Every year from May through June 14th the President, Congress and the Department of Defense call upon all Americans to participate in National Military Appreciation Month (NMAM). This includes VE Day, Military Spouses Day, Loyality Day, Armed Forces Day, National Day of Prayer, Memorial Day and Flag Day.
"I wanted to create an event that would become an annual program in our community in Tulsa," says Blue Star Mother, Kelly Cross Oakes. "The goal of this event, Operation American Soldier, is to promote patriotism and community support for our past and present U.S. military service members and their families, and raise money for the Freedom Boxes that Blue Star Mothers of America - Oklahoma Chapter 1 send to our soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq."
Kelly Says that the events of September 11, 2001 filled her with tremendous grief.
To express her deep feelings during that time, Kelly wrote the poem "Dear American Soldier."
For Operation American Soldier, Kelly has assembled area student volunteers, from elementary to college age, to sell wristbands and shirts with Dear American Soldier imprinted on them during the month of May. The bands will sell for $5 and the T-shirts for $10.
With the help of Jonathan Ratzlaff, a homeschool senior and web designer, Kelly's poem will also be available as an electronic greeting card on her web site www.gloryfirst.com. Additionally, Kelly says volunteers will hold events at Reasor's Food locations in Tulsa and surrounding communities. A donation box will be available with the supply list for those who would like to purchase items for the Freedom Boxes that Blue Star Mothers send to troops overseas. Kelly plans to have a sample box at the community events.
"for those Oklahomans who haven't seen our Freedom Boxes," says Kelly, "they're quite impressive. It's amazing how much you can get into such a small space."
The postage for the boxes is one of the organization's greatest expenses, costing between $17 to $24.
To culminate the month-long event, Kelly is planning a Recognition Dinner on Flag Day, June 14, 2005, where she will give each student volunteer a certificate for his or her involvement. Guest of honor will be Gaye Beatt, President of Blue Star Mothers Chapter 1 to whom the student volunteers will present their fundraising check. Other guests include soldiers who served in World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq volunteers.
"I am asking each soldier to give a brief account of the importance of serving the United States of America as a military service member to our young American citizens,: said Kelly. "It is my prayer that the students will finish this event with a strong sense of American patriotism, a greater understanding of our American Heritage, and that they as young Americans have participated in something very special."
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April 16, 2005, the Tulsa City-County Library hosted its 5th annual 'Harold Charney Poetry Contest' for 5th grade students. Heather Ryan, a student at Marquette Catholic School in Tulsa read the poem Dear American Soldier by Kelly Cross Oakes and received a 3rd place honor. Heather is a student volunteer in Operation American Soldier, a Tulsa and surrounding community - fundraising event scheduled for May 2005 in support of National Military Appreciation Month (www.nmam.org) and Blue Star Mothers of America, Oklahoma Chapter 1 (www.okbluestarmothers.org) Heather says she chose the poem because her father William Ryan is in the military and he had the poem hanging on his wall. "I like that Kelly Cross Oakes is supportive of American soldiers," said Heather. "It made me feel patriotic to read the poem."
