What one person can do...

Well, we’ve reached the last day of January in the New Year and as we look back at it and how well we have or have not kept or resolutions so far, I want to tell you about a friend of mine and what one person can do to touch the lives of many people.

Yeppers, I am happy to say Kelley Graznow is a friend of mine! I met her on Christine Feehan’s Yahoo Discussion loop way back when I truly was timid and shy. She is one of the first friends I made. I give her credit as being one of the ones who lured me to the dark side. *g* Along with several other ladies from all over the planet, we have shared many laughs, tears and cyber hugs. I am still amazed how we all bonded and have become an internet family.

So I already knew Kelley is a wonderful person with a generous heart and it didn’t surprise me when she started writing to soldiers and sending packages. But what it has grown into *blink*

You see, Kelly works at customer service, first for America West now US Airways. At her job she sees a lot of our troops saying goodbye to family and friends as they ship off overseas, especially after 9-11. It was a sad atmosphere in the Port Columbus Airport and she wanted to do something. Find someway to make these men and women feel appreciated and not so alone when far from home.

A friend told her how to get in touch with someone who had names and addresses of some soldiers, for security you can’t just mail to “Any Soldier” you needed names. Well she started with a few, and they wrote back, some giving her names of other soldiers that could use some TLC. She added them to her list and started sending them packages. Her understanding husband helping and not killing her when she maxed out the credit card to do it. And her list kept growing…She recruited friends and students in her son’s schools. She sends us addresses when a birthday or holiday is coming up and we send cards and packages too. Authors like Lori Foster, Christine Feehan, and Marjorie Lui lend a hand, spreading the word and donating some funds and books.

On December 16th she was interviewed by the Columbus Dispatch and on New Years Eve She was honored by the NHL Columbus Blue Jackets as one of 7 2007 Community Teammate Award recipients… She isn’t doing this for public praise and isn't fond of being in front of crowds, (*g* I think she is very deserving of the award and Congratulations to her !!!! You should read some of the Kudos she received on Lori Foster's Dec. 19 my space blog! )But she does it for the soldiers, each one she writes to becomes like family to her. She said if this fifteen minutes of fame helps get the word out, helps people want to support our soldiers then she will. She went to the game and she and her family had a great time. (Oh I wonder how red her face was!)

I love the article! Give it a read Woman, her army ship joy to troops
Get to know a little about what she does and how she’s affecting the lives of young men and women she never even met. Then decide if you would like to help out and get involved. It doesn’t take much to send an extra card in the mail or pick up some items for a package, or send a small amount of money so she can continue to send more but it means so much to the soldiers at the receiving end.

Contact her below and may your heart feel the joy touching the life of a stranger can bring,
Hugs
Mari

SOS
attn Kelley Granzow
PO BOX 624
Brice, OH 43109

email: kelleygranzow@yahoo.com