Okay, everybody, this one's a no-brainer. Give what you can:
Debate swirls around the topic of Iraq. Many have come to believe this war is an abomination that deserves a very quick end indeed. Others, fewer now, support the effort as critical to the international struggle against terrorism and/or to the stability of the Mideast. It is an angry and frequently frustrating debate. Occasionally the accusation is thrown at opponents of the war that they do not "support the troops." It is an outrageous and false assertion, for if there is one thing about this war of which all Americans can be proud, it is their steadfast and unstinting appreciation for the efforts of the men and women in the American military.
Minnesota has a special way for showing that appreciation. It is the Minnesotans' Military Appreciation Fund, launched in 2005 by a distinguished group of Minnesota civic and business leaders and enlarged since by a multitude of volunteers and donors. The MMAF goal is simple: Show the troops that they are loved and that their duty, their sacrifice is honored.
MMAF has numerous ways of showing that appreciation -- solidarity walks, baseball game special events, State Fair activities -- but the core of the effort is the grant program that ensures all Minnesotans who have served in a combat zone since Sept. 11, 2001, get a financial gift -- most small, some large -- signifying the esteem with which they are regarded by their fellow Minnesotans.
So far, MMAF has made more than 3,000 grants to returning troops. Every one of them gets at least $250, while the wounded are eligible for up to $10,000, and families of those killed receive grants for $5,000. With grant applications coming in at the rate of 100 a week, MMAF is in need of constant cash donations to ensure it can honor the promise it has made.
Our military goes where it is told and fights the battle it is given. Its members fully deserve to be honored and upheld both during their service and afterward. The MMAF grants mean so much to their recipients, in ways that go far beyond the dollars: They say that Minnesotans care about those they send into harm's way. You can help carry that message by making a donation to the MMAF at thankmntroops.org.
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