From Melanie Morgan, KSRO Morning Show Host and Move America Forward Co-Founder: Hello Everybody, The spirit of Christmas is alive and well around the world, and in my corner, too! Our care package donation drive got off to a sour start shortly after Thanksgiving when a thief struck our donation bins at the Veterans Building in Santa Rosa, California. The Sonoma County Sheriffs office, assisted by Sgt. Cecile Focha, launched a replacement drive that far exceeded my wildest imagination. KSRO Radio and all of the fine folks around Sonoma County can be proud of the effort going towards making sure our military men and women serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and West Africa are going to receive care packages in time for Christmas and beyond. Move America Forward, a non-profit 501(c) 3 that sends packages year round is profoundly grateful to everyone involved, especially to Terra Vina Restaurants who also donated $500.00 plus a $100.00 check from one of their employees. Thank you everyone, God Bless and MERRY CHRISTMAS From Sgt. Cecile Focha and the Sheriffs Office with the final tally... North Coast Truck Inspections $ 200 - check to be mailed to MFA (doubled the donation I expected) Sonoma County Deputy Sheriffs Association - $500 (maybe even more) check to be mailed to MFA Personal check from SCSO member - $100 to be mailed to MFA Biagi Brothers Trucking $ 500 - used for purchase of the truckload of items Carla Miller Skincare $ 100 - used for purchase of the truckload of items Gary Breazeale (pronounced Brazil) owner of Breazeale’s Automotive - picked up items at Coscto with me, stored the goods, helped repackage into boxes and used his truck for transport (for three days – what a guy!) Gina Follansbee service manager of Auto Life Center - rallied friends and clients to donate hundreds of items (amazing people!!) Ken Bauer DDS - donated a box full of toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss and other dental hygiene items Deputies of all ranks and civilian staff members of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office - items, cash toward purchases, letters of support My son James took the day off to do last minute pick-ups and load the final donations into the Breazeale truck (had to keep it all dry until Jim Dutra of Move America Forward showed up!) There was so much stuff donated that it filled the bed of the truck to the top of the camper shell and I had to put some things inside the cab. The bed of the truck holds 36 square feet -it was packed full of the boxed items. I am sure that we exceeded the two stolen bins. There was thousands of dollars worth loaded into the Jim’s trailer and heading back to Sacramento to the capable hands of the Scout Troops for packaging. I couldn’t be more proud of the outpouring of support demonstrated by my fellow Deputies, co-workers, private businesses and the citizens of Sonoma County. We showed that our spirit will not be damped by the actions of a thief. The men and women of the armed forces are not forgotten and Sonoma County supports them – today and everyday – until they come home! What a happy ending!! J
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 01:34:36 +0000