Hood River, Oregon:

Last October I read the book.  I was bound and determined to have a good amount in a Christmas Jar by Christmastime, and with perserverence, my husband and I were able to get about $250.00 by the week of Christmas.  (Every time I went to the bank, if I felt it was feasible, I would buy a roll of quarters).  The week before Christmas, I started stressing out about who to give our jar to.  In this day and time, there are so many families in need, and I wanted to make sure I got exactly the right one. 

We do not subscribe to the local newspaper (published twice a week), and I rarely, if ever, pick up a copy at the store, but the day before Christmas Eve, I happened to pick up a copy while I was out.  On the front page of was a story about the local National Guard Armory, and the 17 Guardsmen and Guardwomen who were going to be deployed the following spring.  The article referred to the fact that most of them were unemployed because they were going to be deployed so soon, and that this was going to be an especially difficult Christmas for them and their families.  A local car dealership as well as a local grocery store (where my husband happens to work), had gone together to make food boxes for these 17 families.  I knew immediately that one of these 17 families was going to receive our Christmas Jar.  I called the National Guard Armory, spoke with SFC Gary Norris, and made arrangements to drop off my Christmas Jar, along with a copy of the book, on the morning of Christmas Eve day.  I can only hope that the family who received our Christmas Jar felt as blessed, even for a day, as I do.  My husband is a Vietnam Vet, having served 20-1/2 months as a helicopter door gunner in the United States Army.  I am so proud of him, and so proud and thankful for all of our troops who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.