Aloha to Delta Gamma's "Do Good" Week

I am an alumni member of Delta Gamma aka DG.   DG designated September 10 - 16 as "Do Good" Week.  I invited authors connected to sororities (DG and others) to share how they "Do Good" in their community - they'll appear later this week.

I kick off "Do Good" Week at SOS Aloha with my own efforts. I support three charitable endeavors - military appreciation, animal rescue, and food banks.  Here is my "Top  5" ways you can get involved:

1. Display the American Flag at home and work.

2. Send a care package to a soldier through USO Cares (link). Romance author Megan Mitcham is also accepting thank you letters for military/veterans at this link.

3. Thank anyone in uniform ... or those who wear military ball caps, T-shirts, etc. Most likely they are a veteran.

4.  Find an animal shelter near you - inquire how you can help. My family buys food and litter from the commissary and donates to 3 shelters in Howard County.  One shelter accepts donations of clean linens, towels, and blankets that I can no longer use due to tears, fading, etc.  I also donate the used toner cartridges from home and work so the animal shelter can receive a credit from Staples for office supplies.

5.  Find a food bank near you - inquire how to help.  Recruit volunteers from your church, neighborhood, or scouts to collect canned goods from shoppers outside a local grocery store.  This makes it easy for shoppers to donate ... and highlights the need to continually stock food banks.

I am giving away a swag pack from RWA17 to four randomly selected commenters from my posts published in the month of September. To enter the giveaway, 

1.  Leave any comment - anything goes!

2. Comments are open through Saturday, September 30, 10 pm in Baltimore.

3. I'll post the winner on Sunday, October 1.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Remembering Veterans Day

From the Department of Veteran Affairs (link),

World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

Veterans Day is a time for us to remember those who served and sacrificed.   The RomVets, female veterans who write romance books, continue to serve ...

Geri Krotow, Navy Veteran, is hosting me on her blog today at this link.  Learn how you can support her in sending romance books to deployed service personnel.

Diana Cosby, Navy Veteran, kicks off the 5th Annual Food Bank Food Drive Challenge at this link.  Diana is giving away her MacGruder Brothers series to one randomly selected reader who leaves a comment on her Facebook about giving to a food bank.

Jessica Scott, Army active duty, is hosting a fundraiser for Project Sanctuary at this link.   From its website, "Project Sanctuary takes our military families from battle-ready to family-ready by providing six-day, outdoor, therapeutic retreats in a healing environment and ongoing family support services for two years following each retreat."

Wreaths Across America is accepting donations to place a wreath at military gravesites as part of its mission (link), "Our mission, Remember, Honor, Teach, is carried out in part by coordinating wreath laying ceremonies a specified Saturday in December at Arlington, as well as veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond."

Readers can support deployed personnel through Operation Holiday Card at this link.

PBS is hosting a special program, NAVY SEALS - THEIR UNTOLD STORY, 9 pm - 11 pm, Eastern Standard Time.  For more information, check out this link.

Mahalo,

Kim in Baltimore
Aloha Spirit in Charm City

Boy Scouts lay lei at Punchbowl
National Cemetery of the Pacific