Article Contributed on: 11/3/2009 8:41:12 AM
Veterans, moms and dads and siblings of active duty troops, Mile High Young Marines and a variety of other patriotic "pilgrims" will gather for the fourth year to Fill the Mayflower for military families in need. This year the need is even greater. Military families are struggling through the choppy economic seas like all other Americans, and many Colorado troops are currently deployed.
This is the fourth annual Fill the Mayflower drive. After three years, what have we learned??? . . . That no matter the blizzards (we had one the first day of the drive in 2008), no matter the bitingly cold winds (ever present each year), no matter the lack of accessible bathroom facilities, and no matter our proclivity to contract pneumonia over the course of the drive - if the need is there, we step up to make sure these families who are sacrificing to serve our country get thanked.
This year Homefront Heroes, the military support non-profit that has spearheaded this drive every year, will be joined by Buehler Mayflower (our steadfast donor of the "ship" each year), Operation Restoration at Lost and Found Inc., Clear Channel, and our enthusiastic new hosts, the Arvada Elks. The ship will dock from November 13-15 in the south parking lot of the Arvada Elks Lodge, 5707 Yukon in Olde Town Arvada. Pilgrims will receive donations at the ship from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. that Friday through Sunday. Volunteers are welcome. And, pilgrims are encouraged to oversee their own food drives prior to the Fill the Mayflower weekend. They can drop off their cornucopia of donations anytime that weekend.
When the ship is filled (it must be filled!) it will set sail for Buckley Air Force Base. It will dock there and the First Sgts. Council will unload and distribute the bounty. Every year the First Sgts. Council identifies those families in need, ensuring that they have a blessed holiday season.
To volunteer or for more information call Linda "Ole" Ferguson, 303-523-2971 or email olefergie@msn.com. Pilgrims are also encouraged to visit the Homefront Heroes website, www.homefrontheroes.us.
Linda "Ole" Ferguson runs Homefront Heroes