Military Support Organization Spreads Holiday Cheer All Year Long
By Alan Moore
Dec 28, 2009 - 6:07:44 PM
Freedom Alliance reflects on their mission to honor troops in 2009
DULLES, VA - On a typical December day at Freedom Alliance headquarters, staffers and volunteers are busy wrapping presents for military families, building and mailing care packages to overseas service members, and working hard to perpetuate similar efforts all over the country.
"Christmas represents the culmination of yearlong activities dedicated to honoring United States service members," explained Freedom Alliance President Tom Kilgannon.
This year Freedom Alliance adopted 26 military families and made their Christmas wishes come true. The organization fulfilled wish lists by purchasing, wrapping, and presenting Christmas gifts to these families.
Care package drives are always popular during the holidays but the Freedom Alliance "Gifts from Home" care package program runs year round. This was a record breaking year that saw 1,100 packages totaling over 10,000 pounds of much needed items sent to overseas troops. Many volunteers from all over the country set up their own drives in their communities, churches, and schools. Freedom Alliance sponsors the postage for those packages.
Christmas also signals a fitting end to a whirlwind of events and programs all over the country for Freedom Alliance.
This year over 100 Troop Appreciation Events touched the lives of 17,000 troops and their families. These informal and friendly events offer service members a chance to relax in a stress free environment with good food, friends, and family. The goal of these events is to honor those who defend the freedom Americans hold so dear to their hearts.
Freedom Alliance promotes the prospect of high school students joining the military through their annual Leadership Academy. This year 75 students participated in two, two-week sessions dedicated to giving them a taste of the military lifestyle. The Academy resembles the military in every way -- from the uniforms to the flight simulator at Fort Eustis.
Director of Programs Calvin K. Coolidge oversees the Academy and the Troop Appreciation Events. "We find that the troop appreciation activities are vital to helping raise the morale of many Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Guardsmen and Marines," Coolidge said. "This country will always have a need for brave, dedicated, and honorable men and women to answer the call of duty. The Military Leadership Academy is meant to inspire some of those individuals to do just that."
Perhaps the least heralded program, but among the most important, is the grants program. Freedom Alliance sponsors a variety of things for wounded troops; like a plane ticket for a service member to see their family, a medical need, or just to help make ends meet. Over 200 wounded veterans received grants in 2009.
The last big event of the year was held this month to celebrate the Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For the 16th straight year Freedom Alliance sponsored a host of programs including a reception, tours of the historic city, and seats to the 110th meeting between the two service academies.
Just because it's the end of the year doesn't mean the mission is over for Freedom Alliance. The dedicated staff and army of volunteers will continue to honor United States service members as long as they are busy defending liberty. Everyone should know that the military won't ever give up that mission, and neither will Freedom Alliance.
The mission of Freedom Alliance is to advance the American heritage of freedom by honoring and encouraging military service, defending the sovereignty of the United States and promoting a strong national defense. www.FreedomAlliance.org