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Do what you can, with what you've got, where you are. - Squire Bill Widener |
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90th, 98th, 100th, and 101st Birthdays! |
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Janine's Team Mission #77
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Hello!!
We have 4 big birthdays this month!!
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When missions are completed, the families usually send over pics of their veterans (with big smiles š) showing the cards they received. I post those pics at the bottom of this email, and on my facebook, instagram, and twitter- so make sure you're following along on your favorite platform! You can see a number photos from many other past missions here.
For those wishing to share a veteran's birthday: please try to give me at least 2 month's notice via email.
Last but not least, if you are new here, thank you for joining! I hope you find this to be a fulfilling and meaningful way to do what you can, with what you've got, from where you are! š¤
...and now here's Mission 77 (4 parts).
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Mission 77 (part 1): Send by 8/13-8/16
Henry's 98th
A note from his daughter: Henry Clay Smith, US Army PFC, Company āMā 137th Infantry, served his country in Central Europe during WWII as a heavy machine gunner and was a Purple Heart recipient. After an honorable discharge, he returned to his hometown of Fountain Run, KY, married his sweetheart and served our God as a bi-vocational Southern Baptist minister for 50 years in south central KY. His wife passed away in 2018 after 72 years of marriage, and he currently lives with his only child, a daughter, in Brentwood, TN, which is near his two granddaughters and a grandson-in-law. *His birthday is 8/17 and he is in charge of getting the mail, so feel free to make your envelopes extra decorative so he's surprised every day he goes to the mail! :)
Please send your cards any time between 8/13 and 8/16 to:
Henry C Smith
805 Valley View Circle
Brentwood, TN
37027
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Mission 77 (part 2): Send by 8/16
Zeke's 90th
A note from his family friend Kami: Zeke Gandara was in the 76th Engineers B Company, 24th Infantry Division. He enlisted in 1949-1952. He was in Korea from July 1950 - Nov 1951.
Please send your cards on or before 8/16 to this address:
Zeke Gandara 6832 S. 90th Street Lincoln, NE 68521
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Mission 77 (part 3): Send by 8/16
Bob's 100th
A note from his daughter Linda: My Dad, Robert (Bob) Huerter will be turning 100 years old on August 22nd. We will be celebrating on Saturday, August 20th, in Chanute, KS. Bob enlisted in the Navy Air Force in September, 1942. He was called to service January, 1943. After graduation in Pensacola, Florida in November, 1944, he was stationed in Northern Africa with an Air Sea Rescue Squadron. Bob was a Naval Aviator, Lieutenant Junior Grade. On one of his missions he was able to visit the Vatican in Rome. After serving his term in the service his honorable discharge was in January, 1946. Bob returned home (Goff, KS) after the service and then worked for Goodyear in Topeka, KS for several years. Bob joined the KS Highway Patrol in 1949 starting out in Topeka, then was transferred to Concordia, KS and was transferred to Chanute, KS retiring in 1982. He worked at Chanute TV for several years after his retirement. He was hired at the Friskel Funeral Home in Chanute and was employed there part time until he was 90 years old. Robert still lives in Chanute. Please wish him a Happy Birthday by sending cards to him at his assisted living facility. Thank you!
Please send your cards on or before 8/16 to this address:
Robert Huerter Guest Home Estates II 1202 S. Plummer Chanute, KS 66720
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Mission 77 (part 4): Send by 8/24
Pat's 101st!
You may remember Pat from Mission 56. We sent cards for her 100th birthday. A member of Janine's Team live near her town and has become her friend and they recently met at their local VFW. During their visit, she talked about how much she loved receiving cards from everyone on her 100th. She saved them all and reads through them often! In fact, she is still writing people back from last year. She said, "I wonder if they will send some for my 101st birthday." (She doesn't know it, but the answer is .... YES we will!!)
A bit more about Pat: She is a WWII veteran who served in the Navy and was with the first group of women that were sent over to Pearl Harbor after the bombing.. She taught Reading and writing to the troops.
