United Through Reading

Dear All,

It is Tuesday and United Through Reading at the SF compound. Today I had many new airmen on the Air Force side. The Air Force does four month rotations so I am now on my third rotation. The enthusiasm for this program is huge. Being their first week in country many are homesick and sitting down to record a book to their children proves to be quite an emotional event. Several needed to just sit and talk a minute to regain their composure before beginning. I remember well my first week here and how hard it was and my children are grown so I can’t imagine the emotions of leaving school age children and infants. What an amazing group men and women serve our country.

One of my dads who has participated regularly during his time here came in today and could not say thank you enough for this program. His son was only six or seven months old when he deployed and next month he will have his first birthday. He said…… my son knows me, he really does know me. He had talked to his wife the day before and she told him that when she put the DVD of him reading to the son he crawled to the TV and said over and over, dada, dada! That was one very happy daddy! This program truly connects families and gives them a way to remain involved in their children’s lives. I sat here this evening as another dad was reading and he was having so much fun and was so expressive and it just brought tears thinking of this little boy and little girl getting to see this. I am so blessed to be a part of this.

The center remains busy and growing. We have had many of our troops volunteer their time to help us. We are doing an orientation soon and will get them all slotted to help. Last night we had fun at the center. It was Dr Seuss’s birthday and in the states it was read across America in many elementary schools. A first grade class in Pennsylvania had arranged to web cam with us and their first grade class was going to read a Dr. Seuss book to the troops. They were darling. We had about fifteen soldiers and even a marine around the web cam to watch and wave and clap and cheer them on. There was not a dry eye in the room when the children sang Lee Greenwood's “Proud to be an American” and then at the end they sang God Bless a America and all our troops in the room joined in. This was one event that I had many crying with me. I used one of our cameras and made a DVD of the troops watching the children and then had them say hello and greet the children. We will send that to them. Fun, fun stuff! For me just watching the troops smile and laugh and enjoy themselves makes any effort made so worthwhile.

I just had to share my UTR stories. Thank you so much for your support. Thank you for the books you are sending. Believe me they are so appreciated and are making a difference.

In His Mighty Grip,
Linda