Thank you for sponsoring the Gerald T. Parks Memorial Foundation, established for the benefit of Military and VA Hospitals. Your support of the Foundation through your cash and product contribution of $10,000 is giving us the ability to get off to a fast start and begin accomplishing our mission. We sincerely appreciate your critical support of our efforts. Thank you also for your sponsorship and contribution to our first event - the First Annual Gerald T. Parks Memorial Foundation. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with Products for Good for the benefit of our Military Veterans! Terri Pendleton, Co-Founder, Gerald T. Parks Memorial Foundation Dear Master Sergeant Marcus, I wanted to personally thank you for presenting North Jersey Media Group and me with the Shadowbox Tribute to Our Fallen Soldiers. It is a stunning display and it will be hung proudly in our office for a very long time. Thank you for honoring all of these important heroes. Jennifer A. Borg,
Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary My son is a Senior Instructor at the Special Forces Underwater Warfare School in Key West, FL. He has worn a Green Beret for 6 years and during that time has become Jump Qualified, a Qualified Jump Master, a Qualifed Sniper, a Qualifed Scuba Diver and an A-Team Medic. His A-Team has served in both Afghanistan and Iraq. I'm sure that by now you get an image of a big, strong, strapping man. You're right. He's the kind of man that young boys want to be like, and old men wish they had been. I am so very proud of him. However, when he opened the 4-coin Shadow Box I gave him for Christmas, and after reading the inscriptions, I saw this big, strong, strapping man cry. He didn't cry out of gratitude for the gift, but for the profound loss he feels for his fellow service men and women who have given their last full measure of devotion for this great country we call the United States. This is a great thing you folks are doing. As an American, I feel proud to be associated with you, although it is in some small way. May God grant you Health and Happiness for this New Year, but most of all a deep sense of gratitude for this proud land we call Home. Al Giddens – Sherwood, AR I couldn't have been more pleased when I presented the shadowbox to my father, a Vietnam Vet, for Christmas. I took particular pride in giving this piece of history to my him because my son, a member of the US Army Reserves, went in with the initial invasion of Iraq and was instrumental in helping to free the Iraqi people from tyranny. To see the ill gotten gains of Saddam go for the good of the Iraqi people and for the good of the brave American Soldiers who freed them fills my heart with joy. My father's appreciation was not only for the shadowbox but for the cause it supports. He appreciates American's supporting the fighting men and women of today's Armed forces, a luxury his generation of fighting men didn't receive. God Bless America and thank you for your effort and support of the US military. Patti T. Sayer - Valrico, FL I heard about your website from my Mom who had a flyer or some other mail about Lee Greenwood, My Mom is 79, and my Dad a WWII Veteran who just turned 81 on Sept. 21 used to travel in their camper when they were younger, and met Lee Greenwood years back, and heard him sing God Bless The USA and have it on video, and love him, anyhow my Mom told me about the website and so when I went to it I thought the shadow boxes were beautiful, and it was a great cause, so I decided to get them the large one for Christmas, They called me on Christmas Day and My Mom loved it, and my Dad, who does not talk much on the phone because he is almost deaf, got on the phone and was so happy with it, he got choked up talking to me telling me it was a great thing for the Veterans', and also for the good cause the proceeds are going for. They do not even use the internet, and he said this must have cost you a "pretty penny", I said no Dad it didn't, and whatever it cost, you deserve it, he was so proud of it.... I just wanted to let you know how much they loved the shadow box, and the thoughts of an 81 year old WWII Veteran about the shadow box, he says he will for sure be showing and telling all his Veteran friends about it, and I will also be spreading the word about it to everyone I can, and all I can say is it was worth every penny and more just to hear the pride in my Dad's voice when he got it... Thanks for doing this project, and we all hope you raise all the money you expect and more. Hank Bressler - Williamsport, PA My wife is a soldier in the 155th National Guard Unit based here in North Mississippi. She was stationed at Forward Operating Base Kalsu approximately 30 miles south of Baghdad in the heart of the Sunni triangle for the last 12 months. She arrived