October 27, 2006

Camp Lejeune’s Ballerinas

Pam of Iraq War Today is asking if we can Help Support Camp Lejeune’s Ballerinas!

Camp Lejeune has a troupe of little Heroines that really need your help.

Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune's Community Center offers dance classes to kids ages 3 -10. Instructor Lauren Kelly-Hill contacted local businesses with "we support our troops" signs in their windows, to ask for sponsorship for costumes for the kids' December holiday dance recital, in return for an ad in the recital program.

The kids need a total of $1,200 for their costumes for the December recital. Costumes and other supplies for the larger Spring recital will be about twice that.

Unfortunately, only one business responded - only to report that they were financially committed for the year. I understand that many businesses may have obligations, but I have to say, this is a pretty poor showing for a military town - especially when we're talking about businesses that declare that they "support our troops."

Supporting our troops means supporting their families, too. For many of these girls, it will be a last chance to show off before their Hero deploys - most of these Marines will be away during the Spring recital. So these little ladies really need your help.

Only $1,200 - really not much. I've got a fairly modest readership as blogs go, and if every one of my readers gave only a couple of dollars, we'd have it covered, and then some. A little more than that, and we've got Spring covered, too.

Please consider making a donation to help Camp Lejeune's ballerinas to make their holiday recital special. The donation isn't tax deductible, but as Lauren says, "it IS going for the 40 most beautiful little girls to have an awesome recital with costumes, decorations, and recital photos."

Sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

You can make your donation here. Mine's already in.

Thank you for any help you can provide to these little girls. It's going to mean more than you can know to them and to their families.

Pam sends this update:

Lauren told me that:

...this afternoon, I called all the parents into the classroom and told them about what you all had done. Their jaws dropped. Some of the moms got all choked up that people who didn't know them wanted to help them out. So it has been awesome that you all have done that!

...today, I showed the little girls the pictures of the costumes for the recital. They were saying things like, "Ooooh Miss Lauren, these are beautiful! We'll be movie stars!" I was just laughing so hard. Then when it got time to get down and rehearse, they were all so serious about doing well, now that they were going to have costumes!

We still have some work to do, so I'm challenging my readers, fellow bloggers, and all those who support our military families to ensure that not only the holiday recital, but the Spring recital as well, will be taken care of. If you can, please donate - even a
dollar will help.

If you're a blogger, or if you have a mailing list, please feel free to swipe my post and put it on your blog, or forward it to your list.

If you know a business that isn't "financially committed for the year," and really wants to support our military families, let them know about this need.

With a total need of under $4,000 to ensure that both of these recitals go off in style, the goal is well within reach.

These little girls are going to dance their hearts out for their deploying parents. Let's
make sure they can do it with all of the flash and glamor these little princesses deserve.

As Pam states, supporting the troops also means supporting their families so come on can't you spare a couple of bucks to help out these little angels of some of our finest Marines?

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