Laughing Wolf

Monday, May 12, 2008

Patti Wins!

I live blogged it at Blackfive, but the good news is that Patti—and Soldier’s Angels—won the America’s Favorite Mom contest.  Congratulations Patti! 

LW

Thursday, May 08, 2008

Face Of America, The Longer Version

Is now up at Blackfive.  Go read, enjoy, and get ready to help us for next year.

LW

Monday, May 05, 2008

Please Go Vote For Patti!

Chuck Z and I (Team Chuck Z) have just finished the Face of American Bicycle ride, and we did ride and we did survive.  Pain is weakness leaving the body. 

This ride was done by World Team Sports and Soldier’s Angels.  What I think was a bit more than 200 riders took part, and regular riders and wounded/ill troops took part.  This is just one of the things done by Soldier’s Angels.  We have a way to help them keep getting family members to the wounded, to help with VALOUR-IT, and to do many of the other things they do, by themselves or in partnership with other groups, like this ride. 

Today, and today only, we can vote for Patti as a semi-finalist in the America’s Favorite Mom contest.  Your votes have already helped win money that went to purchase clothing for our wounded.  The vote today will run from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. EASTERN(!), and today is the ONLY day you can vote for her.  So, please, hit this link (note that it is NOT the same link as before) and vote so that SA has a shot at the grand prize.  Please help, for that help DOES go to SA and from there to the troops.  Please, take a moment to help make a difference.  I can’t tell you what this ride meant to the wounded and ill troops, nor can I express how much the other things done mean to the troops and their families.

Vote.  Please.

LW
Cross posted from Blackfive…

Face Of America, The Quick Version

Chuck Z. and I rode in the Face of America ride in DC this weekend.  We made most of the day Saturday, and all day Sunday.  I don’t hurt nearly as bad as I thought I would for riding roughly 80 of the 110 miles from Bethesda to Gettysburg.  On Carren’s mountain bike (a Trek, that I loved).  I found out Sunday evening that that Chuck was known as “The Maniac” to the rest of the 200 plus riders.  I am now home, and recuperating.  I plan to be a part of Team Chuck Z again next year.  More soon. 

LW

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Attention On Net:  Er, Nevermind, That Was Quick

Angela Madsen is a veteran of the United States Marines and has rowed across the Atlantic—as a paraplegic.  She became ”differently abled,” as she puts it, following failed back surgery in 1993.  Like any Marine, she has adapted and overcome and works hard to help others—including those injured in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as children—do so as well. 

Yesterday morning, this started as a very different post.  My friend Val Prieto at Babalu Blog contacted me with the story of some low-life scum stealing the trailer from her van as it was parked overnight at a motel.  The result is that she has had to cancel all planned events.  This was something that neither Val nor I were going to let stand.  What this did to my blood pressure I leave to your imagination.

That was yesterday morning.  By just a bit after lunchtime, the situation had changed completely.  The trailer company stepped forward and was building a custom trailer for materials costs.  Another group had stepped forward and taken care of the materials half, and a new trailer was being made.  Angela was in touch with a number of other groups, including Soldier’s Angels.  A lot of good has come and is coming out of this despicable act, and not only is my blood pressure down, it reminds me (and you) of the good people out there.

Angela will soon be travelling from Florida to California with her boat on a new trailer.  She is interested in the possibility of meeting up with groups and people as she travels.  You can reach her via her blog and be sure to check out her and Frank’s site. 

To all who stepped forward, our thanks. 

Val Prieto
Laughing Wolf
Angela Madsen

See also Val’s post and Blackfive. 

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

A Study In Leadership

While there are all sorts of cliches about two types of people, so I will spare you that.  Instead, let’s contrast through an example. 

You are at an event, and a guest, a dignitary/important person comes in unexpectedly after things are underway.  The speaker at the front of the room doesn’t acknowledge them.

Example One:  A person near you starts chattering about the importance of the person, how rude/bad/whatever-it-is that they are not being acknowledged, and goes into a fairly typical drama-queen/king behavior.  At no point will this person get up off their ample rump and take any constructive action to try and be sure the people at the head table are aware of the visitor.

Example Two:  A person near you sees the situation, and quietly gets up and makes sure word gets to the head table and the speaker so that they are aware of the visit since they can’t necessarily see the back of the room.  They can then decide how to handle the visit. 

I just spent a few days with a group of people that were overwhelmingly of Example Two.  I was fortunate to be asked to spend time at the first executive gathering of Soldier’s Angels.  There is news to come from there, but that is for them to tell. 

What was amazing was how the majority of the people there do things, and the exemplar is Patti Patton-Bader.  This is a wife and mother who started sending letters and care packages to her son, and when she saw a need to reach other soldiers who were not getting mail and support, enlisted her friends to help.  That effort has grown well beyond that start, doing things for soldiers there and here, and for their families.  That effort has grown from that beginning to an organization of more than 180,000 volunteers. 

That there will be changes is a given, and I am sure that there will be some who won’t like some of them—there always will be.  Yet, I do believe the best is yet to come and I look forward to seeing and being a small part of the good to come. 

I can’t thank Soldier’s Angels enough for all they have done for me and my embeds.  Thanks for letting me be a part of things, and for letting me spend time with so many good people.

LW

Monday, February 04, 2008

A Hand Up

Whenever possible, I much prefer to help with a hand up, rather than a hand out.  DaGoddess has had an interesting time these last few years, including being injured while on a job she loved such that she can never do it again.  Life has handed her an opportunity, and she is trying to take it.  Go read this and consider helping with a hand-up that can lead to a new career and no need for hand outs.  I think it a great idea, and have kicked in a little bit, not only for a friend I’ve never met, but for someone who is trying to do something rather than do nothing and wait.  That’s a spirit I can support. 

LW

Sunday, November 04, 2007

Project Valour-IT:  Auctions

It is the time of year for the Valour-IT fundraiser, and I have put up photos, space memorabilia, and even my last autographed Heinlein in the auctions.  Coming back from my embed, I was honored to be asked to help present some of these laptops to severely wounded troops, with humbling and intimidating being two words to describe this most remarkable and wonderful experience.  The difference these laptops make can not be overstated, so get over there and bid, or just go make a donation to TEAM ARMY!

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