Thankful Thursday... Patti Patton-Bader/Soldier's Angels Organization

(On Thankful Thursdays I will feature a person or organization that I or We are thankful  for)

Today's Thankful Thursday post is about Soldier's Angels.
You don't know who they are?  She is one, I am one, and hundreds and thousands of other people are Soldier's Angel's.

Let me tell you about it.  Soldier's Angels was started by a wonderful woman named Patti Patton-Bader.  Her "Legacy" started long before she was born.  You see, Her Family has been in the Military before she was even born.  When her oldest son was called off to war, Her motherly instinct, and her Supreme dedication kicked in and became a Blessing to many; without her even knowing.

Her and Her Husband started shipping packages to their son, before he even got to Iraq.  Here is a little snippet from a letter she wrote on her website:
It all started when I called my father after I heard Brandon was deploying to Iraq. I expressed my fears to him, since he is a retired lieutenant colonel who served two tours in Viet Nam and so had some experience in war. To my horror, he replied, "Do not worry honey. He is short, he can run under the bullets."  Dad!!!  Well, he was trying to get my head right, and so he proceeded to tell me--in great detail--how to make care packages. My husband ran out, bought up the store, and came home with enough for 40 packages. When Brandon hit Kuwait, we stared sending, one a day.  Hopes and prayers flowed from our home along with every package. 

They started sending packages everyday, Once they were able to hear from their son, they learned that EVERYone was benefitting from those packages, Brandon expressed to her how so many Soldier's did not have any support from Family or friends, so Patti hit her passion even harder.  Soldier's Angel's was born.

She contacted Family, friends and she did all she could to get America to support our Soldier's.

Five years have passed, hundreds of thousands of Soldier's have been supported, supporters and friendships have been made.The organization has grown so much! Over 20 different chapters are inside of Soldier's Angels. All because of the undying and determined love of this Woman.

 She has recieved countless awards, and deserves so many more in my opinion.

Since I was much younger, I always dreamed of doing something great for our Military, something that would show them how Thankful we all were to them.  She has done this and so much more.  For Patti Patton-Bader, and Soldier's Angel's, all of our volunteers and supporters, and especially to Our Military, I am Thankful this Thursday and every day.

So many of our military is away overseas, or even in your own cities, yet they feel alone, they think they are alone, please do what you can to help these wonderful people know that there is an entire Country behind them.  Say Thank-you, reffer them to Soldier's Angel's, reffer them to The USO.

If you have a love for volunteering, a Love for our Military and want to show your support, go to their website and see all the wonderful programs they have.  Do you want to help, but don't want to commit to something concrete?  Contact me, I  am a Soldier's angel, I send care packages to assigned Soldier's overseas, you can donate small items for me to include in my packages.

This is The Soldier's Angel's Mission Statement:
May no soldier go unloved.
May no soldier walk alone.
May no soldier be forgotten,
Until they all come home

As Thursdays go by, I will post about the many different support programs that The Soldier's Angels offers our Military.

Thank you Patti, Mr. Bader, and our Military for all you do!

 

 In case you want to know ;)  here is a list of all the groups within Soldier's Angels:
Adopt a Soldier - Individualized support throughout deployment
Angel Bakers - Homemade treats for the deployed
Blankets of Belief - Showing deployed troops, "We believe in you!"
Blankets of Gratitude - Handcrafted love for hospitalized veterans
Blankets of Hope - Handcrafted comfort for the wounded
Cards Plus Team - Extra TLC for soldiers & families
Chaplain Support Team - Help chaplains support the troops
Community Team Leaders (CTLs) - Representing Soldiers' Angels at home
Eagle Cane Project - Handmade canes for the wounded
First Response Backpacks - Supplies for wounded in-country
Hero Packs - Care packages
Ladies of Liberty - Extra TLC for deployed females
Letter Writing Team - Personal letters for the deployed
Living Legends - Remembering the fallen and their families
Memorial Portraits - Drawings for families of the fallen
Operation Birthday Cake - Shipping gourmet birthday cakes to deployed troops
Operation Outreach - Supporting families waiting at home
Operation Phone Home - Calling cards
Operation Top Knot - Handmade gifts & virtual baby showers
Scarves - Handmade heat and sand protection
SA Germany - Supporting medevac'd wounded/ill and medical staff at Landstuhl
SOS:Kids - Helping deployed soldiers help local kids
Tank Support - Helping Veterans Travel to Medical Appointments
Valour-IT - Adaptive laptops for the wounded
VA Crochet & Craft - Handmade comfort & dignity for hospitalized Vets
Veterans Support - Assisting veterans facilities
Wounded TLC - Letters and care packages for the wounded