When one of my instructors asked if any of her students knew of a printing company that would help with the publication of a yearbook for her son’s battalion in Iraq, I was compelled to help. I am a junior at Regis University and my instructor’s name is Lynn Kelly. Her son’s name is Ryan. After visiting with her about Ryan and his request for help, I phoned Tim Ballinger, owner of Raven Printing in Lakewood, and told him about Ryan’s request. He and his staff have kindly agreed to help.
Captain Ryan Kelly is a Black Hawk helicopter pilot with the Army National Guard’s 1-150th General Support Aviation Battalion (also known as the Vandals) stationed at Speicher Air Force Base near Tikrit, Iraq. It is Captain Kelly’s wish to present the Vandals with a yearbook that will capture and memorialize their efforts while serving our country during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Also involved in this project is Lieutenant Colonel Mark Preston, Ryan’s commanding officer and the 1-150th General Support Aviation Battalion Auxiliary (GSAB).
Our goal is to raise $35,000 for 500 books, of which nearly half has been donated by the GSAB. We are now asking for others to help through advertisements, boosters, contributions, and donations in order to help offset printing and binding costs.
Read Lieutenant Colonel Preston and Captain Kelly’s biographies and visit the GSAB website, http://www.gsabfrg.org, read Lieutenant Preston’s newsletter (the link is on the left side of the web page). The Vandals will be returning from Iraq in November and we would like to be there with the yearbooks. Our deadline for raising funds is September 30.
If you would like to donate to this worthy project, which is a tax-exempt organization, pleasecontact Marie Patterson at 303-889-0753 or Tim Ballinger at 303-989-9888.