Thursday, March 31, 2011

Clock Tower Ales Holds Poker Tournament To Benefit Gorge Heroes Club

Clock Tower Ales in The Dalles is holding a poker tournament as a benefit to support the troops on Saturday April 2nd, beginning at 7 p.m. The pub, located at 311 Union Street, will have a $50 buy-in and one-half of the pot will go to the players and the other to GHC for shipment of monthly care packages to men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. A silent auction will also offer items such as gift certificates to Clock Tower and the Highway House in The Dalles, as well as other donated items. This is a great opportunity for people to have an evening of fun and take care of our troops at the same time!

Monday, March 14, 2011

GHC Receives Support From The Scouts & Familes of 314 - Washougal, Washington

The Gorge Heroes Club would like to thank the Scouts and Families of the Cub Scout Pack 314 and Boy Scout Troop 314 from Washougal, Washington for their contribution of $100.00.

The letter reads:

"Dear Volunteers of Gorge Heroes:

We were going to bring this donation to you in December but the weather turned cold and slippery so we are now mailing you our donation.

We are a small scout pack and troop but we want to help you any way we can.  This money was earned in our Annual Veteran's Appreciation Breakfast held every November (Vet's eat free).  Half of our profit went to Homes for Our Troops to help with the house for SSG Bagge in Parkdale and the other half is going to you to help our deployed personnel.

We really appreciate the work you do to help our deployed soldiers while they are serving our country in foreign lands.  We agree with you that they are our "Gorge Heroes".

Please let us know when you need more help and we will do all we can to give a hand!

Sincerely, Dave Stanton - The Scouts and Families of 314".......


We know you worked hard to earn it for our heroes.   On behalf of our members and the heroes we support, we thank you!

Honored,
Your GHC

Wasco County Commissioner Rod Runyon Challenges Other Gorge Public Officials

When the Gorge Heroes Club sent out an urgent request for assistance late Friday evening, Wasco County Commissioner Rod Runyon was the first to respond.  Not only did Commissioner Runyon donate to GHC to help with the purchase of a stove for our adopted Marine unit - he is also challenging all other Gorge Public Officials to meet or beat his donation! 

GHC is happy to report that we received word this afternoon from Hood River Mayor Author Babitz that GHC will be the recipient of this month's Hood River City Council stipend's.  These funds will be used for the purchase of dual fuel stoves - care package food/hygiene items and shipping costs.

Thank you both!  To find out more about our urgent needs request and how you can help - please see our Saturday, March 12, 2011 post titled:


GHC Receives URGENT REQUEST From A Marine Unit Stationed In Afghanistan


Honored,
Your GHC

From One Brother-In-Arms To Another

The Gorge Heroes Club has received a wonderful letter of support from one Warrior to another that we wanted to share with our supporters:

"My dearest friend and mother like figure Terri:

Just wanted to say I got online today after shift, and Gorge Heroes Club news had popped up. The news about my fellow brothers in arms in Afghanistan needing things, made me cry and pull at my heart strings. I know I am soldier, and even though these Marines are not the same branch, they are my brothers. I know I am deployed to the front in Iraq right now, but I want to help my brothers. I know how the packages you guys send bring so much joy to our soldiers here in Iraq. I see it time and time again, day in and day out. I see how much morale booster it brings to us soldiers here on the other side of the world".....
 
GHC would like to thank this HERO for his kind words of encouragement and we will be forwarding on his e-mail to his Brothers-In-Arms!
 
Honored,
Your GHC

Saturday, March 12, 2011

GHC Receives URGENT REQUEST From A Marine Unit Stationed In Afghanistan

The Gorge Heroes Club received an urgent request overnight from a Marine unit stationed in Afghanistan.  These heroic Marines are scrounging around for cans to heat food on the engines of their vehicles at the locations they are stationed in outlying areas of Afghanistan.
GHC is sending out an urgent need for the following items:

  • Monetary funds to purchase dual-fuel stoves for the Marines to use not only for cooking their meals, but for also heating up water for hygiene purposes.  In the past, some Marines have reported not being able to shower in over 3 months. And, we have received reports that they are having to ration their MRE's to one per day - some have even gone without for several days because they have given their MRE's to fellow Marines who have gone ever longer without food.

  • Monetary funds to purchase compact cooking pans and utensils.  GHC will send one set of pans and cooking utensils with each stove along with a set of cleaning equipment for the stove.  (The cleaning equipment will allow the Marines to clean the stoves when and if some of the burners get clogged with sand).

