Grant awarded to Union County Military Family Support Group to encourage Union County troops overseas For Immediate Release November 20, 2003

This week, the United Way of Union County Board of Trustees approved a $1,000 grant to the Union County Military Family Support Group that will help the recently founded organization send care packages to about 100 Union County soldiers deployed overseas. The act will show gratitude to the men and women protecting our freedom. By sending care packages to the troops, the Support Group hopes to remind them that we at home are proud of what they are doing and that they are not forgotten. United Way dollars will be used to pay for postage and shipping materials or to purchase additional items to put inside the packages. “I spent 40 years in the military and there is nothing more important than mail from back home and knowing that someone back home cares about you,” Ken Weaver, Veteran and volunteer of the Union County Military Family Support Group; and Major Gen. Oscar Decker, Jr. (Ret.), accept a $1,000 check from Brad Gibson, United Way of Union County Board President and Shari Marsh, Executive Director. said Major Gen. Oscar Decker, Jr. (Ret.), co-chair of the group. “And there's a lot of people out there who don't get anything. It's kind of amazing, but there's a lot of folks for whom when mail call comes, there's nothing there.” More than 100 Union County families are affected by the war in Iraq, therefore the Support Group serves an estimated 400 people, including the soldiers themselves. The group was founded last spring as a result of the Support the Troops Rally in Marysville. Their purpose is to support area families of military personnel by fostering a sense of community among the families left behind and assisting with their concerns. The group will be packing boxes and preparing them for shipping this Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at the American Legion Hall in Marysville. Volunteers are needed to help. For more information, please contact the United Way of Union County, at 937-644-8381.