Operation Gratitude - Thank you!

To the Alluem Kids, families, and all that participated in donating candy to Operation Gratitude...

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

We've collaboratively collected over 300 pounds of candy! We were certainly thrilled by the outpouring of gratitude!! The amount of candy that everyone has donated to the men and women who are so far removed from our society and the fun of Halloween is more then we could have ever imagined! It is sooooo great!!! It is so worth the smiles it will bring to the soldiers. The candy is sent to the California National Guard where it is then divided into care packages for the soldiers. Some people may think - "it's just candy" and "I'm glad to get it out of my house", but to them - it's a reminder of home which they may not have experienced in months, or years even! I've talked to each one of my classes about this and they get it...they get the fact they are doing something great by simply donating their candy. I constantly remind the Alluem Kids to open their hearts while they're practicing yoga. This time they've taken it off the mat and opened their Trick or Treat bags. This is the goal of yoga - learning to take your practice off the mat and help make the world a better place.
To learn more about Operation Gratitude and what you can do to bring a smile to the men and women fighting for our freedom, visit:
http://www.opgratitude.com/

"Halloween candy reminds the troops of the great traditions we celebrate at home-- which they are protecting by serving in harm's way" said Operation Gratitude Founder Carolyn Blashek. "In addition, the troops give the candy to the children in Afghanistan and Iraq as part of the 'winning hearts and minds' strategy. Often the children will provide critical information in return, prompting one Marine to write: 'You are not just putting smiles on our faces, you are saving our lives.'"