Tag: Iraq

Rep. Giffords Shares Special Bond with Veteran Invited to State of the Union

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This story about an Iraqi War veteran who helped inspire Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ fight to come back from a devastating brain injury caused in a shooting just over a year ago is worth a read:

By Dustin Volz
Cronkite News
Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012

 
WASHINGTON – Just hours before the State of the Union address Tuesday, Brian Kolfage was in Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ office, reflecting on the determination and perseverance of the congresswoman.

“She’s a tough woman,” Kolfage said of Giffords, whose recovery from a 2011 shooting captivated the nation. “I know she’ll overcome it (her injuries) and she’ll be stronger.”

But before Giffords inspired the nation, Kolfage – who lost both legs and an arm in a 2004 mortar attack in Iraq – inspired her.

Read the entire story here: http://cronkitenewsonline.com/2012/01/giffords-shares-special-bond-with-veteran-invited-to-state-of-the-union/

Operation Showers of Appreciation

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InspiredON by Giving — Kimberly Felshaw was featured in the most recent People magazine (Aug. 16, 2010 – cover photo of Chelsea Clinton’s wedding) for throwing baby showers for expecting military families. Her Operation Showers of Appreciation was born out of one of the most inspiring times of her life and one of the most tragic.

Kimberly is an ex-active duty Marine, and her husband, Josh, is a sergeant in the Corps. Their church threw them a baby shower when they were expecting their baby, Allysa. However, Allysa was born with a terminal condition and died at just three weeks. Kimberly’s thoughts drifted back to the shower that their church had organized for them; she says she didn’t know many of those who contributed gifts for the shower. That helped inspire Kimberly to create what is now Operation Showers of Appreciation (OSOA), which has been able to provide $250,000 of baby-related items to some 500 military families, according to the People magazine story. Continue reading “Operation Showers of Appreciation” →