffles.
Bridget in Florida is working to getting a golf tournament going to raise money!!!! She's going to the club meeting next week and she said that if they don't agree, that she is POSITIVE the local public course would, if nothing else for the publicity. She just jumped on the ship and started rowing!!!
John in Nebraska is a member of his local DAV post (Disabled American Veterans), which he believes has the largest membership - approximately 500,000. He says they are very interested in helping and is talking about trying to put together a walk-a-thon, or something along those lines. But another important thing there??? With one contact - John - we have just hit half a million people!!!! Is that great or what????? And once again, he is one of several people who has just jumped on board and grabbed an oar.
Then there is my sister Carol who is working with the VFW's in her local region of northeastern Wyoming and in the Black Hills (specifically Sturgis, SD) and putting up posters, etc. She also made us a stack of business cards and a sample of one of her posters. THANKS CAROL!!!!!!!!!
And then Patty in Ohio!! My oldest friend (yep a month older than even me…) but been friends since first grade. She also made a bunch of business cards and is working locally and has a lot of ideas and makes a lot of contacts, passing them on to me as well. We "work" the people well together and it has resulted in several challenges and some SIGNIFICANT checks (thanks again sooo much Marshal!!!).
I'm working hard to get our organization better known LOCALLY. Families on the Frontlines - whom I also am a member, a sit-down type of support group - also made a generous donation to help make our first purchase possible. And they are apparently doing something to help us with more donations, though I don't know what - they will have a meeting on Monday night that I am attending. I also talked to the principal last night of one of the local elementary schools (one of their teachers at her school had me come visit them on Veteran's Day in 2003, while my son Johnny was in Iraq, to talk about him. Trust me - wasn't EASY to think of things about Johnny to tell third graders!) LOL!!!! But she is going to take it to the administrators too, to see if other schools want to sign on. Any schools that do internal challenges, the winning class will win a pizza party that either Dominos will donate (if I can get the owner to donate - we know him well) and if he doesn't can always do the 3 pizzas for $15 thing and buy some Shasta pop for the class. If they do that, will also get some personalized "Laptops" pencils made up to hand out to winning classes - at least in the 3 elementary schools; maybe pens for the middle and high schools. But may be a little while before I know if they will participate or not.
I also am TRYING to get in touch with the Commander / President or whatever he is called of the local VFW - I know the guy pretty well, but I have called, written him, and he's not been available. Hoping to get hold of him SOON!!! Am hoping the Women's Auxiliary will help with a chili supper and we can have a silent auction; will get a few together to help get donated door prizes. Isn't that hard - this town gets hit up for things like that all the time and they always come through. Is great. Some are a $10 gift certificate, some are $50 gifts. Depends on who you go to! One of my next trips is going to be the Chamber of Commerce to see if the members will do something together - there is a large membership there. I'm fairly sure they will. I can do just so much at a time…most of you know I am not of the greatest health right now; in the process of getting disability for my busted up knees and back, and yep - of AMAZING surprise to all, my brain - from a concussion almost 3 years ago. But I have this mission to accomplish and wrap my head and heart around and you have all made it such a pleasure and success already, being of amazing help in getting through my own problems. And I can't thank any of you enough. Here are a few supportive sites…
www.laptopsforthewounded.com
www.rleeermey.com - they are GREAT.. You go to the main site, then forum (register of course sometime in here), then go to the first thing - Announcements, directly beneath it is "Welcome to the Forum", click there, then go down to "topics" (following "global announcements "and "announce"), and under the topic is near the top of topics - "Laptops for the Wounded" of course! We need to get that topic active again. It used to be considered a "favorite" or most popular or something and it has just sort of died.
www.charliedaniels.com - great site and there is 1 topic of Laptops for the Wounded. I am WyoArmyMom on both sites and Patty is USMCwife; Carol, I'm sorry! I can't remember your username!!!!! Please read the topic of housecleaning first – is very important – but we need to get it rolling there again.
www.comfortfoodradio.com - Chris Turner (21 years with CNN) does this local live program. Go there, hit archives a button near the top - easily seen - then go to the program of 1/7/06 & listen. We are honored approximately 3-4 minutes into the program - and listen past it to what they would call a football bowl if it were held in Wyoming - is amusing listening. J Chris is wanting to help us out too with his contacts - remember… CNN journalist as a war correspondent!!!
Well, guess that pretty much wraps it up for this time around. The computers are placed as follows: 2 at Walter Reed (with the playstation), 1 is going to Balboa (awaiting the webcams that are due today), 1 is going to Brooke as soon as we get their permission, but if I get that permission and am allowed to send a second one there, that is my plan because Walter Reed and Brooke are the most used state-side facilities.
GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU, OUR TROOPS, AND OUR COUNTRY
AND THE LIBERTY THAT COMES WITH IT AND WITH THE BLOOD OF MANY!!!!