In March 2008 Joe Knollenberg’s office called me to accompany him at a special event at Kettering High School. The event was the first day on the national holiday “Support your troops and their family day”. It was follow up on the following Saturday with a troop packing party at the Pontiac Armory. It was there where I meet Louise Downs of the Desert Angels. It was there that we pack over 2000 lbs for our troops overseas.
My staff and I printed group pictures to put in each box so the solids knew who packed the packages. Since March 2008 we have donated our printing onsite services for five other packing party events including the one in Keego Harbor that I ran on May 31st 2008. There are parking party pictures, pictures the troops and email to me, and letters from the troops.
Here are a few of the Letter troops sent back as well:
Friends,
As all of you know I’ve been in Iraq for the past couple months, I would like to say thank you for your support, letters and packages. I sending you this because I’ve come to realize how blessed I am to have such great family and friends, unfortunately not everyone is as blessed as I am. Somehow someone gave out my name to an organization called “Desert Angels Inc”, it’s a great organization, they send care packages to soldiers who are deployed. I’ve received many packages from this organization; I’ve given the packages to people I work with that don’t receive packages or mail. I know receiving mail may seem petty to most people, but for us that are far from home, this is a huge morale booster. A touch from home can change how someone’s day or even month goes.
This is a great way to help support your troops; the lady who put this program has sacrificed a lot of her own time and money. I figured I might pass this site on to you, I hope if you could spare a couple dollars and to donate to a great program somewhere, somehow a package she sends out can really make a soldiers day.
Thank you for your time, once again thanks for your support and all that you have done. Oh yeah here is the website http://TheDesertAngel.org
TSgt Lyle
Station Captain
447th Fire Protection
Sather A.B.,Baghdad Iraq
Keego Harbor gives gift of music to soldiers
by Larry Ruehlen
Eccentric Staff WriterSomewhere a soldier named Seth Harrison strums a guitar sent from the heart of Keego Harbor.
“This is the first time in my life I’ve done something so direct. We went right to the source and helped someone,” said Bill Bertakis, Keego Harbor Optimist Club president.
Bertakis isn’t a stranger to local charity efforts – he is a member of several local groups that go out of their way to make life better for others.
When U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg asked him to photograph a troop-packing party in Waterford Township, Bertakis clicked away as students packed care packages for shipment to the Middle East. Wanting to make sure the troops knew from whom they were getting gifts; Bertakis took the extra step of sending two photos in each box. A group photo of all the volunteers and another of the individual who packed the box. He spent $1,000 to do it, but donations later came in to offset much of the cost.
He left wanting to do more so he e-mailed around until he discovered the not-so-serious plight of Staff Sgt. Seth Harrison. Harrison likes to make sure new soldiers feel as at ease as possible when they are arrive in the war zone.
A guitar is his instrument of choice but the one he was using resembled Humpty Dumpty after the great fall. Repeated applications of glue kept it together but barely.
Bertakis thought it would be nice to get the sergeant a new guitar so off he went to Junkyard Guitars in Royal Oak.Without much in the way of donations coming in, Bertakis eyed an $89 no frills model. The manager talked him into spending $130 and sweetened the deal with picks, extra strings, a case, songbooks and a store T-shirt.
Bertakis then went to Keego Harbor Mayor Sid Rubin and asked him for city stickers to put in the box. It was shipped Tuesday and a thank you letter from Harrison followed that read, in part:
“I received the guitar that you sent me. Thank you very much for doing this, I will be making use of it very soon. Luckily my wife sent me an electronic tuner so that I can check myself on tuning it by ear. Thank you and everyone in your outfit that has helped in supporting all soldiers combat theaters.”
Next up for Bertakis and Roosevelt Elementary Principal Stephen Palmer is a local troop packing party in Keego Harbor scheduled for May 31.
“Our troops do so much for our country,” said Bertakis. “And there are very few things parents and kids can do together these days. They will remember this forever.”