Pat is a remarkable woman. She owns and maintains her own home. Drives herself. Is the treasurer for her local Eastern Star. Makes blankets for veterans at the VA hospital. Makes prayer shawls for people that are ill. The list goes on and on.
Please send your cards on or before 8/24 to this address:
Pat Rudd
1065 E. 10th Street
St. Cloud, FL 34769
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Interested in booking Janine Stange to speak at your corporate, school, or organization's virtual - or in-person event?
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Below are updates on past missions:
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Mission 72 (part 2): Complete!
Clyde's 96th
A note from his daughter Linda: I want all involved with the birthday card missions to know how incredibly awesome they are and how much surprise and joy and they bring to the veterans and how much their efforts, cards and messages are appreciated by the vets and their families. I did not tell my dad anything and then one day he goes to get his mail from the box and had 25 birthday cards and more and more continued to arrive. When he told me about the first big haul I said wow, thatās really nice to be getting cards even 2 weeks before your birthday! His reply was so funny. He said slowly, well, yeahā¦but I donāt know any of these people! But they seem to know me, that I was in the Navy, a bricklayer, a fireman, etc! LOLI still didnāt tell him. He read every card and the personal messages and memories people included about their service/occupations/relatives who served were just priceless! He brought a stash of his cards to our birthday gathering and went around questioning each of my siblings and his grandchildren ā¦.Do you know anything about these? (as he held up his cards) Finally, when he confronted me, I said ..maybe! Why? Are you happy or aggravated? When he said he was honored, I told him how it was coordinated by a wonderful, patriotic young lady named Janineā¦..sheās the attractive woman in the āpictureā you received Dad! . He even received a card from a young boy who was doing a report for school who wrote a nice letter and asked him questions and included a SASE for him to reply! What a great way to share history and connect the old and the new generations! May the Lord bless you and your card angels/warriors and keep you happy and healthy. You are making many birthdays, some of which may be the last one celebrated on earth, extra, extra special! Thank you doesnāt seem like enough!
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Mission 75: Complete!
Francis' 97th
A note from Francis' son: Thanks very much to all for arranging this wonderful celebration of my fatherās 97th birthday and WWII service! Our birthday party yesterday was a happy and huge success! We received 243 cards (stack shown in basket) and captured the moment in this family photo: from L to R, son David, FD āTurkā Therkelson, wife Willene, and my sister, Shari.
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Mission 73 (part 2): Complete!
Charles Mitchell's 100th
Thank you so much for helping Make Charlie's 100th birthday on the 4th of July over the top special...He loved receiving all the thoughtful cards.. -Joanne Daniels (friend)
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Mission 73 (part 1): Complete!
Marjie's 99th
Marjie's 99th today! She was completely surprised and thrilled ... and will spend many days opening up each card !!! Thank you so much! Karen Murphy
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Mission 71 (part 1): Complete!
David Hoffman's 75th
Dearest Janine, I didnāt tell David about your card missions until his birthday (May 3); so for three plus weeks, he kept saying āI donāt know these folks ā, or āHow do they know so much about me?ā every time he received one of his 300 plus cards. We were both so incredibly touched by each and every one! America is blessed with so many wonderful people and you have brought them together. Thank you so much!!! Sincerely, Olivia PS: I wish I could have gotten all the cards in the pictureā¦.AMAZING all the handmade and David specific (GTO, Army) cards he received. AND a scrapbook page!!!
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Mission 71 (part 6): Complete!
Tom P's 75th
Tom's sister said he was OVERWHELMED by the cards he received!
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Want to see more pics from past missions? |
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National Anthem Girl Documentary |
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In 2014, Long Island native, Janine Stange, became the first person in history to sing the Star-Spangled Banner in all 50 U.S. states. This documentary chronicles her inspiring journey, promoting patriotism and generating gratitude for our troops, from pro baseball parks in Ohio, to donkey basketball games in West Virginia, to a battleship in Hawaii, and all states in between. Available on Amazon Prime and PureFlix. |
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Click image above to watch on |
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Amazon Prime |
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