Hello..I've spent the last week reading the comments and most of you people dragging these gentlemen through the dirt for having this rally on sat.31st.As someone who has been in afghanistan(civilian) I must ask..what have you complainers done yourselves to help.These guys decided to have a rally and ONE family complained about a name on the car,ONE.I understand that the parents were at the rally,and wanted the name left on.It must have been a very hard decision to leave it on for these guys,but they did.As far as not being a registered charity,they are telling the truth people,you can't give CASH,to another charity,(united way,if you care to check before mouthing off,is not a registered charity for the same reasons these guys aren't.Did anyone think to check before spreading more anger around for these guys?Ever been to a cenotaph?Theres names on it!!Why???So we don't ever forget the people who made the altimate sacrifice.Is it really that hard to see this car as the same thing,only something that can be brought to just about anywhere,any town too small for their own cenotaph ,so those people don't forget either.As far as raising funds for our veterans during this rally...So what,I consider it a waste to have hundreds of people gather and not do something like raising funds for any charity.Now come on you guys,these heroes on the side of the car,if asked today,knowing the kind of giving people they must have been,would I strongly believe,would have no problem with raising money for our vets,their friends that made it home after all are now vets.As for the ladies from petawawa,why is it that you figure if its not your rally,its not acceptable.I think its a shame you did'nt raise funds for a good cause when you had the chance.Just think about how nice it would have been to hand over a cheque to the childrens wish fund,or cancer society,in the memory of our fallen.What a gesture and heartfelt situation that would have been and the families would I imagine be happy that the memory of their loved ones lived on in a thank you letter from one of these choosen charites.You people writing back and forth putting down the efforts of Brian Muntz,Brian Wilkins,who by the way served in afghanistan as well as me,and Brandon Arnold,sickens me,and you need to look at what you are doing here.Possibly stopping some other citizen from doing another rally or something for the memory of our fallen because they don't want to be dragged through the dirt for their efforts.If you really believe you can do better,and know how to do it without having to learn along the way...then I suggest you get off your chairs and plan something...but be prepared,because if you don't do it 100% perfect, you are in for the worst name calling ,dirt in your face reaction you ever thought could happen. You people should be ashamed of yourselves.
Let me begin to answer this by posting my bias' in this matter up front (as "transparency" would see anyone involved do just as the "Red Friday ladies" have done. It would seem to be the moral thing to do no? It's actually covered in the site guidelines that one should not try to pose here as a soldier if he isn't for example, or that those who are part of a business, or a contracting partner state so up front).
My Bias':
1) I am a soldier, I work for soldiers, and yet other soldiers still - work for me;
2) I have served on several international operational deployments;
3) I have lost several of my personal friends on deployments;
4) I am a CAO;
5) I have volunteered (after working hours) with the Charlottetown MFRC etc with organizing CFPSA/MFRC Red Friday Rally's, BINGOs, coffee breaks for family members of personnel deployed overseas, arranged for - and provided - emergency/respite childcare for soldiers' loved ones when required, arranged for assistance to family members, organized family support activities and peer support groups aimed at minimizing the stress experienced by soldiers' families while they are deployed --- which goes a long way in itself to reduce the stress upon the deployed soldier;
6) I have done up care parcels, received care parcels from families for furtherance, engaged the local community in "Support your Troops" activities such as educational awareness days where I have been asked to (and have) attend school gyms to explain to children in their terms what is going on in Afghanistan;
7) I have been asked to (and have) provided a briefing to the mother, fiance, and their co-workers of a deployed member because of the stress that was being caused within their workplace during certain periods of the current mission in Afghanistan in an attempt to alleviate the concerns that each of them were dealing with on a dialy basis. Many of those I spoke to that day remain amongst my great friends;
8 ) I have been involved in repatriation activites/funerals for some of our Fallen in both the organizational and "simple attender" role;
9) I have visited gravesites to obtain pictures for fellow soldiers who could not be present for the funeral of their comrade-in-arms, because they believed that that picture would bring them some solace and comfort in dealing with their grief (and, in some cases survivors guilt);
10) I visit cenotaphs each November 11th, and can actually be found in their vicintiy on many more dates of the year which I hold important to me personally - and while there, I have laid wreaths remembering my both own relatives lost overseas, or on behalf of my Unit in remembrance of all of our Fallen;
11) I volunteer with the Canadian Cancer Society, raising donations, helping to organize and participating in the Relay for Life - and actually will be particpating in this run as part of a Military team this coming Friday Night; and
12) I have served many times as a canvasser for the United Way, which despite your protestations otherwise, certainly is registered as a charitable entity with the Canada Revenue Agency (here's your sign:
CRA Registered Canadian Charities). In this capacity, I have also answered donors questions about where/what their money would be going, and can even further redirect them and provide them with a specific charity's name/registration# (such as Scouts Canada / The Juvenile Diabetes Research Corporation etc) should they prefer that option. And, in each and every single case - I will then issue them with a receipt for the amount of their contribution for Income Tax purposes.
You asked:
I must ask..what have you complainers done yourselves to help.
I think I've answered. I think I've managed to cover all the things that you've accused me of "not being", so, with regards to this bit:
You people should be ashamed of yourselves.
Absolutely not Afghandad; I am a very proud supporter of veterans organizations, soldiers, their familes, registered charities, and worthwhile causes.
I simply do not condone recommendations that someone donate their hard earned money towards an officially non-charitable entity whose books, records, and dealings are not "transparent". I'd rather see them put their money towards a bonified charitable cause.
The Red Friday Foundation, as of this date, still does not qualify in that regard. Like has been stated quite often in this forum already "their hearts may be in the right spots, but their execution is terrible". That fact remains.
PS -- note to all: I'm
still waiting to hear a response from Mr Brian Wilkens to my email (that 'golanvern' one) sent to the Foundation on 30 May 2008.
