Crossroads Pentecostal Assembly Supports Our Troops - Thank You!

On Sunday, July 6th, Crossroads Pentecostal Church of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan held a Canada Day Celebration in support of our Troops, and to launch project P.T.L. Project P.T.L. stands for Praise The Lord, and Plug The Leaks. Their church building is nearly 30 years old, and they are needing to replace the roof, due to some major leaking that is occurring. This will cost them $100,000.

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Not only did they want to launch this special project, they also wanted to honor our Troops that are serving overseas. They held a special celebration service and decided to give 10% of their offerings in Tim Hortons gift certificates for our Canadian Troops.

In attendance for this event were Mr. Randy Hoback – candidate for Federal MP in the Prince Albert District, the parents of soldiers who have, and are, serving, along with two RCMP Officers and their wives. There was a letter read from Prince Albert Mayor, Mr. Jim Scarrow, along with a letter from Mr. Darryl Hickie, Provincial MP.

PROUD PARENTS

Also for this event, their local Sears store donated red shirts for our ushers and greeters to wear that had "Support Our Troops" embroidered on them. Their local Tim Hortons supplied free coffee served after the service. (A special THANK YOU to owner Mr Ed Zaparaniuk for his generous donation!) Along with coffee, the parents of the Soldiers served cake. A true honour for the rest of the congregation and participants.

There were 138 in attendance for this event. There was a slide show presentation of pictures of Canadian Soldiers. Special thanks to Mrs. Brenda Sebo for sharing photos of her sons taken by them while serving overseas.

They are now in the process of purchasing $3,200.00 worth of Tim Hortons gift certificates to be sent overseas for our Canadian Troops to enjoy something from their favorite coffee shop!! A "taste of home".

Thank you as well Paula Pederson, the Crossroads Pentecostal Assembly, Ed Zaparaniuk of Tim Hortons, Sears and of course.. the parents of our Soldiers!

A great big HUA! The soldiers will truly appreciate all your efforts! I know we do!

What DOES SEARS Kitchener Support?

VS?

Well, a week ago I had the opportunity to walk through the Sears Store in Kitchener again to see if anything has changed with the placement of the Support Our Troops merchandise. If you recall, the last time, it was obscured by the placement of a men's underwear display.

Well this time.. giving hope and holding my breath I rounded the familiar corner to the men's wear department.

Well.. the underwear was moved, but now sharing the "pillar space" with t-shirts and hats (embroidered with the yellow ribbon - waiting to be worn in support of our troops working through all elements and dangers overseas) were....... SIMPSONS TSHIRTS! - DUFF BEER T-SHIRTS. Cartoons - a joke!

However, I as a military mom and friend to soldiers and their families - I'm not laughing. I do not believe that the seriousness of the mission and of our soldiers should be taken lightly.

To Sears Kitchener, the Support Our Troops Merchandise is a novelty, a promotional item. However, to Military Families and friends, this is taken seriously, especially in the light of our many wounded and fallen soldiers and many sons, daughters, family members and friends that are serving from that region.

Oh. And the display - it was difficult to get to. Why? It was blocked from the aisle by a table of sweaters. Sears Kitchener, if you're supporting our troops, please show us (military families) by at least showing it through your display. At least dedicate a whole quarter of the pillar to our troops.

My pen is ready for combat.

Dismayed with Kitchener's Sears Store Display

...and underwear? = Kitchener

O.k... I have to get this off my mind. Canex had co-ordinated with Sears to sell Support Our Troops merchanise. Thinking Support merchandise would be readily available to everyone! I thought Wow! A good promoation for Sears to be the ones selling it!... prominent displays... and... It will make it easier for everyone to obtain merchandise. (this would be great with the convenience of obtaining merchandise instantaneously, but mostly the exposure!)

Well, last month, I happened to walk through the Sears Store in Kitchener, ON -on the hunt for.. you guessed it.. Support Our Troops wear (as promised to be sold by their store- I do this in each Sears store I walk in)

Not seeing anything at first, I searched for assistance and happened upon a clerk and asked her. She asked another clerk and.. that clerk then needed assistance finding "the display". Finally, ending up in the

Mens Wear

department - on a back post were a couple of dishevelled pegs of hats and tshirts. There they were.... obscured.. why and by what you ask??...

I looked at the clerk and said, "Well, no wonder there seems to be difficulty finding it... I never would have thought of looking for "Support Our Troops" merchandise behind

blocked by

displays of socks and underwear that had been pushed in front of it! How dishonourable!"

(I revisted at a later date and nothing was changed.. actually it was worse. I even straightened the merchandise out. Sears - if you get the honour of receiving the merchandise to sell in your store, at least honour our soldiers by displaying it properly and ... with honour. Don't hide it behind socks and underwear!)

I understand this morning that Kitchener is not the only store in Ontario with this display. Should it be a scavenger hunt?

Where is the Support Our Troops merchandise in the Sears near you?

Support Our Troops Through Sears

An Additional Way for Canadians

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to

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Support the Troops

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Canadians wanting to support the troops now have another option. CANEX, a division of the Canadian Forces Personnel Support Agency (CFPSA), has coordinated with Sears Canada to provide official "Support Our Troops" merchandise in Sears Canada retail stores across the country.

Official CFPSA Support Our Troops merchandise includes ball caps, t-shirts, car and fridge
magnets, cling vinyl window decals, bracelets, lapel pins, and more.

T-Shirts are only $12.99 and ball caps only $9.99.
Canadians can now purchase official Support Our Troops t-shirts and ball caps at Sears Canada, with two dollars from each purchase going back to morale and welfare programs for CF members and their families.

To purchase other Support Our Troops items, order online through CANEX at www.cfpsa.com/en/canex/. or through FOCSIA@hotmail.com (Families of Canadian Soldiers in Afghanistan)
"All proceeds from the sales of CFPSA "Support Our Troops" items are reinvested directly into morale and welfare programs for CF members and their families"

Come on.... SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!

CFPSA develops and delivers morale and welfare programs, activities and services to members of the CF and their families, in Canada and overseas. These activities include sports and recreation, health and fitness, family services, retail operations, financial services and, mess management. In addition, the CFPSA deploys approximately 60 civilian personnel per six-month rotation to Afghanistan to conduct morale and welfare programs.