Operation Bedtime Stories

Operation Bedtimes Stories is one of OHH's youth projects designed to connect service members with their children during deployment. Operation Bedtime Stories (OHHOBS) coordinates video recording sessions with deploying units. These recordings provide an opportunity for deploying service members to record themselves reading bedtime stories and special messages to their children right before deploying. The week the service member deploys OHHOBS mails out the video recordings with copies of the books read on DVD, handwritten messages, and chocolates for mom/dad. The DVD gift package is meant to arrive as a surprise during a difficult deployment transition time.

Please consider donating or volunteering for our next Operation Bedtime Stories project for Second Battalion, Fifth Marines.

Date: November 15th and 16th

Items still needed: children's books, postage, blank DVDs, DVD jewel cases, and boxes of chocolates

Contact: Operation Bedtime Stories Coordinator, Kristen Lanham at kristenlanham@me.com


	Did you know....?


	Marines and Sailors spend almost half of the three months prior to deploying overseas training, attending meetings, preparing gear and undergoing inspections. It's a very stressful time for the deploying, and their families, preparing for deployment themselves, actually see very little of their loved ones in the months before deployments.


	Operation Bedtime Stories works with units that want their Marines/Sailors to take some time to surprise their families with messages of encouragement, love and the comfort of a book reading. When received, these gift packages let the children of deployed service members know, "In the middle of all the hustle-bustle, I thought of you." It's a precious gift that each child will cherish and view throughout the deployment

Mission Accomplished!

OHHOBS was able to support, record and mail out roughly 90 videos for the Marines and Sailors of CLB 5, recently deployed to Afghanistan. A job well done!

A special thanks to our volunteers: Laura Zeh, Nancy Babcock, Virginia Belmont, Wendy Ruiz, Courtney Hunter, Paula Cascella, Bernadette Jarosz, Shellie Kenney, Cindy Farnum and Kristen Lanham.

Donations for future OHHOBS sessions:
~Thank you to Oso Grande Elementary School's PTA for the donation of over 400 books! Thanks for your support!

~A heartfelt thanks to CLB 5's Sgt. Major and Wife who have, as a thanks for our efforts, graciously donated tons of books for our next drive. Thanks and Ooorah!

Special Thanks to Our Most Recent OBS Donors:
	A Special Thanks to The Machine Group and the Wackeen Family for covering all mailing costs for our most recent OBS project for CLB 5

	A heartfelt thanks to Mario Fernandez and the Indian Trails Junior High Community in Addison, IL. for your collection and contributions. Donations made on your behalf were used to purchase books, mailers, and recording materials for over 80 Marines/Sailors.

	Thanks to Todd E. Vandermolen (TEV), author of Just Marble-Us! (a children's book dedicated to giving to charitable organizations for children around the globe. TEV donated to OHH to provide an Operation Bedtime Stories care package AND donated a copy of his book to our library. Thanks, TEV!

	Thank you to all the generous donors who contributed to the success of our CLB 5 OBS project: ~The Lanham Family ~Paula Cascella ~The Farnum Family ~The Wrightson Family ~The Belmont Family ~The Babcock Family ~The Sperry Family ~The Ruiz Family ~The Walters Family ~Scott and Arlene Goss ~Melissa Daly ~Cynthia Lykouretzos ~Laurie Majka ~Cherie Graff ~John S. Bauers ~Angela Gordon

	Want to get involved with our next Operation Bedtime Stories project? Email the project coordinators, listed below: Paula Cascella pcascella@operationhelpahero.com Kristen Lanham klanham@operationhelpahero.com