Positivity: Letters From Home
<http://www.bizzyblog.com/2010/06/01/positivity-letters-from-home/>
Filed under: Positivity <http://www.bizzyblog.com/category/positivity/>,
US & Allied Military <http://www.bizzyblog.com/category/us-military/>
--- TBlumer @ 5:57 am
From Ridgefield, Connecticut
<http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/05/16/letters-from-home/> (HT
Noel Sheppard at NewsBusters
<http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/05/30/memorial-day-special-woman-writes-letters-local-soldiers-42-years>):
Doris Ventres is considered a real American Hero by many people in
her hometown of Ridgefield Connecticut, and it's easy to see why.
"Mrs. V" as shes known, has been hand writing letters to U.S.
soldiers from Ridgefield serving overseas for 42 years. This 82-year
old 8th generation Ridgefielder was inspired to start her letter
writing campaign one day while walking out of her local church. She
explains, "I saw this nice plaque, a beautiful bronze plaque, in
memory of two of the boys that had been killed at war. In fact, I
went to school with one of them -- and I thought -- you know, why
can't we do something about it before they are gone?"
That's when she got the idea to send hand written notes, detailing
all the "goings on" at home, so that the troops from Ridgefield
would feel included in the town's activities. Church plays, the
changing of the colors of trees, even what the local fishermen were
catching, no one has missed a thing thanks to Mrs. V.
Doris knows first hand just how much a letter from home can mean to
someone serving overseas. Her husband George was in the Navy, as
well as her father-in-law. Doris and George have been married for 62
years, and still live in the home that they built with their own
hands. (George says Doris was even up on the roof pounding nails
with a hammer and did a great job!) They have two sons, Tad and
Dale, and have two grandchildren.
The couple that met at a square dance, and went fishing on their
second date, have a lifelong commitment to their family and
community that has given back to them many times over. Earlier this
year, one veteran who spent two tours of duty in Iraq with the U.S.
Air Force organized a special surprise event for Mrs. V to honor her
hard work. One retired Army major who remembers a letter Doris wrote
him while serving in Kuwait in 1991 told the crowd "The letters we
got from her were a lifeline back to the world we came from.. They
were like a cool drink of water."
Many troops are so happy to hear from her, they not only write her
back from the field, but stay in touch with her after they are
discharged.
Troops write her back It's something that keeps her smiling from ear
to ear. Doris has an entire room in her house dedicated to her
letter writing, and keeps every memento, letter, and flag she has
received over the years. She calls it her "Memory Room." ...
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