Soldiers' Angels Donation Drive Kansas City is Successful

I should have provided a big FYI on this earlier, but I wanted to report that I was with Soldiers' Angels on Saturday for a donation drive at the Hy Vee at 87th and Pflumm in Lenexa, KS. It was a fantastic experience. Hy Vee was very nice to let us do our first KC chapter donation drive there. The people of Lenexa were very generous and the Soldiers' Angels of our chapter were very enthusiastic. We had over ten people show up I believe (waiting for the After Action Report for details on people and success).

I know that we had two vans full of snacks and toiletries when we left and some nice cash donations. We will be working on the next drive and on a packing party. We had several ladies from civic groups stop and ask how their organizations could get involved. We also had four gentlemen stop by who had been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. One young marine had two tours under his belt and talked to us for at least thirty minutes. Several people stopped and said they had people deployed that they knew and we told them how to get involved with the organization and get their people signed up for some care packages.

I really can't emphasize enough how great the community response was to our requests for donations. All I can say is "wow"!

Thank you Hy Vee and thank you the people of Lenexa.

Marcia Conley had organized our endeavors and she was really prepared with signs and poster boards. Two ladies brought their children. Aaron was very helpful carrying bags and supplies out to the vans. The young marine who had stopped towards the last of our drive helped us carry the supplies to the vans.

The whole time, he kept saying "Thank you" to us.

First, I can barely write that without getting a little watery around the eyes. Second, that one young man made it all worth while even if I never hear another "thank you". Third, it's not we who deserve the thanks.

It was great. I just can't say that enough.

Anyone in the KC area who wants to get involved, drop me an email. The computer is still dead, but I have access to check the email and the blog every few days. We're having a packing party this weekend and looking for people to help man the booth at Settler's Days in September.

We are looking to do several other drives this summer and fall if anyone is interested.

It's very rewarding.

PS..we were on channel 9 and 41 in KC and we will most likely appear in the Olathe Sun with pictures sometime this week.

Stand by for more details of our donation drives and the outcome of Saturday's efforts.