APA League Operators and National Office Staff assembled care packages to support our troops ahead of the Poolplayer Championships in early May in Las Vegas. In conjunction with Operation Gratitude, APA put together personal hygiene kits that were included in the Operation Gratitude Care Packages shipped to our troops in all branches of the military, military families and veterans.
Operation Gratitude is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, volunteer-based organization that sends care packages and letters of support to individual Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen & Marines deployed in harm’s way, to their children left behind, and to New Recruits, Veterans, Military Families, First Responders, Wounded Heroes and their Care Givers. Operation Gratitude’s mission is twofold: to lift morale in the Military community; and to provide every American an opportunity to say “Thank You” to our heroes.
Operation Gratitude sends, on average, more than 200,000 care packages every year. Since its inception in March 2003, this massive volunteer effort reflects: 2.5 million hours of volunteer service, 4 million hand-written letters, 8 million pounds of packages, $10 million in postage, 50 million donated items, and packages traveling a grand total of 78.3 billion miles.
The organization sends care packages to:
- Currently deployed Service Members by name;
- Recruits newly graduated from Boot Camp;
- Wounded Heroes and their Care Givers; and
- Veterans of earlier eras under the banner: “It is never too late to say ‘Thank You’”
If you would like to learn more about Operation Gratitude, please visit their website for more information. http://www.operationgratitude.com/.