Dear Warrior…

Before a luncheon, I send out an encouragement/support note request to the groups I am on, and I also include the request in the MarineMoms-Bethesda newsletter. Then a day or two before the luncheon, I format them into a word document and print them out.

They are placed in a white 13×9 envelope and hand-delivered by us to the families or patients at the luncheons.

I print out a few more than I think I will need just in case, and the leftovers are given to the Marine Liaison’s office for guys we may have missed, like if they were out on a day pass, or for incoming patients who may arrive in between luncheons.

The notes are for all branches of the military.

Here are a few that were received for this luncheon: Continue reading February 15, 2009 – 5th Floor →

Winter & a Mercy Hall Luncheon

The day before a luncheon I head over to the Western Shore to food shop and get ready for the luncheon with the rest of the crew and we knock it all out with enough time to sit back and enjoy catching up with each other.

I’m always leery about planning a luncheon from January through March though, because of flu season and the weather.  In fact, a few weeks before this luncheon we had a “what if” discussion.
And then it happened…

The Day Before–

1000: “Jane, it’s pretty treacherous here. My road is a sheet of ice.

“It’s not looking too good here either, Robin.”

“You might want to call for a Bridge report.”

“Good idea.”

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1130: “Jane, how’s the roads over there? You don’t like driving in this stuff, do you?”

“Noooooo, not a bit. Deb, BWI’s reporting freezing fog. I don’t think I’m going to make it over there today. Man I hate to cancel…”

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The guys at Mercy Hall went out, did their job, and traveled on roads in HMVVs not knowing if they were going to make it back to camp without hitting an IED or being shot by a sniper. Continue reading January 29, 2009 ~ Mercy Hall →