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ByYMSgtMicennaBrooksEtowahValleyGAWhenIwassevenIstartedmyowncompanyforveteransandcalleditMicennasMission.Thefocusofmycompanyistoletveteransknowthattheyarelovedappreciatedandnotforgotten.Iamnowtwelveandinthepastfewyearshavecol-lectedanddistributedmorethan100000cardsforourveter-ans.Icontinuetodothis.AboutfourmonthsagoIhaddoublepneumoniaandwashospitalizedatScottishRiteHospitalinAtlantaGeorgiaoneofthreeChildrensHospitalsofAtlanta.MyparentsobtainedbooksandmoviesformefromthehospitallibrarysoIwouldnotworryorgetbored.IwasthereforoneweekinthatweekIwentthroughtheentiresectionofthelibraryformyage.IalsovisitedthelibrarywhenIcould.WhenIwasinthelibraryIsawaveteranwearinghisveteranscoverreadingtoayoungchild.Ithankedhimforhisserviceandspokewithhim.AfterheleftIsawatoddlerlookingforbooks.IaskedherifIcouldhelpher.OutofthecornerofmyeyeIsawamanwearingauniformstandup.Heexplainedthathewasac-tivedutyandvisitinghisdaughterwhohadcancer.Iwentbacktomyroomlaterthateveningandstartedthinkingaboutthosekidsandtheirfamilieswhowerevisitingtheminthehospital.IrecallanotherpatientnamedHannahwhosefatherwasretiredAirForceandaHighSchoolJROTCinstructor.Hannahwasabout6yearsoldandwasmakingValentinesfortheotherchildren.Istartedaconversationafterthankingherdadforhisservice.IsawherlatersheandIplayedbattleshipwithanotherchild.IencounteredmanyveteransandtheirfamilieswhileIwasapatientinthehospital.IdecidedIneededtocollectbooksforthekids.IfIdidthistheymaynotbesoboredandcouldndadifferentwaytoenjoythemselves.Itcouldhelpthemforgetaboutthethingstheyhavetogothrough.LaterIspokewithalibrarianandaskedherifIcouldbeginabookdriveforthelibrary.ShesaidyesbecausethelibraryisrunpurelyfromdonationsIcouldseeinhereyesthatshedidnotthinkIcouldhandleit.ApparentlyshedoesnotknowjustwhatthisYoungMarinecandoShegavemesomegroundrulesRulenumberonetheDVDsneedtoberatedGtoPG13.Rulenum-bertwothebooksneedtobeforageseleventoadult.FromthereIdecidedthatIwouldtrytocol-lectabout5000DVDsand10000books.RulenumberthreeallbooksandDVDsmustbebrandnewthisistokeepdownthepos-sibilityofinfection.AtthistimeallbooksandDVDsarebeingcollectedforthethreeChildrensHospitalshereinAtlanta.HoweverthepossibilitiesforexpansionofthispartofMicen-nasMissionisapossibility.Iamcontinuingtocollectcardsforourveterans.Ifyouwouldliketomakeandsendsometomeitwouldbegladlyappreciated.Any-thingyoumaywishtosendmetohelpwiththesemissionscanbesenttoMicennasMissionKidsCause4566RobertsDriveSEAcworthGeorgia30102Eventhoughveteransareretiredtheystillservetheircreedsandobligations.TheyinstillintotheirfamiliestheimportanceofGodfamilyandcountry.Ioftenthinkabouthowthosekidsaroundmyagewhohavecancerandothersevereillnessesorinjuriesareconstantlyatthehospitalmightbesoboredallthetime.IalwaysknewIhadaservantsheartforourveteransbutIhadnoideathatthiswaspartofGodsplanforme.ItreallytouchedmyheartandIprayedaboutitandGodtoldmewhatImustaccomplish.Pleasehelptheseveteransandtheirfamiliesafteralltheyhavesacricedsomuchtodefendthisgreatcountryofours.MicennasMissionExpandstoBeneftLibrariesforHospitalizedKidsAstayinthehospitalinspiresEtowahValleysYMSgtMicennaBrookstoexpandherworkonbehalfofhospitallibraries...xmnxmnPage26ESPRITAProjecttoCreateMagicforFosterChildrenByKennethD.OttleyUnitCommanderPFCBruceW.CarterYoungMarinesofMiami-DadeFLOnAugust132012YMMGySgtSaleemForbesandhisbroth-erYMSergeantSolomonForbesbothavidskateboardersbe-ganresearchingabetterqualitygriptapefortheirlongboards.Longboardsareskateboardsintermsofpartsandgeneralcon-struction.Howeverthepartsgenerallyhavedifferentdimen-sionsandthewheelsareoftenalotsofter.Somehoweverhaverelativelyhardwheelsforslidingwhichmakeslongboardsfeelquitedifferentthanthemorecommonskateboard.Theresultofthisresearchinspiredthemonaquesttoputalongboardinthehandsofallteenageyouthinfostercare.Whatbeganasasmallprojecthasexplodedintoafocuseddrivetohelpthelessfortunatechildreninourcountryandonedaytheworld.YMMGySgtSaleemForbescontactedseveralcompaniesaroundthecountrytoinquireaboutgettingsuppliesdonatedfortheproject.Hewasabletoobtainmaterialsuppliesandfundingofmorethan3000fromnationalcompanieslikeLandyahtzRainskateSilvaNon-skidsolutionsOriginalSkateBoardsaswellasHomeDepotWal-MartandLowes.In2014YMMGySgtForbesandhisbrotherYMSgtSolomonForbessucceededinmakingtheirLongBoarddevelopmentprojectanationwideFosterAdoptiveParentAssociationeventTherelationshipstheydevelopedareongoingandthedona-tionsarecontinuingtohelpthemaccomplishtheirgoals.TheyintendtoputalongboardinthehandsofeveryFosterAdop-tiveParentAssociationteenacrossthecountry.