The Deployed Members of the U.S. Armed Forces SPRING 2012 NEWSLETTER Committed to Our Courageous OFFICERS’ CORNER The year 2012 brings new challenges veterans have loaned to us for display. in Iraq remain in Kuwait, waiting and many changes to our military. What better way to learn about their for redeployment to Afghanistan This is also true of Operation Troop service than through their personal where conditions and access to basic Appreciation (OTA) and our efforts to stories? It gives us the opportunity to supplies is not much better than support them. Before we dive into the connect with our community directly. when our troops first arrived there New, let’s take a moment to reflect on And we think that connection is what over 10 years ago. what we accomplished in 2011: differentiates OTA from many other • Reached and surpassed the non-profits. The public gets to see Other service personnel will continue 100,000 troop-mark for those who first-hand how we operate and the their deployment in Kuwait or be have received gifts from OTA! impact our work has on the military. transferred to other countries in and • Raised over $1 million in And that experience simply cannot around the Middle East. Their mission monetary contributions since our be described in words. If you haven’t is far from over and we are prepared inception in 2004. paid us a visit, put that on your to continue to provide support to them • Implemented public visiting resolution list for this year! all, for however long they remain away hours at our headquarters and from home. Our hope is that you’ll military tribute space at Century This leads to the final milestone — our continue to support OTA in the III Mall in West Mifflin, PA. efficiency ratio. Our country continues generous manner you have in the past. • Ensured 98.5 cents of every dollar to face economic challenges as we try spent went right to our troops — to recover from the financial crisis. From all of us to all of you, we wish for the 7th year in a row! We are committed to putting as much you and yours a year filled with of your donation dollar as possible much happiness and many blessings! The first two milestones represent the into direct funding for troops. We collective efforts and hard work of realize that many have less to spend the hundreds of volunteers, donors on charity, so it’s important that our and sponsors who work so tirelessly supporters know that 98.5 cents of to show their support. every dollar donated to OTA goes directly to the troops. It’s important to note that our entire organization is comprised Compare us to other non-profits and Left to right: Kristen Holloway Querriera (Founder and CEO), of volunteers. Other non-profits you’ll find very few operate at the Monica Orluk (President), Amanda Thompson (Vice President) supplement their paid staff with level of efficiency we do. It’s because volunteers. OTA has no paid staff of our dedicated staff of volunteers and volunteers do it all – from run- and the countless businesses in the Inside this Issue ning the business, to packing for the Pittsburgh community that provide troops, stuffing envelopes, fundrais- pro-bono services to us — from Soldiers March On .....................................................2 ing and even cleaning our space. We accounting, web design and mainte- Over 100,000 Served ..................................................3 are grateful for every contribution of nance, to marketing and printing – time, talent and treasure which has that enable us to direct almost Holiday Collections Benefit helped us reach over 100,000 troops 100% of every donated dollar directly Thousands of Troops .................................................7 and one million dollars. to the troops like our donors and supporters expect. The Pittsburgh Penguins Support Our Heros The third milestone represents our Ticket Holders Support Wounded Warriors ..........8 commitment to all those who have Finally, we are very happy that our AADE’s Troop Support Efforts served and who serve our country troops have pulled out of Iraq, but Eagle Scouts Make a Difference ...............................9 today. Everyone can share in this concerned about the misconception tribute by visiting our headquarters that our troops are all coming home. Super Troopers and military tribute space and seeing Unfortunately, that is simply not the Y-108 Soldier Salute Concert...................................10 the wonderful personal mementos our case. Many of the troops who were Soldiers March on moisture-wicking heat gear shirts, Along with their personal effects, the new bedding, sports equipment, TV and video gaming console we sent an acoustic guitar, a video gaming were also destroyed. The men got system and TV. We sent the items together and split up whatever extra right away and the troops were blankets, pillows, and other necessities thrilled! We received emails the six Soldiers needed. Lost in the indicating how much the items fire were two personal Mini Laptops, helped with morale and with mental four iPods, two ebook readers, and decompression after long, dirty, one acoustic guitar. dangerous days on patrol. The loss of these items was more In November, we received the tragic because they also lost the horrible news from our unit’s point- only means of maintaining contact of-contact that their base was attacked with loved ones through email, and Every unit we work with is special. while they were out on a mission. morale-boosting items that help take We delight in finding just the right They returned to discover their Morale their minds off the danger and kind of winter gloves, warm and and Welfare tent, which included loneliness faced every day. comfortable bed sheets, the most housing for six soldiers, had burned useful multi-tools, or the right mix to the ground. Fortunately, no one Through generous donations from of yummy and nutritional goodies was injured. the University of Pittsburgh Staff to make each care package we send Association Council, and other special. We know there are excited groups who sponsored this unit, troops on the receiving end who will OTA was able to replace all of the lost love tearing into the boxes full of their equipment these troops treasured for “wish list” items, and being reminded family connectedness, down time, how many folks back home remember and entertainment. and encourage them every day. Tragically, these soldiers faced an With such dangerous missions, harsh even more devastating loss on living conditions, and long periods Christmas Day when one of their away from home, our troops deserve own was killed in an attack. Our as much comfort and compassion hearts and prayers are with the as we can send. Sometimes a group family of the fallen soldier, and with of soldiers touches our hearts, and his brothers-in-arms who remember one Special Forces group we worked him every day. with twice last year is one of those distinctive units. We can never take away their During the summer, an infantry pain. We can only pray that they battalion platoon conducting counter- will return home soon, safe and insurgency operations were in the sound, to the embrace of their midst of a long deployment to a remote area in Afghanistan. With loved ones after a job well done. no creature comforts and almost no May God bless them. access to basic supplies, we learned these troops could really benefit from OTA Spring 2012 Newsletter | 2 Over 100,000 Served... It’s hard to believe that OTA has now The celebration included US Army tremendous efforts of our “Super helped over 100,000 members of the Reserve Sergeant Bob Timney’s Trooper” volunteers and community United States military! And we are moving performance of the National supporters whose dedication has happy to have been able to share this Anthem, and the Keystone Young impacted over 100,000 lives. milestone at a celebratory event held Marines presenting both the colors at our operations center at Century III and a heartwarming tribute to POWs On the following pages, you will see Mall, West Mifflin, Pa. and MIAs. how the letters, emails and pictures from troops on the receiving end of OTA say it all. And the sincerity of their words melts our hearts. The Keystone Young Marines presented a moving POW / MIA ceremony at the start of the day’s celebration OTA founder and CEO, Kristen Holloway, provided an update on our efforts, sharing poignant stories of our troops and the units we’ve helped. We also recognized the Troops reading letters included in OTA’s care packages. Do you have a family member stationed • Add a gift if you wish, like brownies, overseas? Wouldn’t it be nice to create a gift basket or other special items. your very own greeting card with • Hit “Send.” personal pictures, text, message, artwork or other special items to send That’s it! Send Out Cards will then to them or another special someone? print a REAL card, stuff it in a REAL envelope, affix a first class stamp on Well, Send Out Cards allows you to do it, and mail it out the very next day - just that with a few clicks of a mouse! all for about a buck. • Log in and select one of 15,000 This is NOT an e-card. It is a physical cards from the online card card you can hold in your hand. This catalogue (or create one of your is the same card you would buy in the own using your own pictures). store for $3-$5. • Type a heartfelt message (this can also be done in your own Lieutenant Colonel David Giles (second from left) worked Learn more at SendOutCards.com with OTA to support his troops in Afghanistan.