Hello~

I know everyone is busy and times are tough but I was hoping for some help. Below is an event being held in Brighton, Michigan.

HOME FOR OUR TROOPS has built a house and they are giving it to Josh & Heather. If you have followed my blog, Andy & I met Josh and Heather over a year ago. He was severely injured in Iraq after an IED attack. Josh cannot move from his neck down due to a spinal cord injury. Their story is one of true hero's and love. Heather has stayed by him as his fiance. The military awards NOTHING to a fiancee to cover the fees she occurred while staying with Josh in VA. She is only 21 and their life will be one of many trials but I have confidence they will get through it all. This event is to raise money for Josh & Heather and HOME FOR OUR TROOPS to help start their new life together.

If you know anyone in Michigan (or any state) that may be able to attend or provide financial assistance, (sports figures, pageant sisters or anyone who just wants to say thank you for serving), please pass along this information. They are also registered at Target if you are able to provide a house warming gift.


Lots of love to all and thank you for any help or guidance you may provide.

Deanna

www.deannamlinz.blogspot.com
www.homeforourtroops.com


About Josh courtesy of Home For Our Troops:
Cpl Joshua Hoffman

Freeport, MI


January 6th, 2007 Cpl Joshua Hoffman was on patrol in the streets of Fallujah, Iraq when a man with a rocket propelled grenade appeared in his line of sight. The insurgent ran off, forcing Josh's group of Marines to follow and capture him. It was a standard, by the book procedure that they followed effortlessly. Josh was assigned to lead the group of men on foot. One shot rang-out, the men yelled "take cover!", and everyone dove to the ground. His men got up to make sure everyone was okay - but one man did not. Josh lay face-down in the filthy Iraq soil, unable to move, until his Navy Corpsmen came to his aid. His men frantically did everything they could to keep everyone safe while trying to save his life, and it worked. Every other person that day walked out of there untouched, but emotionally distraught over the happenings of that day.
Josh has spent the last 20 months away from his home, his friends, and his family. Fourteen of those months have been spent inside the four walls of his hospital room, 800 miles away from home. Fourteen months he lay in the same bed, staring at the same ceiling, praying to wake up and be back in Iraq, having all this be a bad nightmare. Fourteen months straight he has awakened to the crude reality of what has happened to him, to his body, to his life, and yet he is more optimistic than 95% of the other men here who have so much more use of their bodies. He tells me he's lucky - lucky to be alive, and lucky it's not worse. A man who had everything, a life many dream of, and now can hardly speak, barely see, and cannot move even a finger to itch his nose. Yet, he still says he is lucky.
Josh has had pneumonia 5 times, a urinary tract infection more than 10 times, fears of meningitis, complete kidney failure resulting in his body ballooning to 3 times his normal body size (his eyes were swollen shut, his bottom lip so big it touched his nose, and blisters that covered his entire body), and currently deals with multiple kidney stones too large to pass. He was dependent on a ventilator to breathe for him for 6 months, and still relies on a tracheotomy and oxygen. He fights everyday to relearn his speech, regain abilities to move, and hope that maybe soon he'll be able to return home. It's been a long road to recovery, but he's fighting on and he will indeed make it. After all, he is a US Marine!
Please help Homes for Our Troops build this young Marine the home he needs to aid in his recovery. He has fought for us now it is our turn to fight for him.



Fundraiser for HFOT @ the Genoa Woods Conf. Center
Brighton, MI
Please join us by showing your support as we move toward building a specially adapted home for a young, seriously injured Iraq war Veteran.
Event Date: Friday, Sept. 12, 2008 @ 730pm
Location: Genoa Woods Conf. Center, 7707 Conference Center Dr, Brighton MI
Highlights of the Evening Include:
Keynote Speakers and Dignitaries
Strolling Hors D'oeuvres
Musical and Dance Ensemble Entertainment
Martini/Cash Bar, Desserts
Silent Auction - local & national merchant/restaurant gift certificates, sports items and events tickets, show tickets and fun, exciting gift items for all!
Tickets: $60/each (donations appreciated in any amount). Adult-only Evening, please
Paypal: michHFOT@yahoo.com, Indicate name of attendee(s) in Remarks section; if you are unable to attend, indicate "donation".
Checks must be made Payable to: "Homes for Our Troops" (Tax ID# 54-2143612) and mailed to: Jan Denise Taylor, 3464 Hunter Road, Brighton MI 48114. Names/tickets will be at will-call at the door on September 12th.
Cocktail attire - Service Members and First Responders are respectfully requested to wear Dress Uniform
Gold Star Families are our Honored Guests
Questions - Jan Taylor at 810.299.2915, 810.923.9083 or jandenisetaylor@comcast.net

Date: Friday, September 12, 2008
Time: 7:30 PM

Please make a Difference in the Lives of
Seriously Wounded Michigan Heroes

Event Date: Friday, Sept. 12, 2008 @ 730pm Location: Genoa Woods Conf. Center, 7707 Conference Center Dr, Brighton MI

Highlights of this Patriotic Evening Include:
• Speakers and Dignitaries - Sen. Valde Garcia, Sgt. Todd Caccamo, USMC
• Emcee - Deanna Linz, Mrs. Washington DC International 2008
• Strolling Hors D'oeuvres
• GIGband musical entertainment, Michelle’s Academy of Dance ensemble, Dance floor
• Martini/Cash Bar, Desserts Adult-only Evening, please
• Silent Auction
Homes for Our Troops (HFOT), a national non-profit 501(c)3 Corporation, builds specially adapted homes for seriously injured Veterans through donations and at no cost to the Veteran. Cpl Joshua Hoffman, USMC 1st BN 24th Marine Regiment-Michigan, was hit by sniper fire in Iraq in 2007 on his 3rd tour of duty.

Space is Limited - Please Reserve Now
Tickets: $60/each (Donations appreciated in any Amount)
Mail Check: Payable to “Homes for Our Troops" (Tax ID# 54-2143612) to:
Jan Denise Taylor, 3464 Hunter Road, Brighton MI 48114 (810)229.2915, (810)923.9083
jandenisetaylor@comcast.net
All Names will be at will-call at the door on September 12th
Cocktail attire - Service Members and First Responders are respectfully requested to wear dress uniform
Gold Star Families are our Honored Guests

Todd & I
Lois & Benjamin

Busch Gardens Adventures

Go Devil Rays!!!!
My wonderful and brilliant nephew and I
Andy and I
Todd and Lois Lane
With family in Florida


Hello-

Things have been a little crazy and emotional. We did spend a week in Florida with the family after the pageant. Sleeping in until 10:30am can really spoil someone!Lois is doing well and I had said it before but her hair is REALLY curly! One of the medications she is on is Tamoxifen. Unfortunately, a side effect of the drug is the possibility of uterine cancer. Please keep her in your prayers. She was biopsied and we are awaiting the results.

Andy had PRK surgery through the US Army. Andy is (was we hope:))) legally blind so this was a great thing for us. Unfortunately the recovery is long. At the hospital this morning we were informed it would take up to 6 weeks for him to gain clarity in his vision....

On a few different notes, Josh & Heather are doing great. We are excited to be a part of their ceremonies!!! Josh & Heather are registered at Target if you are interested in providing a house warming gift!!!

Our thoughts are prayers also go out to the Devine's. Shannon & Jason are not able to bring Halle Grace home yet. Log onto http://ourdevinemiracle.blogspot.com/ to follow their journey. They are incredible people and will be incredible parents. Thank you to AJ for making strides on their behalf!

Lots of love to all-

Deanna