Joanne Murphy, California State Chairman, National Defense, has been doing a dinner once a month for the Wounded Warriors at Camp Pendleton. She has been working on this project since April 2007. Deva Richards and Pam Theobold have been helping her since that beginning date.
Joanne is now expanding this program to include the Wounded Warriors from Balboa Naval Hospital at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD). These young men are on restricted diets so menus are chosen carefully and food prepared accordingly.
The Wounded Warriors of Pendleton have extreme physical injuries with a sprinkling of head traumas. The Wounded Warriors of Balboa have suffered more profound head and mental traumas. These dinners are therapeutic for the young men and it gives us a chance to say we still care for them.
The Conejo Valley Chapter DAR provided the funds for a dinner for the Wounded Warriors of MCRD for the month of January. Nancy Kilbourn went to Balboa to assist and represent the chapter.
This month the men were served roast beef, turkey, ham, vegetables, fruit, and lots of cookies and brownies. The buffet was at the Marine Corps museum on base.
Providing food and serving assistance were: Joanne Murphy, DeAnza Chapter; Deva Richards, La Jolla Chapter; Jan Landt, Letitia Cox Shelby Chapter; Donna Pearson, San Diego Chapter; and Nancy Kilbourn, Conejo Valley Chapter. Nancy took 8 dozen sugar cookies decorated like the little sugar hearts. The cookies were made by TeriAnn Petti, pastry chef at the Four Seasons in Westlake.
Because we are close to Valentine’s Day, two elementary schools, a Girl Scout Troop from Orange County, a Brownie Troop, the Presidio C.A.R., and the new C.A.R. in San Marcos made Valentine cards for the Wounded Warriors at Pendleton and Balboa. The Girl Scout Troop also made and decorated Valentine boxes to hold the Valentine cards for each soldier. The cards were made by children expressing their concern and thanks.
We sometimes think that young men are aloof to such things as children’s Valentines, but they loved the cards and art work and sentiments. They seemed to revert to being children again and gleefully read each card and commented on them.
These dinners are an ongoing program, twice a month. If your chapter would like to donate money towards purchase of the food, please contact Joanne Murphy. Monetary assistance is greatly needed.
The number of Wounded Warriors that can be served at each location is 35; the cost of each dinner is about $200 to $225 depending on the menu.
Article submitted by
Joanne Murphy, CSSDAR State Chairman, National Defense
and Nancy Kilbourn, CSSDAR State Vice Chairman, National Defense
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