About two weeks ago, we announced on the Tied the Leader Blog that we would be holding a contest on January 17th to raise money for the Tied the Leader Foundation. The importance of the day January 17th, is “1-17,” three numbers having a certain significance in Halo 3, our community’s virtual battleground in which we socialize. A nice surprise was that we would have 21 winners in the contest, with first place snagging a signed soundtrack by the composer of the Halo game franchise, Martin O’Donnell.

The process went fluidly and before we knew it we were gathering the information, crossing our “T”s and dotting the “I”s and deciding on the winners. The winners were just announced yesterday on the Tied the Leader Blog. We had hoped to raise a fair amount, but due to the overwhelming response, we were able to raise $500 from the contest! That, coupled with the Washington Redskins matching us, totaled a cool $1000. Due to all the prizes being donated, we were able to hand it all over to the TTL Foundation, and thus, directly to the soldiers in need.

Our annual Chicago event was held a month an a half ago. Dubbed “ChicagoLANd,” this year introduced a new way for community members to donate money to the Tied the Leader Foundation, through silent auctions. From various donated items, we were able to raise $500 from our Chicago gathering. All funds were donated to the Azalea Charities Aid to Wounded Soldiers and were graciously matched by the Washington Redskins to finalize a total of $1000 raised from our 2007 Chicago event.

Only one year ago, it was this same event that was the podium for the announcement that Tied the Leader was going to launch an official charity. For more insight into the inner workings of ChicagoLANd 2007, check out the write-up on the Tied the Leader Blog.

It is with great pleasure that we present to you this unique charity that caters to the needs of the wounded serviceman & servicewoman. This charity is a small organization created by one man and his desire to help. It is unique in that it helps the soldier on a personal level – directly! Because of its size, it is able to focus on the immediate, personal needs of wounded soldiers coming in to the states directly from the battle field. Conversely, because of its size, it is continually in need of assistance by way of donations.

Azalea Charities Aid to Wounded Soldiers:

The following story comes from George Kraus, the founder of this charity. It is both sobering and inspiring at the same time. I have intentionally put this story here, so that you will have an understanding of the “Big Picture” as you read through what this charity is about. It is not simply about giving some money to an organization, it is about the sincere desire to do something good, beyond material donations!

“I was to receive a steroid injection in my knee to relieve the pain temporarily until replacement surgery a month later. I was in the cast room of the orthopedic ward of Walter Reed Army Medical Center. I thought I had steeled myself from the expected sights of wounded soldiers. Nonetheless, I entered the room with downcast eyes, determined to keep my emotions in check.
As the technician searched for the right spot for the needle, I heard a muffled moan from the gurney next to mine and saw a young woman with a mangled foot and stitched leg. She was crying quietly as the stitches were removed, one at a time. The stitches stretched from her groin to her ankle, there were hundreds of them. I looked away and distracted myself with mental games. I thought of my garden at home, I dreamed of sports victories, anything to keep from hearing that poor woman’s cries; however, nothing worked.
As each cry came, I lost a little more of my self-control as I was forced to confront the intimate painful reality of war. I saw the woman’s father hold her hand. He murmured comforting words, their hands were clasped. I knew what the father was thinking and feeling. The woman was no older than my own daughter, no older than the children of my retired Marine neighbor, of the twins down the street.
‘Give the pain to me, let me suffer for you’ – the father must have been wishing. I wished the same and felt helpless as each cry, each hand clasped in pain registered my impotence and futility. I wanted to strike out at whoever made this necessary, I wanted to cry out at the unfairness of it, of this young woman just entering adult life, mangled and tearful and wracked with pain. I wanted to get out of there.
But the only thing I could do, the only balm to my guilt at having somehow caused this to happen, was to stay there and feel every painful moment with the woman, to bear witness to her agony, to understand that after the theorists and politicians shut up and go away, that this is what war is about. A young woman in agony on a gurney. One stitch out, two stitches out, hundreds more to go. I looked up and away, on the edge of panic and tears. No relief to be found, legless men were being wheeled in, trailed by attendant wives and parents. Bright faced legless young eighteen year old children.
May God help me to forget this sight I thought. May God forgive me if I ever do.”

