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Voip Blog
Give thanks to the troops
Thursday, November 23, 2006
It's hard to serve away from your loved ones, especially during the holidays or important family events, like graduations, anniversaries or the birth of a child. When I was in boot camp, the most important part of any day was mail call. That tenuous lifeline to everything you had before you were inducted. I spent Thanksgiving and Christmas doing pushups in subzero weather, all the while enjoying motivational "encouragement" from our Company Commander--usually delivered at a decibel level somewhere between a jet engine and the Krakatoa explosion .
Imagine how much harder it is when you're deployed half a world away, in the middle of a war zone. Family life carries on, regardless of distance and all too often parents find their children growing up without them, spouses go through crises alone, and isolation develops within the family unit. Freedom Calls is a nonprofit foundation that puts service men and women in touch with their families through a voip internet phone and video network that spans the globe. Military families aren't charged for their voip calls or virtual visits; the foundation is supported fully through corporate and private donations.
Voip helps families stay connected during stressful deployments. For instance, 5 year old Holly Schroeder's dad was able to attend her birthday party all the way from Iraq or National Guardsmen Roger Bradley who got the chance to say goodbye to his terminally ill sister. James Bodensteiner was able to watch his son's black belt test, while Greg and Franny Mascola celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary via FreedomCam. Most importantly, voip gives families the opportunity to regularly spend high-quality time together, even if it isn't a special occasion.
This holiday season, as you're sitting around the dinner table with your family, take a moment to remember the men and women who volunteered to protect and serve their country. Support the Freedom Calls effort. Go to their online donation page here or mail in a donation here.