back home to me and our two girls (one 12 and the other 7) on Christmas Eve. I had kept the shadowbox a secret and had her open it at a family gathering Christmas morning. When she opened it she just sat there and was a little confused of what it was. Then she started reading the captions with her head down when she got to the side about the fallen soldiers I started to see tears hitting the glass on the case. She was very moved and has already told our girls that this is something they well be very proud of when they grow up. Thanks for what you're doing and keep up the good work. Jim Rutherford - Shannon, MS Thanks for the follow up email concerning the Iraqi coins which I received just before Christmas break , at my school. Since I am a teacher , I always try to keep our kids informed about the world that we are handing to them in a few years. We have former students and also parents that are serving our country in Iraq at this time. Some have already returned home. I have tried to counter all of the whining and complaining that we constantly hear from the media about the war on terror and in general the tearing down of our current administration. I wish that the people who were so quick to tear down our country would follow your example and do something that is good and positive and helpful. I am so frustrated that I can't serve my country again because of the age restriction thingy in the military. After 911 , I would have re-enlisted but am too old. Daily, I do a job search for anything that would place me in a position to help in the war on terror. I go through over 700 jobs per night . Sadly, the only thing that I seem qualified to do , is teach school. So, for now, I will still try to instill in my students the right and wrong of the world in which we live . The 3 shadow boxes are now hanging on my classroom wall, waiting for school to start on Jan. 3 . They will ask ,"what is that?" So will begin another conversation on our country's part in the war on terror . From one somewhat aged Viet Nam veteran, thanks for the opportunity to actually do something supportive. Billy Walker – Mobile, AL I am the recipient of the shadow box that was given by my wife. To me the families who waited at home during the time I was away are the true heroes. They waited and never knew for sure if the next car to pull up in the driveway was the Military Funeral Affairs officer or representative. I was sent to Taji, Iraq (known as Camp Cook) in FEB of 2004. I was there until DEC of 2004 then transferred to Baghdad International Airport. When I first got to Taji I was part of the Coalition Military Assistance Team (CMATT). Our job was to start up and organize the Iraqi army and national guard. We had many Coalition teams arrive in the 10 months to advise and train the new army. During this time I had many friends get injured or killed. I met many, many Iraqi soldiers and civilians. All of them wanted freedom for their country and families. All of the civilian workers I met were just men like all of us who just wanted to go to work, earn a living and feed their families. These men wanted, like us, to see their children go to school and grow in a safe environment. They wanted their wives to be able to go to the market and buy groceries just as we do. Several I knew paid for wanting to work for freedom with their lives. They were murdered by those who wanted the old days, under Saddam, back. I was saddened by the knowledge that some of my friends went home early either in a body bag or on a flight to a hospital. We each did our jobs as we promised to our country but some, thru circumstance or at the hands of a truely bad person, didn't come home at all. I went to BIAP in DEC. 2004 to assist in the start up of the Iraqi Air Force. I met some of the pilots and crews who flew for Saddam and heard some of the stories of his terror. The U.S. Air Force LTC. I worked with was a fine example of what a team of two can do to coordinate a future military. I received the shadow box on Christmas eve from my family. I find now that when I look back on this time in my life I am filled with pride, sorrow and love for the men and women I served with. I am sad to hear that some organization wants to take "Christmas" out of Christmas and say happy holidays instead. This is an insult to those we have lost. I will always be proud of my shadow box and the coins for what and who it represents. During my time in Taji I was, I was told, the oldest senior NCO and possibly in the U.S. Forces there. I arrived when I was 58 and 1/2 and left when I was 59 and 1/2. I retired at 60 years of age and would go back to assist the Iraqis and our men and women in arms in a heartbeat. This is a long answer to your question but then the question deserves it just as our troops and families and the Iraqi