Run For Our Troops actually started in 2009...I just didn't know it back then. I was  on-line one day looking for a quilt pattern when this little ad window popped up. It had HFOT on it and, of course, I just had to click on it because I am acronym freak...I just HAVE to know what those initials stand for. The answer: Homes For Our Troops! This organization was founded in 2004 by John Gonsalvos and what they do is short of a miracle. They build wheelchair accessible homes for post 9/11 severely injured vets. Most are from Iraq or Afghanistan and have experienced loss of one or more limbs. These homes are built entirely by volunteers and donations...not a penny is charged to the vet or his family! Some of the stories on their site moved e to tears ad I knew I had to do something! So I called the volunteer  coordinator for this area and told her I was too old to lift a hammer, too financially challenged to donate cash, but I can quilt! I offered to make a quilt for every soldier in our area who is getting a house from them. Now, I have to take a minute to explain just what I was talking about. The areas that I had read about was Garden Ridge, Marion and Bulverde, Texas...I wanted to make all 3 of these soldiers a quilt to present to them at their key-presentation ceremonies. She said "Really...all 18 of them"? She thought I meant in the San Antonio and surrounding areas! I could not say  that simple little word...no!! I told her sure...all 18 of them will receive a quilt!
So, I opened my big mouth and said yes! I went to my favorite quilting forum, the Quilting Board! (quiltingboard.com). I opened a discussion with the words "So, I opened my big mouth...". I explained to my on-line quilting friends exactly what I wanted to do...exchange blocks with about 12 swappers. I would do a block of their theme in exchange for a red, white and blue, patriotic block for my soldier quilts. I told them the story of Homes for Our Troops and the quilts I wanted to make! Miracle #2: by bedtime that night I had 65 responses. I had beautiful stories of fathers, husbands, daughters and sons who served. These quilters wanted to honor their service and sacrifice and promised to send me blocks, fabrics, tops and a few already completed quilts! I sat there in tears and read each and everyone of these posts...and not a single person wanted to swap! They all wanted to donate, to be a part of this. By the end of the next day there were 134 posts and to this day quilters all over the United States are sending me quilt blocks and tops. (and a few from Canada?) We are on quilt and soldier #11. God is Good!

Quilt #11 will belong to SFC Christopher Montera. When I read his story and found out his home will be built so close to where I live that I felt that I had to do more then just make a quilt. So I decided to organize a fundraiser for him. His home is being taken care of by HFOT so I would raise cash for him. Since I run 5Ks and were familiar with how they work, I decided to organize a fun run.

Run For Our Troops was held on May 21, 2016 and was a huge success! People told me not to expect too much for a first time race..so my expectations were pretty low. Thanks to the wonderful sponsors listed below, plus all the people who helped behind the scenes, we raised a tidy little sum for Chris!
(a special shout out to two people who went above and beyond in their desire to help:  Dr Tami Herring-Sahni and Billy Stripling!)

A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

T see pictures of this event please click on the following link:

https://plus.google.com/collection/Yl8mbB