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WASHINGTON D.C. (April 11, 2008) - Servicemembers' friends and
families living in west-central California have a shoulder to lean
on if they should need it.
"Our group offers a supportive environment for family members,
primarily moms, of service personnel," said Tammy Callahan,
president of the Delta Blue Star Moms, based in Knightsen, Calif.
"It is most difficult dealing with the fact that your child is
serving far away and often in harm's way.
"The support we offer each other is invaluable," she added.
The Delta Blue Star Moms, an official chapter of the national
Blue Star Mothers of America organization, is a service and support
group for families and friends of U.S. military personnel.
Its main mission, however, is to support the troops with care
packages and cards or letters of encouragement, Callahan said.
"Throughout the year, we participate in various fundraisers --
garage sales, etc. -- which allow us to cover postage expenses for
our care packages," she said. "Most of the items we ship in the
care packages [are donated], but we are always in need of help to
defray postage costs."
Delta Blue Star Moms recently became a supporter of America
Supports You, a Defense Department program connecting citizens and
companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home
and abroad.
Blue Star Mothers of America also is a supporter of the Defense
Department program.
"It is our hope that through America Supports You we can
increase awareness and exposure to our group," Callahan said. "This
will allow us to grow our group and, through increased membership,
we will be able to support more servicemembers.
"We also hope it will inspire more businesses and individuals to
donate care package items for sending to the troops," she
added.
Editor's Note: Military families can also avail
themselves of the Defense Department's America Supports You
program, which highlights home-front groups across the nation that
are providing a variety of services and support to troops and their
families. A listing of these groups and information about their
efforts is available at www.AmericaSupportsYou.mil.
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