December 21, 2007 | Click here to send an email.
The Goodness of America
   

 

With the season’s hustle and bustle of the town streets, the hurry to send out cards to our family and friends, the last minute shopping trips, and the scurry to make sure the house is ready for out-of-town guests, it is easy to lose our joy. Many of us have worried that the Christmas season is too materialistic, and we question how we keep from losing touch with the true meaning behind the season. Likewise, it can be hard to try and keep a joyful and giving attitude when our televisions, newspapers, and Internet are filled with negative and disheartening stories. But there are opportunities everywhere where we can be reminded of the basic goodness in the American people.

Last week I, along with the Secretary of the Army Pete Geren, had the opportunity to visit Fort Lee, one of our military installations in the Fourth Congressional District. As the Representative in Congress for Fort Lee and Ranking Member on the House Armed Services Readiness Subcommittee, I am frequently briefed on the plans of the installation as they prepare for growth as a result of the 2005 BRAC process, and I have continually witnessed what a dedicated leadership team the base has. On this particular visit, I was able to see first-hand what the community is doing to enhance the quality of life for soldiers and their families on and off the base.


During the visit, I was taken to a building typically used as a warehouse on the installation. As I entered the building, I was absorbed by the sights and sounds of energetic people, bustling excitement, red and green decorations, the smell of baked goods, and mountains of toys. Fort Lee’s Holiday Helper Program was in full swing, and volunteers were busily making their way back and forth across the warehouse.

Fort Lee’s Holiday Helper Program is a volunteer effort sponsored by Army Community Services. The Holiday Helper Program’s purpose is to provide toys, services, and food to those service members who might not otherwise have the means to provide some of those things for their family. Parents who participate in the program are able to select three gifts for each child, and Holiday Helper volunteers on the site are ready to gift wrap the presents. The Holiday Helper program has been an on-going tradition at Fort Lee, and one that has a profound impact on their community.

As I stood in the warehouse watching the grateful faces of the participating parents, the serving attitudes of the volunteers, and the bonding and joy that came to all involved, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the giving and hopeful nature of the season, and be reaffirmed that moments like these are the ones that matter the most. The basic goodness of the American people is alive and well all across America, and it is found in moments like these – when communities, organizations, families, and individuals willingly come together and make contributions of their time for the purpose of giving and bringing joy to others so that we may all have a wonderful and memorable season.

This week, no m
atter how you and your family celebrate the holidays, I hope you will take time to reflect on the true meaning of giving that lies behind the Christmas season – to remember those who are serving our country, to serve those who are needy or sick, to be grateful for the freedoms we enjoy as a nation, to bring joy to those around you, and to be thankful for our loved ones. This season, remember the goodness of America.

 

 

 


 

 

Congressman Forbes takes a tour of the Holiday Helper program workshop at Fort Lee, Virginia on Friday, December 14, 2007.

 
 

SPOTLIGHT
 

Stay Safe this Holiday Season by Using These Resources

 

 

This Holiday Safety Toolkit from the Department of Justice contains resources that focus on the crimes typically seen during the holiday season and provides steps that communities, shoppers, and retail businesses can take to help prevent becoming a victim of crime.

Click here to read more.

 


 

Are You on the Undeliverable Tax Refund List for Virginia?

 

 


Refund checks are mailed to a taxpayer’s last known address, and many times those checks are returned to the IRS if a taxpayer moves without notifying the IRS or the U.S. Postal Service. Click here to find out if you have an outstanding tax refund check. You can then use the link below to notify the IRS of your new address and request your outstanding check.


Click here to go.

 


 

Watch Congressman Forbes Discuss Ways to Stay in Touch

 

 


Click the link below to watch Congressman Forbes discuss ways to stay in touch with him through his website.


Click here to watch.

 


Other News

Dec 14, 2007 Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04) Visits Fort Lee with Secretary of the Army

Dec 10, 2007 Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04) Applauds Breakthrough in Stem Cell Research, Calls on Colleagues to Support Patients First Act

Dec 10, 2007 Congressman J. Randy Forbes (VA-04) Introduces Legislation to Reduce Medical Error and Healthcare Costs



ON THE HILL
PHOTO GALLERY

A sign directs visitors to the historic Siege Museum in Petersburg, Virginia.

Congressman Forbes and other Members meet with Chinese government leaders.
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