  • Monetary funds or donations to purchase the following: 
    • Canned food - chili, soups, stews, fruits, tuna - any canned meal they can heat up without preparations.
    • Individual packets of oatmeal, crackers, fruit bars, granola bars, drink mixes, spices (the MRE's will become tasteless after eating them for a few day), small bottles of cooking oil, small bottles of maple syrup, small containers of pancake mixes, individual packages of rice or noodles - the kind that you just add water to, Butter Buds, Top Ramon noodles, cup-a-soups, jerky, hot chocolate, hot cider, individual packets of ready made coffee, packets of creamers, packets of sugar, nuts, trail mix, corn beef hash - basically any meal that they can heat and eat or fix with water.
    • Hygiene items - Toilet paper, gel shave cream, razors, foot powders, foot creams, lip balm (the kind that comes in the tiny jars, or tubes - the sticks will melt in the heat) diarrhea medications, constipation medications, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, hygiene wipes and over-the-calf black socks.
Secure donations can be made by clicking our Paypal link on the right hand side of this page or you are welcome to mail your donations to:

Gorge Heroes Club
1767 12th Street #113
Hood River, Oregon 97031

Drop off points for care package items are:

The Oregon National Guard Armory - The Dalles, Oregon
WAAAM - The Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum in Hood River, Oregon
Windermere Glenn Taylor Realtors in Bingen, Washington.

Or, you are welcome to drop off your donations at any of our two monthly community box packing's:

The MARCH 2011 THE DALLES box packing will take place on the third Thursday at The Dalles Oregon National Guard Armory, 7PM.


The MARCH 2011 HOOD RIVER box packaging will take place on the fourth Wednesday at WAAAM the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum on Tucker Road in Hood River, 5:30PM.

The Gorge Heroes Club is a 501 C 3 non profit organizations so all your donations are tax deductible.

As failure is not an option for our heroes - nor is it for GHC and those who support us.  Let's work together to get these Heroes some support coming in from home. 

Proudly,
Your GHC

ghc@gorge.net

Monday, March 7, 2011

Celilo Bowmen Archery Club Fundraiser

The Gorge Heroes Club would like to thank the Celilo Bowmen Archery Club of The Dalles, Oregon for hosting a raffle for an awesome:

Rinehart Target Broadhead Buck 3-D Archery Target
Proceeds from the sale of tickets will be donated to the Gorge Heroes Club to help defray the cost of shipping care packages each month to deployed troops.


The drawing information can be found here:

Honored,
Your GHC

Thursday, March 3, 2011

GHC Receives Thanks From Oregon National Guard Lt Col Appleton & CSM Wyllie

The Gorge Heroes Club received a special thank you letter today from Lt Col Phillip Appleton Battalion Commander and CSM William Wyllie of the Oregon National Guard 3rd Battalion 116th Cavalry unit. 

The letter reads, "To Gorge Heroes Club,  We wanted to thank you for the care packages you sent us here in Iraq.  Whenever an organization like yours steps up and puts in the extra time and effort to show our troops someone back home cares it means a lot for our troops here.  We are doing well here thanks in great part due to the overwhelming support from the folks back home.  Thank you from Eastern Oregon's Own 3rd Battalion 116th Cavalry".



We are truly honored to be able to support you!
Proudly,
Your GHC


Wednesday, March 2, 2011

GHC'S February Box Packing Fun

Fun was had by all  at both the Hood River and The Dalles Chapters of GHC'S box packing nights!

The Gorge Heroes Club would like to extend special thanks to the following for sponsoring our February shipping costs:

GHC'S The Dalles Chapter - East Cascade Electric, The Dalles, Oregon

GHC'S Hood River Chapter - Wasco County Commissioner Rod Runyon and Hood River County Commission Ron Rivers.

We appreciate your support of our organization and our heroes!

Not only did GHC provide support for 385 hometown heroes this month, we were also  able to ship out 17 large boxes of hygiene items to the Oregon National Guard 3-116 CAV HQ in Iraq. Plus an additional 9 boxes of books to the Oregon National Guard 3-116 CAV Alpha Company stationed in Iraq as well.


 The Dalles Chapter GHC members

 GHC - The Dalles - Signing Cards

 Getting the boxes organized and ready to go!

Finishing up the care packages. 

Handmade cards made by GHC'S Card Team Members

 GHC'S Hood River Chapter - Ready to roll at WAAAM

Box packing fun begins!

The February card made by our Cards Team.

GHC March Box Packing Information:

The MARCH 2011 THE DALLES box packing will take place on the third Thursday at The Dalles Oregon National Guard Armory, 7PM.

The MARCH 2011 HOOD RIVER box packaging will take place on the fourth Wednesday at WAAAM the Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum on Tucker Road in Hood River, 5:30PM.

March Urgent Need Items Are:
Plastic Easter Eggs
Easter Candy - Jelly Beans - Peeps, Etc
Individual Snack Items - Crackers, Fruit Bars, Fruit Rolls Ups, Granola Bars, corn nuts,
peanuts, trial mix,etc.
Individual Drink Mixes
Canned: Chili, Tuna, Pull Top Ready Made Soups, Jerky

SPONSORSHIP FOR MARCH SHIPPING COSTS ARE NEEDED
If you, your organization or business can help - please contact us at:

Thank you!
Honored,
Your GHC