troops and families deserve our support. MSG (retired) Hal Moroney, Dixon, IL I purchased the coin set for my step-father, who has always been a real father to me. I purchased it for him for many reasons… First, I saw Lee Greenwood on Fox News with Cavuto. My dad is a HUGE Lee Greenwood fan AND he is addicted to Fox News, so the story immediately caught my attention. My dad is a huge supporter of the armed forces AND he collects coins (they are a self reward whenever he reaches a milestone). Finally, and maybe the most important reason I gave him the coin is because of an incident that to this day, still makes him cry when he shares the story. He has a good friend, Dave, who had a lovely wife and two sons. Dave’s wife was struck and died from cancer. He subsequently remarried, but shortly after his remarriage his youngest son was senselessly killed in an auto accident (he was 15) and then his oldest son died serving our country. Dave remains a positive person, even in the face of such loss, and my father greatly admires him. On Christmas Eve, I sat at my table with my step-dad, my mother, my in-laws and my husband and we got to telling stories, as we do. My step-dad shared the story of his friend, Dave, and as he shared it, he broke down crying. He ended the story of how on this Christmas Eve, we should say a prayer for our fallen soldiers and their families, like Dave. It was then that I gave my dad the coin, and his tears continued for almost an hour. He just sat and stared, and wiped the glass, and read the certificate. My step-father was never able to serve, and he will tell anyone who will listen that that is his greatest regret. The coin set I gave him eases his regret and enables him to honor fallen heroes like that of his friend’s son. Zoe Byer – Ashburn, VA We just wanted to let you know how pleased we were with our purchase & the good it is doing for the families of our fallen troops. It is a wonderful way to show how much we care. We couldn't have spent our money more wisely. We are keeping it for ourselves & have shown it to many members of our family & friends & they were in awe. The smaller plaque you sent us as a gift is going to our daughter, who's son (our grandson), just recently became a fire fighter. She will be as touched with it as we were. Again, thank you for doing so much good in this world of so much turmoil. We will keep this plaque always & some day pass it on to someone in the family. Keep up your good work. Arthur & MaryAnn Thomas – Calabash, NC It sounds like you folks are off to a good start. Prayers and best wishes go your way to make this effort totally successful. If the shadowboxes are received like the one I gave my wife of thirty-nine years, twenty-three of them while I was on active duty in the U.S. Navy, it will be. After unwrapping the shadowbox and thoughtfully reading everything in it, Darlene quietly announced: "This is the best present of all!" I knew she was going to like it, but I did not expect it to trump a pair of diamond stud earrings! Thank you for a wonderful way to remember the troops and their families. May God continue to bless this effort. John Morton – Saint Augustine, FL The two sets of Iraqi coin shadowboxes I purchased were given to my 15 and 16 year old sons for Christmas. I was really touched by their response when they opened the packages - I made sure they both opened them at the same time. The room became almost eerily quiet as they both took the time to read everything in the shadowbox. It was quite a serious moment as they realized the impact of what they had in their hands. They understood the importance of the history they held. It was even more important to them as I explained where the proceeds of the sell of the boxes go to. I was very proud of my sons to see they really "got it" and were honored to receive the shadowbox. Before I even realized it, both of my boys took their shadowboxes immediately to their bedrooms and put them on display. Neither one of them kept them in the living room with the rest of their presents. They said they wanted to make sure nothing happened to them so they set them apart from everything else they received. My husband is a former Marine who served in Beruit during the early 80's. While it was not his barracks that was bombed, his unit was responsible for cleaning up after the tragedy. Knowing that our purchase helps the military families makes the gift an easy decision to purchase. My oldest son is seriously considering a military enlistment upon high school graduation next year. He wants to serve his country "for all the men and women who have gone before me. It's the right thing to do." Those are words coming from a 16 year old who knows we are in the middle of a war and he still wants to serve before getting a college education. What else can I say? To