| KUSA Channel 9 in Denver
Wednesday, Nov 7, 2007
- In honor of Veterans Day this Sunday, we featured two stories on 9NEWS at 8 a.m. and 9NEWS at Noon.
Support a Soldier
Barbara VanHorn's son Jeff is a sergeant in the U.S. Army. When he started his service, she started hers - a program called 'Support a Soldier'. It sends military equipment such as GPS systems and combat boots to troops overseas.
She says the program makes her feel involved in the war effort while her son is gone - but she says nothing beats having her son back home. Jeff is in Colorado on leave and will spend this Veterans Day with his family.
To see how you can help Barbara's effort, please visit supportasoldier.us.
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THE VILLAGER NEWSPAPER
AUG 9, 2007
Nonprofit Provides Soldiers With Extra Equipment
by Rachel Alexander
When Barb VanHorn's son deployed to Iraq in February, he told her he was planning on purchasing some of his own equipment. She felt it wasn't right for him to have to do that and wanted to find a way to make those purchases for him.
"After Jeff was deployed I became aware of needs of soldiers over and above what the government supplies," VanHorn said.
She teamed up with Jeff's former mentor and Vietnam veteran, Dan Reid, and 'Support A Soldier' was born. The organization provides an outlet for those people left at home who want to assist soldiers in more ways than only sending care packages.
Soldiers are invited to send requests to the program's Website (www.SupportASoldier.US) The purchases are always equipment the soldiers need in the field, from GPS devices to fireproof gloves, that the military does not readily provide. VanHorn and Reid only post requests of needs rather than wants, a delineation that Reid helps determine.
"He knows war," VanHorn said. "He can look at what the tactical needs are".
Contributors can then visit the website and sign up to purchase specific items for the soldiers. The program also gives them the opportunity to contact the soldiers they are sending equipment to, thus giving the soldiers more connections back home.
"It's very welcome, it's heart-warming to them to know so many people support them," VanHorn said. To date, supporters have supplied backpacks, GPS systems, Nomex Fire Resistant Gloves, Peltor Hearing Protection and Desert Combat Boots for several teams in Iraq. VanHorn said teams rather than individual soldiers usually make requests.
VanHorn said support has come from all over the area. She had a church group host a bake sale; a karate school host a 'break-a-thon' and teachers set up an adopt-a-soldier program from their classrooms. The organization has also had response from local businesses, motorcycle shops and people who want to make contributions as memorials for loved ones.
"I've really been thrilled with the support," VanHorn said. "Everybody loves a soldier, it does not matter their politics."
For more information, visit the website, www.SupportASoldier.US and to see notes home from her son, Jeff, visit www.ANoteHome.com
"It's all about the troops. You CAN make a difference" VanHorn says.
A Note Of Thanks from a Soldier:
To Our Contributors,
We received our Nomex Tactical Gloves and they are awesome. They are better than what we thought based on the picture online in the catalog. Our old ones wore out way too fast. We appreciate these so much.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support! It is such a relief and very reassuring to know that even during this rather controversial time, we will always have your support. There are so many instances where people will go above and beyond to provide support for the soldiers, which is more of a morale boost than you might know. Please continue to send prayers for us. I cannot thank you enough... thank you, thank you, thank you....
---SGT Powell
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