ARTICLES

Parish joins with USO to help children of soldiers

By Sandy Grecco
of The Catholic Virginian

This Veteran’s Day the outlook was to be a bit warmer, even fuzzier, for children of soldiers and sailors being deployed overseas, thanks in large part to the Ladies of Saint Rose of Lima.

This ministry of Hampton’s Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church launched “The Next Best Thing,” a campaign to raise funds for uniformed Build-A-Bears that “literally” help soldiers say goodbye to their young children.

The program, in partnership with the USO of Hampton Roads, provides special bears that allow a parent to record a parting message for their child.

Liz Williams a member of the Ladies of Saint Rose of Lima, leads the charge on this project.

Her parish supports a number of efforts of the USO on the Peninsula, and though not directly impacted by a friend or family member being deployed, she says that watching these families get torn apart by their duty to serve has touched her deeply.

“In putting together our presentations I found a 2008 study that showed that more than 700,000 children in the USA have at least one parent deployed overseas,” said Liz.

“That’s 40 percent of the children in military families. I knew there was something more we needed to do.”

Liz recalled how a friend told her several years ago about Anna, her then 4-year-old granddaughter who was “absolutely beside herself” because her dad was getting ready to leave on deployment.

So Reed Gonzales, Anna’s dad, took her to a Build-a-Bear store at a local mall and recorded a message for her to put in the bear allowing her to hear his voice while he was away.

That was more than two years ago, and the bear hasn’t left Anna’s side. Dad is home safe and sound yet Anna, now seven, still will not let the bear out of her sight, not even for Liz’s presentation.

“This was it,” Liz said. “This is what we needed to do.”

Inspired into action, she called Mary Moyer,director of the Ft. Eustis center of the USO of Hampton Roads, and Mary validated the need.

Training before deployment becomes so intense that when it’s time to go, soldiers and sailors are constantly saying “Oh I wish I had” or “I’ve run out of time,” wishing they’d left with something special for their families.

Knowing this could reassure soldiers as well as their children, Liz contacted Build-A-Bear’s corporate headquarters.

With their help she was able to work out a cost-effective arrangement for bears to be shipped directly to her 24 at a time. These pre-stuffed versions arrive in military uniform holding a red satin heart that will hold the device that records a personal 10-second message.

Since it is difficult to truly define the need, Mary Moyer has created a checklist to insure the neediest families get bears first.

“Some children of single parents have to move to another state to be cared for,” said Liz. “We hope to start with children like these who are totally displaced from all that they know.”

It all began Nov. 1 with a tree at the back of Saint Rose of Lima Church decorated in red, white, and blue, and a jar nearby ready to take donations.

Alongside the jar are bear mementos and cards for donors to sign and leave in “cub condos” where the bears reside before finding their way into the arms of child.

“Right now I have two bears adopted from parishioners and we haven’t even launched it yet,” said Liz.

Though the Ladies of Saint Rose of Lima have started this project, their hope is others will want to join. There are 31 military bases in Virginia, 14 of which are in Hampton Roads.

Already Liz has talked with pre-school teachers, Student Council groups, and Junior ROTC organizations. She is also working on a grant application that could help take “The Next Best Thing” to the next level.

However, as Liz likes to say, “One bear at a time.”

“This is our own little piece of patriotism,” said Liz. “It comes from the heart of our parish, and I thankfully know it is the right thing … a good thing to do.”

For more information on how your parish, ministry, or community group can get involved or to make a donation, contact Liz Williams at 757–245–8059 or send an email DWill67147@aol.com.

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