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 A
few weeks ago, a staff member shared with me a story she had read about
a Marine serving our country in the Persian Gulf War years ago. It was
the Marine’s first Christmas away from his wife and small daughter, and
every day leading up to the holiday grew lonelier and lonelier. The
thought of spending Christmas eating turkey in the mess hall of a Navy
ship with his buddies just wasn’t the same as being in the comfort of
his own home filled with the aroma of his wife’s cooking and being with
his family. Just days before Christmas, letters to “Any Solider” were
delivered throughout the ship. He usually didn’t take the “Any Soldier”
letters, since he was lucky enough to receive regular correspondence
from his wife and daughter. However, this time he felt compelled to – in
the lonely days before Christmas, it was worth receiving all of the
words of encouragement he could get. He opened the letter and began to
read the words, obviously scribbled from the hand of a young child.
Towards the end of the note he read:
My daddy is a
Marine serving over there too. If you see him, tell him hi and that I
love him and I miss him.
The Marine sat
down stunned and quiet as he looked down at the bottom of the note – his
own daughter had sent the letter.
For many today,
the stress of our current economic situation makes it difficult to think
of the Christmas season as joyous. Many individuals are confronting job
loss, or facing the realization that their business must downsize
because of decreasing revenue. Many individuals and families are being
forced to cut back and there are many who are doing much less this year
for Christmas. For military families, the sheer difficulty of separation
is often felt the hardest during the holidays.
But stories like
the Marine receiving an “Any Soldier” note are reminders of the giving
and hopeful nature of the season, and that sometimes the smallest acts
of encouragement or kindness can provide hope to someone who needs it
the most. This Christmas season, I hope you will take time to reflect on
the ways you and your family can show gratitude and encouragement to
those who are in need – to remember those who are serving our country,
to serve those who are sick, and to show gratitude for the freedoms we
enjoy as a nation.
Here are some ways
you and your family can be involved in spreading encouragement, hope,
and gratitude to others.
Send Troops a Holiday Thank You Message. Even a brief note of
gratitude can make a world of difference to a soldier serving overseas.
AmericaSupportsYou.mil collects virtual messages for our troops.
Holiday Mail for Heroes. The American Red Cross is sponsoring on
online eCard to troops, where your family can add your message of
gratitude to a nation-wide greeting card to be given to the troops.
Volunteer to Help Veterans - If you want to give your time and
talents to support the care of America's veterans,
click here to complete a volunteer application and be contacted by a
local Veterans’ Affairs Voluntary Service representative.
Volunteer for Operation USO Care Package - The United Service
Organizations, Inc. (USO) enlists the support of individuals around the
world to support the troops through Operation USO Care Package. Families
and organizations in the Hampton Roads region can also “adopt a family”
through
Operation Holiday Spirit Program at the USO of Hampton Roads, or
send a
virtual greeting to soldiers overseas.
No matter how you and your
family celebrate the Christmas holiday, I hope that you will take time
to reflect on the hopeful nature of the season and that your Christmas
will be a joyous one. One thing is certain, when individuals willingly
take the time out of their busy schedules for the purpose of giving and
bringing hope to others, it leaves a profound impact – not only on the
individuals involved, but on our communities as whole.
Be Prepared for
DTV Transition
 On February 17, 2009, all
TV broadcast stations such as ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox must begin
broadcasting exclusively in digital format. Digital Television (DTV)
technology, more flexible and efficient than analog, will become the new
source for television broadcasting. If you are a cable customer or
satellite subscriber, the broadcast DTV transition does not impact you
as long as your TVs are connected to the cable or satellite system.
However, if a television has “rabbit ears” or requires another type of
antenna, and has been purchased prior to 2002, it may need a digital
converter.
The transition to DTV will open valuable broadcasting frequencies, and
the newly freed space will greatly advance other important services to
our communities. Police, fire and other emergency rescue services will
receive additional airspace for their emergency broadcasts and frequency
communication, enabling more efficient and direct communication to
assist those in need sooner.
Nationally, 34 million
households will be affected by the DTV transition, including 70 million
television sets. To help you with any questions you may have about the
DTV transition, Congressman Forbes has posted frequently asked questions
and answers on his Web site, along with a list of resources to help you
through the transition:
Frequently Asked Questions About the DTV Transition
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