[The Devoted Dabbler] Got 5 Minutes?

[Jen McGowan Designs]

Where's my MCM?

It will be back next week, and it will be good... Here's the thing: One Monday a month, The Devoted Dabbler will give you a heads up on a quiet way in which you can give back, make a difference, learn of not so obvious needs of others, and how you ca help...while you are already sitting here at your computer.

Let's get started.

In a social climate where everything and everyone is fodder for comment or criticism, it is very hard to remind ourselves that just because we don't agree with something, that doesn't mean it's always wrong. 

It is also sometimes harder to remember that, in this country, we have the often abused freedom to openly comment on or criticize anything and anyone. The Freedom. It's our First Amendment, and its power and privilege is awesome.

If you have made the choice to live in this country and enjoy its rights, freedoms and privileges, you'll do well to remember that it's not the same way everywhere else in the world. There are Americans who have sacrificed the comforts of their homes and the love of their families to go out there into the non-free world and defend the freedoms that we might sometimes take for granted...And those Americans need to be thanked.

Whether you are a hawk or a dove, you have the right to voice your hawkness or doveness thanks to the American soldiers who will continue to protect your freedoms and the freedoms of this country, regardless of whether you agree with their mission or not. They have, at many times, a thankless job.

I'm sharing with you an opportunity to take "5 Minutes" to make contact with our American soldiers in the hopes that whatever your affiliations are, you'll put them aside for 5 Minutes and at the very least type "Thank you."

After you've finished reading The Devoted Dabbler, please click on one of the pen-pal links below and brighten a soldier's day with just a few clicks. Ask your family and friends to do the same. If you've Got 5 Minutes to order a pair of shoes for yourself online, or are already writing thank you notes for your kids' last birthday party, please add thanking an American solider to your list of to-dos, online or offline, pen and paper or keyboard.

If you're looking to start small with one click, start here with The USO.

If you want to do a little more and would like to become a "pen pal", try one these sites below:

To Our Soldiers is a site set up by the U.S. Army. It lets people post messages to our troops online. 

Operation Dear Abby is a site set up in conjunction with the U.S. Navy. It lets you post messages to "Any Service Member" so that service members with Internet access can read them online, or commanders can download them and print them out. You can read more about the service and post a message here: 

 Email Our Troops! There is also a page set up with information on various means of contacting or sending messages of support to our troops overseas. Again, pay particular attention to the various cautions about security. It's a sad thing, but sending postal mail to "Any Soldier" will be rejected for security reasons.

Operation Military Pride - Operation Military Pride is a volunteer organization whose goal is to boost the morale of our troops deployed overseas. They send cards, letters and care packages as well as distribute troop names and addresses to civilians wanting to send cards, letters or care packages.

My Soldier - By enrolling in the My Soldier program, you agree to "adopt" a deployed United States Armed Serviceperson. Your support should consist of periodic upbeat letters or emails to the soldier contact we will provide to you.

Any Soldier - Originally, a simple family effort to help the soldiers in one Army unit. Due to overwhelming requests, on 1 January 2004 the Any Soldier® effort was expanded to include any member, of any of the Armed Forces in harms way. What to send and how to send letters and packages.

Military Times Forums - Discussion group on MilitaryTimes.com web site forums. People looking for military friends or pen pals.

Pen Pals for Soldiers - Pen Pals for Soldiers is a volunteer organization dedicated to the support and morale of our brave men and women in uniform. Soldiers will receive cards, letters, and care packages from individual volunteers who have signed up to be military pen pals.

Military Pen Pals (MPP) - Supporting the troops and connecting military friends from the United States with military personnel who are stationed overseas or are back in the country. Many soldiers are in need of receiving letters and care packages and you can make a difference.

If you "like" it, please "share" it via email or facebook.

See you soon.

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Posted By Jen McGowan Designs to The Devoted Dabbler at 10/11/2010 03:54:00 AM