George Kraus
Aid for Wounded Soldiers

Why was the Foundation created? That is why! Aid for Wounded Soldiers’ mission is to provide comfort and relief items for soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who are sick, injured or wounded from service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Though these men and women are located in large hospitals such as Northern Virginia’s Military Medical Centers, VA Medical Centers and Fisher House rehabilitation facilities, their unique personal needs are, in many cases beyond these organizations abilities. This charity specifically targets those needs as its mission. Aid for Wounded Soldiers’ task is to lift their spirits and enhance their morale by contributing quality of life items.

For example, when the wounded arrive at these hospitals, many of them are still wearing the uniform that they were wounded in. In essence, the only clothes they have are the gowns given to them by the hospital when they arrived. These individuals will need civilian clothes.

Another example that I want to share revolves around a conversation I had with Mr. Kraus relating to phone cards given to the wounded while they are in the hospital. These men and women have an intense loyalty to their “brothers and sisters” who are still over there, doing their job. More than anything, most of the wounded want to return as soon as possible to be with their kindred. At the very least, they wish to keep in contact with those they feel they left behind. In addition to clothing, phone cards are a considerable need to this charity’s mission, to the extent that by November 10, 2006 the charity had amassed over 1,120,000 phone card minutes donated to the wounded.

This charity acts on a personal level and its needs are based on weekly wish lists provided by the hospitals. Because of Mr. Kraus’ efforts, the hospitals submit to him on a weekly basis the personal needs of the wounded that week. This charity finds itself purchasing items such as phone cards, DVD movies, portable DVD players, CD’s, men’s & women’s clothing, electric razors (for wounded soldiers on blood thinners), 39 cent stamps, gift coupons from Subway, Burger King and Dunkin Donuts (these places are in the Walter Reed hospital and it allows the patients the chance to choose something special to eat instead of hospital food). Also, Books-on-CD (for blind soldiers).

It is because of the unique needs of this charity that we will focus our efforts in cash donations. This money will then be spent to obtain the consistent items that are needed by the wounded. The purchase of these items will be done by Mr. Kraus personally, who will then disperse these items where needed to the following locations: Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the National Naval Medical Center (Bethesda), the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center (Richmond) and to 3/14 Golf Battery, 4th platoon, USMC, Al Qaim, Iraq.

In speaking with Mr. Kraus, we have obtained a specific list of items that are needed:

46 pairs of sweat suit tops and bottoms
20 black backpacks (used to carry personal gear slung on the back of wheelchairs)
2 blenders (for soldiers with their jaws wired shut),
2 speaker phones (for soldiers with missing or injured hands or fingers)
10 electric razors (for soldiers on blood thinners)
2 camel bags
32 pairs of gloves and hats and 8 coats for children of the wounded
192 items of clothing and personal care items,
7 cases of toiletries, and 450 items of sample-size toiletries
2263 minutes of phone card time
1 DVD player,
31 DVD movies,
29 music CDs

Due to the complexity of obtaining and shipping the above items, we ask that if you choose to donate toward this charity, that you do so in the form of cash donations. At the end of this, we will submit a check to George Kraus so that he can make the purchase of the above items.

For all who wish to participate, SPREAD THE WORD! We do not need to keep this within our walls. Tell the world about the Aid to Wounded Soldiers Charity and Mr. Kraus. You’ll be glad you did!

For more information on Aid to Wounded Soldiers charity as well as other charities sponsored by Azalea Charities , please visit their website at azaleacharities.org.

I have always felt that there exists an innate sense of community among every human being. Moreover, I have also thought that in regards to this community, that serving one another in a selfless conduct is the vehicle by which one grows and begins to transcend the norm. Altruism brings a sense of completion to an individual and it heals our souls. It is that sense of realization that the Tied the Leader Foundation wishes to instill in each participant of this charity. Together, we will make a difference. We will turn our efforts into substance by changing the lives of real human beings on a personal level. We will seek out those who are in need and we will deliver hope. This physical life has but one end and how we choose to live this life will follow us. I take a grand pleasure in knowing that our work will not be in vain and that our efforts will reflect on us in this life and the next!