Holiday program needs help identifying wounded Soldiers

ARNEWS

A new initiative to honor and say “thank you” to wounded U.S. service members began recently, and the organizers are asking for your help.

“Yellow Ribbons for Wounded Troops” will enable anyone with access to the Internet to send a yellow ribbon, a personal “thank you” of sorts, to show wounded U.S. service members appreciation for their sacrifice and service.

The organizers, a partnership between CarePages, Inc., and the United Services Organization, hope that 1 million yellow ribbons will be sent during the upcoming holiday season to service members convalescing in hospitals and their homes or who have recovered from their injuries.

But to reach the goal of honoring these deserving men and women injured in the line of duty, the organizers need the help of military friends, family and the public. Here’s what you can do:

• If you know a wounded service member, post his or her photo and their brief story at www.carepages.com/yellow-ribbons. The posting is free, easy to do, takes only minutes to complete and it appears immediately on a “Yellow Ribbon” tribute page honoring them.

• Click on a photo, read that person’s story and then send the person a yellow ribbon. Anyone can visit the site and send a yellow ribbon without charge.

“We have an ambitious goal, and with help from military families and the public, we believe we can reach it,” said Edward A. Powell, USO President and CEO. “If you know a wounded service member, post their photo and story on the Yellow Ribbons for Wounded Troops site so that everyone can read their story and thank them for their service and sacrifice.

“All those who have served and sacrificed for our country deserve our gratitude, and we would like to thank them personally,” Powell said. “Yellow Ribbons for Wounded Troops” is just one element of “Operation: Show You Care,” an online program by CarePages.com and the USO available at carepages.com/wounded-troops.

“We have hundreds of thousands of service member heroes whose physical and emotional wounds can be eased or for whom an expression of gratitude would be welcomed if we simply take a few moments to say thanks,” said Eric Langshur, CEO, CarePages, Inc.

Information from a news release contributed to this article.