To all,
Words cannot express how thankful the “Lawdawgs” are for all the gifts we have received. Not only are we thankful but the people of Rawah, Iraq is very thankful as well. We have gotten so many cookies, clothing, school supplies, candy, hygiene gear, cards, letters, and holiday gifts to share within our team, the Iraqi Police Station we work at, and the people of the village.
The team is 2 months away from returning home and we are still moving a 100 mph. This is great because while moving at 100 mph, so is the time, it’s really flying by. Thanksgiving chow was great, the chow hall served up a great meal so Christmas and New Years will be the same I’m sure. The Marines of team “Lawdawgs” are working great with the Iraqi Police (IPs). We are learning Arabic at a quick rate and the IPs are speaking better English and are, even more importantly, working better every day as policemen of Rawah.
I know this e-mail doesn’t even cover half the packages from supporters that we have gotten so please pass the word….”1000 Thank You’s from the Lawdawgs!” I hope the picture of the team isn’t too extreme. I’ll try sending more pics real soon.
Fernando Hernandez
Gunnery Sergeant/ USMC
Police Transition Team-20 Rawah
Team Chief
The last few days I have been running on very little sleep. I did my best to answer all the emails from all the supportive Americans, just like you. We should be back at Camp Pendleton in about 50 days or so.
Heating up? Yes, certainly the weather, but other stuff too. I really can not be too specific, just that all of Iraq is seeing a lot more “bad guy” activity. What can you do for us? You all are doing it! Thank you so, so much. Here is a picture of me and one of the Iraqi LtCols posing for a photo taken with some Iraqi school children after we passed out some soccer balls.
Semper Fi,
Maj Dave
To all the wonderful Americans at Desert Angels,
It is my privilege to report that my Soldiers and I received an amazing assortment of packages today. Each and every Soldier within my section received one and as we opened them up threw items back and forth sharing what we had. It truly is a great day. From the bottom of my American heart I thank you for bringing such happiness to my Soldiers while we are deployed away from our families in this distant land of Iraq. In two days time we will have been deployed for a total of six months which on a normal deployment would mean the half way point, sadly I report that we are on a 15 month deployment and will not see our mid way point for another 45 days. Usually, at this time, moral is high knowing we are now going down hill (towards redeployment) and all though I can not say our moral is low, I can’t report that it is high. At this point we miss our families and do what we can to keep in touch with family and friends back home so when support packages arrive (Especially unexpectedly) there is a huge boost in moral.
Once again, thank you very much for supporting my Soldiers and me. With the joy you brought to my Soldiers I will forever be in your debt.
Very respectfully,
Raymond SFC, USA
142D CSSB, S6 NCOIC
Mr. Bertakis,
I received the guitar that you sent me. Thank you very much for doing this, I will be making use of it very soon. Luckily my wife sent me an electronic tuner so that I can check myself on tuning it by ear. I have attached some pictures that Dan took while sorting through the box. He also took one of the guitar that I was repairing and custom paint design. All that I have to do is seal it so that the paint won’t wear off. Thank you and everyone in your outfit that has helped in supporting all soldiers combat theaters.
Seth M. Harrison
SSG, USA
Friends,
As all of you know I’ve been in Iraq for the past couple months, I would like to say thank you for your support, letters and packages. I sending you this because I’ve come to realize how blessed I am to have such great family and friends, unfortunately not everyone is as blessed as I am. Somehow someone gave out my name to an organization called “Desert Angels Inc”, it’s a great organization, they send care packages to soldiers who are deployed. I’ve received many packages from this organization; I’ve given the packages to people I work with that don’t receive packages or mail. I know receiving mail may seem petty to most people, but for us that are far from home, this is a huge morale booster. A touch from home can change how someone’s day or even month goes.
This is a great way to help support your troops; the lady who put this program has sacrificed a lot of her own time and money. I figured I might pass this site on to you, I hope if you could spare a couple dollars and to donate to a great program somewhere, somehow a package she sends out can really make a soldiers day.
Thank you for your time, once again thanks for your support and all that you have done. Oh yeah here is the website http://TheDesertAngel.org
TSgt Lyle
Station Captain
447th Fire Protection
Sather A.B.,Baghdad Iraq
