Heading to Santa Monica

It seems like whenever we put out one of our bi-weekly Email Updates, we succeed in shaking the bushes and flushing out a lot of positive responses. I've gotten many comments today about one particular article in the Email Update entitled "The Anatomy of a Spirit of America Project." I think people really appreciate knowing how we go about putting one of our projects together (from request to completion), and how fast, efficient and effective we like to be in responding to our troops. It's a good feeling to hear from folks around the country who are supportive of our mission.

I am off to Santa Monica today and the home office. I have to fly through Minneapolis from Indianapolis, both with temps in the teens and lots of snow. If you never hear from me again it's because I'm stuck somewhere in the frozen tundra. I'll be spending a lot of time in the Bay Area this week speaking with donors, visiting volunteers, and basically spreading the mission of Spirit of America. I'm most excited about attending an event this Friday evening at the Marines' Memorial Club & Hotel in San Francisco, where I've been invited to hear 1st Lieutenant Peter Dixon, USMC speak about his recent deployment with the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines to Afghanistan. The Battalion was sent there to train Afghan Security Forces, but quickly found itself in combat day after day. Should be very interesting, and I'll be accompanied by my good friend, Doug Franco, who runs Orchard International (more about them in a blog coming soon), and Retired Army Colonel John Swensson, now Assistant to the President & Director of Global Education Partnerships for DeAnza College in Cupertino, CA. Colonel Swensson is putting together quite a collection of books and memorabilia at the DeAnza College library on United States war involvement from Viet Nam to present day. If you have anything you'd like to send him, feel free to drop him an email at swenssonjohn@deanza.edu. He is good people and would love to hear from you.

More to come, but first let me get to Santa Monica and thaw out!

Dennis