thedrifter
06-28-07, 07:23 AM
Posted on Thu, Jun. 28, 2007
Letters from home
By SOREN KORNEGAY
Special to The State
Donna Ammer believes in giving more than lip service to patriotism.
“You have to do something patriotic to be patriotic," the Columbia woman said.
So when her son, Lance Cpl. Joseph Ammer, began a tour of duty in February with the Marines in Iraq, she wanted to do her part to encourage him and others serving their country.
Ammer e-mailed her son’s commanding officer in March to identify soldiers in his unit who were not receiving mail from home.
After getting the names, she wrote each soldier a letter of thanks for their service while offering the same encouragement she had time and again to her own son.
But her desire to help boost their morale motivated her to get others in the community involved.
"I e-mailed all of my friends from church and the Motormaids (the motorcycle club she belongs to) and asked them to write to Marines who weren’t getting mail," Ammer said. "The idea snowballed and I had friends in North Carolina begin to write letters to another unit."
Ammer’s not sure exactly how many people have written to the soldiers but believes there could be as many as 20 people involved. Through her efforts, 13 Marines from two units who previously had not been receiving letters now receive correspondence from the states.
Ammer said the response from the soldiers has been overwhelming.
"You and your friends have been amazing," her son’s staff sergeant wrote to her in an e-mail. "We cannot thank you all enough.
“It (the letters) gives us a renewed patriotism, and helps to remind us how wonderful it is to be an American."
Among those recruited to send letters was Ammer’s friend, Faye Coats, who already had been writing to the younger Ammer in Iraq.
“I was on the e-mail list because she knew that I wrote,” said Coats, who has a son the same age as Joseph Ammer. “I think she was really thoughtful to have done it. I would have never thought of it, but I’m glad to help now that someone has pointed out to me that there is a need.”
Coats said she has written to all 13 of the soldiers, adding some of her letters are accompanied by care packages.
“If I see something in the store that might suit them then I pick it up,” she said.
Ammer’s love of country was a trait instilled in her at an early age.
"My parents taught me to say the Pledge of Allegiance, salute the flag and go to parades, which is one of the reasons that I feel strongly about our country today,” she said.
All three of her sons were Eagle Scouts, and two of them went on to serve overseas tours in the military.
But long before her own sons had enlisted, Ammer learned how helpful letters can be to a soldier’s morale. When she was 14, a cousin serving on a Navy destroyer off the coast of Vietnam wrote her and told her that many of his fellow crew members were not receiving mail. Ammer volunteered to write to those sailors who did not get mail.
"The only problem was that when the sailors got home, they all wanted to marry me," she said.
Since then, Ammer has gotten involved with "Operation Shoebox," which connects interested donors with soldiers who want to receive care packages.
"There are soldiers out there that aren’t getting mail, and that’s not right, and we need to do something about it," she said.
For more information on how to send letters or care packages to troops, or for other ideas on how to support members of the Armed Forces, area residents can visit www.operationshoebox.com, or contact Dana Ammer by email at legalmom2@hotmail.com.
Ellie
Letters from home
By SOREN KORNEGAY
Special to The State
Donna Ammer believes in giving more than lip service to patriotism.
“You have to do something patriotic to be patriotic," the Columbia woman said.
So when her son, Lance Cpl. Joseph Ammer, began a tour of duty in February with the Marines in Iraq, she wanted to do her part to encourage him and others serving their country.
Ammer e-mailed her son’s commanding officer in March to identify soldiers in his unit who were not receiving mail from home.
After getting the names, she wrote each soldier a letter of thanks for their service while offering the same encouragement she had time and again to her own son.
But her desire to help boost their morale motivated her to get others in the community involved.
"I e-mailed all of my friends from church and the Motormaids (the motorcycle club she belongs to) and asked them to write to Marines who weren’t getting mail," Ammer said. "The idea snowballed and I had friends in North Carolina begin to write letters to another unit."
Ammer’s not sure exactly how many people have written to the soldiers but believes there could be as many as 20 people involved. Through her efforts, 13 Marines from two units who previously had not been receiving letters now receive correspondence from the states.
Ammer said the response from the soldiers has been overwhelming.
"You and your friends have been amazing," her son’s staff sergeant wrote to her in an e-mail. "We cannot thank you all enough.
“It (the letters) gives us a renewed patriotism, and helps to remind us how wonderful it is to be an American."
Among those recruited to send letters was Ammer’s friend, Faye Coats, who already had been writing to the younger Ammer in Iraq.
“I was on the e-mail list because she knew that I wrote,” said Coats, who has a son the same age as Joseph Ammer. “I think she was really thoughtful to have done it. I would have never thought of it, but I’m glad to help now that someone has pointed out to me that there is a need.”
Coats said she has written to all 13 of the soldiers, adding some of her letters are accompanied by care packages.
“If I see something in the store that might suit them then I pick it up,” she said.
Ammer’s love of country was a trait instilled in her at an early age.
"My parents taught me to say the Pledge of Allegiance, salute the flag and go to parades, which is one of the reasons that I feel strongly about our country today,” she said.
All three of her sons were Eagle Scouts, and two of them went on to serve overseas tours in the military.
But long before her own sons had enlisted, Ammer learned how helpful letters can be to a soldier’s morale. When she was 14, a cousin serving on a Navy destroyer off the coast of Vietnam wrote her and told her that many of his fellow crew members were not receiving mail. Ammer volunteered to write to those sailors who did not get mail.
"The only problem was that when the sailors got home, they all wanted to marry me," she said.
Since then, Ammer has gotten involved with "Operation Shoebox," which connects interested donors with soldiers who want to receive care packages.
"There are soldiers out there that aren’t getting mail, and that’s not right, and we need to do something about it," she said.
For more information on how to send letters or care packages to troops, or for other ideas on how to support members of the Armed Forces, area residents can visit www.operationshoebox.com, or contact Dana Ammer by email at legalmom2@hotmail.com.
Ellie