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Easter Joy — morale building for wounded warrior families

Easter Joy 2010

L to R Heartbeat Volunteer Coordinator Theresa Roberts (Ret) Sgt Maj accepts the very generous check from Grainger Foundation. Tom Carr and Gene Boyington and Brad Nollmeyer

Heartbeat Volunteers were able to give over 1000 Easter baskets to children of wounded warriors. None of this would have been possible without the help of donors in the community. Thank you so much for making this event possible! Thank you for making a difference! Thank you to our great volunteers, Team Heartbeat, who donated their time and skills to make this all happen. Thank you to Heartbeat Team Leaders, Theresa Roberts (Ret) Sgt Maj and Jenn Whitney for their incredible job in organizing all of this.

Grainger

Heartbeat is very grateful to Grainger Foundation and in particular Managers Tom Carr and Gene Boyington for their very generous grant of $20,000 that was partly for our Easter Joy program and for our Emergency Services Program to serve wounded warriors and their families. It was their support that actually allowed us to give over 1000 Easter baskets, Gift cards to children of wounded warriors in WA. This number would not have been possible without their generosity. Thank you Grainger and in particular Tom Carr and Gene Boyington!

Team Heartbeat Volunteers North Easter Joy basket pack out led by Project Manager Jenn Whitney
Team Heartbeat volunteers putting Easter baskets together, North.
Heartbeat Volunteers North packing over 300 Easter baskets at Mukilteo Presbyterian Church led by Jenn Whitney
Team Heartbeat volunteers at the WTB (Warrior Transition BN) at Joint Base Lewis McChord ready to give out Easter baskets and toys to children of Wounded Warriors. Volunteer Coordinator Theresa Roberts (Ret) Sgt Maj leads the team.
Easter Joy baskets going to the children of wounded warriors.
Easter Joy baskets and toys for children of wounded warriors being given away by Heartbeat Volunteers.
Easter Joy, Team Heartbeat Volunteers giving baskets and toys to children of wounded warriors
Transportation by Soniq who donated their time and travel to move our supplies and Easter baskets for the children!
Transportation by Soniq who donated their time and travel to move our supplies and Easter baskets for the children!
Thank you to Grainger employees for packing our Easter Baskets for Easter Joy.
Thank you to Grainger employees for packing our Easter Baskets for Easter Joy.
Thank you to Grainger employees for packing our Easter Baskets for Easter Joy.

Thank You!

  • Grainger Foundation: For their huge grant that really made all of this stretch and meet our goal!
  • Grainger employees: Led by Tom Carr and Gene Boyington who let us use their warehouse and then packed over 700 baskets in just 2 amazing hours! You made it so easy this year, Thank you!
  • Soniq Services Inc: Ron Marchitto for transporting our Easter baskets and supplies. You were amazing in your service!
  • Marine Corps League : George, Thank you for all of the awesome toys you provided.
  • Mukilteo Presbyterian Church: Thank You Sandy for allowing us to do our North pack out party for over 300 Easter Baskets
  • Microsoft
  • Seattle Times
  • Veteran’s Service Foundation of WA
  • San Juander’s : For the beautiful baskets and supplies
  • American Legion #239 For their wonderful donation of supplies and baskets
  • AT&T For their donations and allowing us to collect donations there
  • Costco : For their Easter donations and gift card
  • Evergreen Republican Women: For their wonderful donations and support
  • Puget Sound Energy: For their wonderful donations and generous support, Thank you Brenda!
  • Toutle Valley Veterans of Foreign Wars 1088 Ladies Auxiliary: For their toys and basket supplies and their service, Thank you Annie!

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Why Heartbeat offers the Easter Joy program

Easter is a special time for children and adults around the world, and that includes the many wounded service members and their families. But war injuries bring many challenges, including financial. Often it’s difficult to celebrate the holidays. Heartbeat gives our hero families the opportunity to enjoy Easter the same way civilians can. We make sure the children — our youngest heroes — experience joy amid life’s challenges.

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How Easter Joy helps wounded warrior families

Every year, Heartbeat collects donated Easter items and financial gifts to help the wounded warrior families. In 2009 we delivered 1,000 Easter baskets to military children. We also give grocery gift certificates so families can buy traditional Easter food for a dinner together.

To our heroes, Easter Joy is more than a holiday celebration. It’s an opportunity for them to see how grateful we are for their daily sacrifices. It helps them feel that we do care. This goes a long way towards healthier, happier, productive lives.

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How you can bring Easter Joy to wounded warrior families

Thank you for donating to the Easter Joy program. Your help brings comfort to our deserving heroes. We gratefully accept financial gifts through the mail or Internet. Please see our donate now page for information.

We ask that you mail the grocery gift cards to our office. You may deliver all other items to one of our convenient drop-off locations or send them to the Heartbeat office.

  • Plastic Easter eggs filled with half-dollar coins
  • Sealed bags of Easter candy
  • Store-bought prefilled Easter baskets
  • Financial donations to buy Easter items
  • $25 (minimum) grocery gift certificates from Wal-Mart or Safeway

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