purchase your shadowboxes and knowing we are helping many families seems like a small, insignificant way to help. I wish you luck with reaching your goal. Donna Dowd - North Huntingdon, PA I’m still in the Middle East supporting the U.S. Military. I ordered one shadow box for my nine year old son. Last year I received a collection of antique coins from my Step Father’s estate. He showed such an interest in them, they’re now his. I thought he would really enjoy these too. I don’t know who the second set will go to, or if I’ll keep them for myself. I’m going home from my sixth rotation on 10 January. My son and I will be having our Christmas that night. I’ll write again, and include a picture of him opening it. Jim Archer – Kathleen, GA We are awaiting our recipient's return. I will write when I can express to you his reaction to this magnificent shadowbox presentation. It is beautiful, and we are thrilled to 'help' support the cause. We are supporters of the Warrior Foundation, and try to share that organization's mission every chance we get. In turn, I will be forwarding your email to my email list, with my comments on the presentation that arrived. It is truly a piece of history to be displayed proudly. Thank you for doing this, and we share your love for America and our Veterans, God Bless You and God Bless America. Parents of a "Special" Soldier Anonymous We ordered the gift set for ourselves as our son was killed in Iraq on January 27, 2004. He had only been there for eight days so he did not have any time to get any Iraq souvenirs. We felt that this was a way to maybe have a small piece of the last few days of his life. My daughter immediately said that she wanted one so we have ordered her one coin. Several other family members were interested so I am sending them your website. Thank you for giving us a small piece of Cory's life. Pat and Jim Mracek - Hay Springs, NE My husband is currently serving our country in Ramadi, Iraq and I am sure that once he see his box the second one will surely be put to good use to one of his fellow soldiers who are making the sacrifice with him. Thanks again and I love them they are absolutely beautiful Such a momento this will be for him when he returns home. Nancy B. The coin sets are far more beautiful than I had imagined. Great Job!! Mike - California I received my order yesterday and just wanted to tell you how pleased I was with the shadowboxes. They are beautiful! I especially like the color of the shadowboxes. It is classy and really envelopes the whole theme. Good luck and God Bless You in your endeavor. Mary L. - West Wyoming, PA I'm an Army First Sergeant serving in Iraq, I was home on leave in early October 2005 and saw a special on GAC with Lee Greenwood and I am pleased to say I have ordered my shadow box as a keep sake and memory of my time serving this wonderful country we all call home. Thank you for doing this for our fallen service men and woman and thier families. Keep up the great work. 1SG Clay Hahr - Tallil, Iraq I am in the Army. I am currently deployed in Iraq. I read an article on the Charlotte Observer website regarding your cause. I love to collect coins and was excited to see an opportunity to get some quality ones from Iraq. I was even more thrilled when I saw that some of the proceeds go to help the families of fallen heroes. I have already passed on a link to your website to all my family and friends. I commend you for what you are doing. SSG Richard Eavenson - Camp Bucca, Iraq "Thanks so much. My husband was in Iraq for a year. Family loved coins." Rachel – Masontown, PA "Great Coins For A Wonderful Cause! Thank you!!!" Julie - Bethel Springs, TN "Nice presentation folder, nice coins, Thanks" Joseph - Papillion, NE "Great product, great mission! Thanks!" Mike - Stationed in Germany "Fast Shipping! Proud to Help The Troops Families." Tim - Highland, Illinois "Super Item, Super Cause! Keep Up The Good Work!!" James – Connellys Springs, NC "I got my Iraqi coins the other day and I just wanted to thank you for letting me be a part of this event. I hope you make your goal. You're awesome!" Lisa T. - Wheat Ridge, CO "The company's passion to give back is unbelievable. We try to do so much for our troop deployed but this fund raiser is for those families of our fallen soldiers. They are doing a great thing I hope you all check this out. As a soldier, I feel proud to serve but I also feel very sad about the ones who have made the ultimate sacrifice. This is an opportunity to honor and thank not only the individual soldiers but also those soldiers family's. Please take a moment to check this out." Jodi R. - Virginia "I'm very proud to own these! Thank you!" Debbie - California "Great set of coins for a great cause! Thanks again!" Stephen - New Hampshire Security Protectors, LLC. |
|||||
