Thank you Kathi. For the fourth year now you’ve been kind enough to put together this look back at the past year of posts for us. xoxoxox
Wednesday Hero – 2009/2010
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
Quite possibly my favorite song of all time. If anyone as ever wanted to know who I am, this song, this album, is me. One of the best outros ever, the one in this video and on the album. Don’t know how good the quality of the video is but watch it in the dark, and on the biggest screen you can, to get the best viewing. Amazing. Or better yet, buy the DVD.
Mrs. Barbara Hansell spoke before a packed house on August 28, 2010, 1 day before the 5 year Katrina Anniversary. Her home was one of the 50 homes being fixed through Rebuilding Together’s “Heroes at Home” program for the Fifty for Five, sponsored by Sears/K-Mart. Through many hardships and the recent loss of her Vietnam Veteran husband, she inspired all of us with her faith and strength, as well as her love for New Orleans. She lived in her Gentilly home happily for 10 years, before it took in eight feet of water. Not only did her husband serve, but her 2 sons and daughter-in-law, currently serve in the Navy. She has since been displaced to Atalanta and is anxious to come home. Mrs. Hansell will be home in her house in New Orleans very soon with the help of people, organizations and companies who care.
I am writing this to you on the 5th Anniversary of Katrina. Having spent the past 3 days in New Orleans with Rebuilding Together, I am truly humbled by the likes of Mrs. Hansell at all the other recipients of assistance. This program gives hard working people who fell on hard times, a “leg up” not a “hand out.” New Orleans will be proud to have Mrs. Hansell back home and will welcome her with open arms (me included)!
I did not get a job with the Louisiana National Guard last year because I refused to give up my on-line voice, my social media “habit.” So I turned my day around (Fish Philosphy) and started Yatmedia (social media consulting) in January. In the past month, I was sponsored by USAA and Sears to cover events because of my social media influence. Now I was asked to be a session panelist at the upcoming U.S. Army Commanders’ Conference. I truly struggled about giving up my on-line life for the job and must give credit to my 14 year old son who helped me make the right decision. He said, “Mom, you have worked so hard on the internet for years to make a name for yourself. Please do not let that go for a job. You will be very unhappy.” Maybe I finally know what to do when I grow up! And it is too much fun to call it work!
Well it has been a crazy day getting up early to interview Kevin Brown, VP, Chief Marketing Officer of Home Appliances for Sears Holding Corporation at the crack of dawn. After that, I was building a fence all day until we got rained out and in a little bit – am off to a reception- nuts! But I wanted to get a blog post off to you quickly. You see, Kevin “gets” New Orleans as he was born and raised here. He is very proud of working for Sears and being part of Heroes at Home for the past 4 years. Sears has raised over 10 million dollars mostly by consumers at Sears and Kmart giving a buck here and there at the check out. What really impressed me is 90 cents on the dollar goes directly into the project. They have completed 750 homes and of course, furnished them with appliances. Now let me remind you, Sears is not paying me to write this, but is sponsoring me so I can be part of the Fifty for Five program this week. Yep, I’m darn impressed with Rebuilding Together as a whole, but thrilled that Home for Heroes is helping veterans (you know that is my passion).
My good friend JP over at Milblogging, referred Sears PR to me when were looking for a Milblogger in New Orleans to cover an amazing project through Rebuilding Together called “Fifty for Five.” Well, I fit the bill perfectly as someone who is influential (hopefully a good influence haha) through in social media avenues and connected to the military through Soldiers’ Angels and various other organizations. Sears is one of the corporate sponsors of this program, but it involves a plethora of other companies, organizations and individuals to make this happen. Beginning today, I will be on a blogging journey as I become part of the media team to cover “Fifty for Five.” This program represents 50 houses being built in Gentilly for the 5 year Hurricane Katrina Anniversary. Gentilly experienced severe devastation as a result of the collapse of the London Avenue Canal Wall.
website
****Follow me on Twitter for the ever @kissmygumbo #fiftyforfive and Rebuilding Together @rbldtgthr
****I would love to have you follow me on Facebook (I will friend you back)
****Disclaimer: I am not getting paid to blog about this program. But, Sears is sponsoring my hotel, food and expenses while I cover the event in New Orleans.
September 1, 2010 
Posted in Afghanistan, Christopher Lee, Iraq, Military, Veterans, War On Terror, Wednesday Hero 
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