Manasota Operation Troop Support Update

Welcome home John, Gerald and Kristen!

Farewell and be safe Don, Brian and Andrew.

Troops come home and more deploy to the Middle East. That is the rythm of life in the military and here at Manasota Operation Troop Support.

Our Packing Party For The Troops in April had a big turnout, including two active military troops. Bradenton and Sarasota county patriots continue to care for our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Coasties and Marines. The next packing party is scheduled for May 18th, 9am, 4301 32nd Street West, Suite C20 in Bradenton. If you're late you will miss out on all of the fun!

Our pantry was empty but it is filling up again slowly.  Thank you to all who are restocking the shelves.  As always beef jerky, slim jims, single serve drink mixes, canned pastas, and Clif Bars are always in short supply. 

Hernando Desoto Seafood Fest was a huge success in April and also threw a huge fish our way in the form of a $7,000 donation by the Hernando Desoto Historical Society. HOOAH!! Thank you so much to all of those at the society who care for our troops and shared with us to keep the packages going to our combat troops.

GulfcoastGives surprised MOTS in a big way too, in the form of a philanthropy award for $5,000!  Mots uses the online giving site to let the community know how they can help us financially.  There is a giving project posted right now at gulfcoastgives.org to help pay for postage for care packages to our local deployed combat troops.  With only $238 to be fulfilled, I'm hoping some of you will donate or share this with your friends so that we can write another project to build new shelves in our warehouse. (It's getting very messy in our warehouse.)

Hap's Cycle Sales will have a donation box set up for MOTS at their Bikers N Chiks Fila Egg Run on Sunday.  Shop, shop, vroom, vroom! Thank you to the Hap family for this.

Tribute to Heroes Parade is May 26th at Lakewood Ranch Main Street and MOTS is the beneficiary of food for our troops and monetary donations.  It is a great hometown parade with floats(yes, we did happen to take 1st place last year), decorated bikes, ponies on parade, music, food and fun.  MOTS will be there with our tent where you can write a postcard to a troop to put into their next care package. Lakewood Ranch Community Center puts on a great party, so mark your calendar, parade starts at 6pm!

Publix has invited MOTS to their two Lakewood Ranch stores on May 25th between 10am and 1pm, so come on out and see us. We will have a display at the exit and be collecting change for postage costs. Thank you, Publix.

Pickin' and Pizza has started up at MOTS. Matt, class guitar instructor, will be there each Tuesday night at 6:30pm for our veterans to learn or grow as a musician and chat it up with other young vets. And, of course, there will be pizza! Call me at 782-0748 with any questions.  We do have some guitars if you don't already own one, so don't let that stop you.

Manatee High School Anchor Club is collecting food and postage money for the troops this month. Thank you to all who have helped with this effort, teachers and students alike.

MOTS Founder, Jim Comkowycz, was in the office this week to drop off the first proceeds check from his newest endeavor to help veterans and the planet, Victory Garden Systems. It was so good to see him. Safe travels.

King Middle School holds it's 4th annual Firefighters VS. Teachers Basketball game on May 10th at 2:30 pm at the school.  This is a fundraiser for MOTS and a fun day for everyone who attends.

So, as you can see, our community has been very busy finding ways to reach out and support our local combat troops serving far from their homes and families. The hope that this brings to our troops' lives is immeasurable.  The love is felt far, far away.  The children's art and letters span a generation and half a world. Thank you to each and every one of you who has been a part of this hands-on community effort. I am proud to call this place my home.

Linda Craig, Director, MOTS

(941)782-0748