December 15, 2008
Fort Collins, CO
WAY TO GO, DAD!
Operation Angel 21 honors 'littlest heroes'
Cindy Kahler Thomas, For the Times Record News
Monday, December 15, 2008
Children of deployed military parents celebrated Christmas early with Operation Angel 21 Day at MD Hangar Sunday.
Operation Angel 21 was the brainchild of Judy Nielsen, owner and operator of Make Believe, a business that provides children with costumes, tiaras and almost anything they need to become princesses, knights and rock stars.
Girls were princesses for the day right down to the fairy dust in their hair. Boys weren’t left out either. Jacob Locke, 10, was a knight for the day. His father is in Korea this Christmas season.
“It is just an idea I have had for two years since my son was in Iraq,” Nielsen said, “The last three Christmases he has not been at home. Thankfully, this year he is at home. I started making phone calls to Project Jody, the Patriot Guard Riders and the VFW, and things took off.”
The name Operation Angel 21 refers to the children as angels, and the number 21 was her youngest son’s favorite number. He was killed in a farming accident.
The children played games, rode in the Shrine Maskat train and welcomed Santa with fanfare as he rode up with 31 Patriot Guard Riders leading the way on their motorcycles.
And jolly Old Saint Nick brought presents for the children.
The Love Pledge Group, Love Me Duex, a branch of the Faith Masonic Lodge’s Rainbow Girls helped with games and dress up.
Jody Pacheco, creator of the Project Jody veterans support effort, called the children of the deployed the “littlest heroes,” and Patriot Guard Rider Barbra Johnson agreed.
“They all serve together,” she said, “When one goes off to war, it is as if they all go to war. They (the deployed parents) are taking their time to protect us, and it is the least we can do to help them take care of their family at home.”
Patriot Guard Rider Ted Foster added, “I am retired military, and I just wish someone would have done this for my kids when I was gone. This is what it is all about — taking care of the kids.”
And even the music was about military children. The CD that was played was called “A Lil’ Heroes Christmas,” and was sung by children who all lost their fathers in Iraq. Proceeds from the sales go back to the children in birthday wishes and other things they need.
Source: http://www.timesrecordnews.com/news/2008/dec/15/operation-angel-21-honors-littlest-heroes (dead link)
Video on Texoma's Home Page: http://texomashomepage.com/content/fulltext/?cid=27011">http://texomashomepage.com/content/fulltext/?cid=27011 (dead link)
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