Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Marine Recruit Easter Letter Project

Marine Boot Camp - San DiegoWe'd like to alert our readers to a great opportunity to help encourage some of the brave service men who have been injured while training to defend our nation. On the Eve of Easter (Saturday) for the past fifteen years of so, Mike Atkinson of Mikey's Funnies has been visiting marine recruits who have been injured at Marine Boot Camp in San Diego.

A few years back, my son Justin was injured at this same boot boot camp during basic training. In spite of the injuries, he was still able to complete the training and two deployments to Afghanistan. A marine recruit is fiercely loyal, both to his country and to his fellow marines, so to be injured during this time not only affects them physically, but emotionally as well.

So, Mike and his family joins with other families each year to visit with injured recruits, and to deliver patriotic bags filled with lots of donated goodies to these discouraged recruits. Perhaps the most uplifting part of the visit is the delivery of hundreds of letters of encouragement from children and others during this time of healing. Many of the recruits have said that they were very close to giving up, but the letters gave them a renew resolve to complete the training so that they could fulfill their mission to serve and protect our country as a US Marine. The recruits also attempt to answer as many of the letters that they can.

More information on the event (including pictures from previous years) can be found at Mike's Easter Letter post.

We'd like to encourage anyone who would like to write a letter to a recruit, please send it to arrive by March 27, 2017 at the following address:

Marine Moms Online Easter Project
C/O Mike Atkinson
3755 Avocado Blvd
Box 402
La Mesa CA 91941

We're hoping for thousands of letters this year to help brighten up the recruits' Easter holiday. Please also pass this along to any friends and groups that might like to help. This will not only bless our recruits, but everyone who participates as well. Thank you.