[MIham] FW: [GRARA members and friends of GRARA] Support Hurricane Katrina RedCross Disaster Relief

[Jack Amelar]

(Please pass this along to all Kent County area Amateur Radio club mailing lists)
-----Original Message-----
From: Grara_members-bounces at w8dc.org [mailto:Grara_members-bounces at w8dc.org]On Behalf Of
Bill Cahill, AD8BC
Sent: Thursday, September 01, 2005 8:41 PM
To: grara_members at w8dc.org
Cc: djones at redcrosswcm.org; rnorman at redcrosswcm.org
Subject: [GRARA members and friends of GRARA] Support Hurricane Katrina RedCross Disaster
Relief



To my fellow GRARA members and other Amateur Radio operators in the Grand Rapids
Area:

In every newspaper, on every news channel and all over the Internet we are
witnessing the devastation of one of the worst hurricanes this country has ever
witnessed.  We feel the impact of the rising gas prices.  We cringe when we hear
of the looting and the violence that is going on down in and around New Orleans.
 The reports of lives and livelihoods lost tug at our hearts.  We wonder what we
would do if we lost our homes and all of our possessions.  We wonder if we could
go days with no food, no water, no communication with our loved ones, no
sanitary toilet facilities, no showers.  What happened down there hurts all of
us in so many ways.  My wife Kellie KC8TSX and I were down in New Orleans about
two weeks ago.  I cannot fathom the truth that many of the places we enjoyed
visiting have been destroyed and the wonderful people that we met have been
injured, killed, or lost everything.

Next weekend, on Saturday, September 10th, the Grand Rapids Amateur Radio
Association will hold the annual GRAHamfest at the Kent County Fairgrounds in
Lowell (http://www.w8dc.org/swap.htm).  At the main GRARA booth we will collect
cash and check donations for the American Red Cross (make checks payable to
GRARA and note "Red Cross Fund" in the memo field).  After the hamfest, the
donations will be tallied and a check will immediately be cut for the American
Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund through the West Central Michigan Chapter of the
American Red Cross.  These donations are tax deductable and receipts will be
provided.  After the hamfest we will continue, as always, to accept donations
to the Red Cross at any time on behalf of any Amateur Radio operator in the
area, GRARA member or not, by mail or in person at one of our meetings.  I
encourage those of you who are selling items at our hamfest to donate a portion
of your profits as well to the GRARA Red Cross Fund.

The annual GRAHamfest is our biggest fundraiser and we look forward each year to
the support that it brings to our group.  Even though gas prices may be at
record levels, I encourage all of you to come anyway.  Carpool if it helps.
Come the night before and camp with us to avoid two trips.  But please come.
Remember that GRARA supports the Red Cross and other disaster relief agencies
in ways that money cannot and we need your support as well.  Our repeater
project is in full swing and it won't be long before GRARA will be able to
provide improved emergency communications support to most, if not all, of Kent
County.  Someday Western Michigan may be hit with a natural or man-made
disaster of this proportion.  We need to be prepared as well.  But as you
wander the tables and trunks at our new and improved hamfest and support GRARA
at the same time, remember the donation bucket at the GRARA main table labeled
"American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund".

This is an immediate need, the American Red Cross and the people affected by
Hurricane Katrina need your help NOW.  I treasure the relationship that GRARA
has with our friends at the local Red Cross chapter.  We would not be the group
that we are without their help and support.  Lets show them that we will help
and support their efforts as well.  I'm sure that volunteers from our local
chapter will be travelling South to personally volunteer their time as well.
Lets give them all the support that we can!

Please keep the victims, their families, and those who respond to this horrific
disaster in your prayers.  At our potlick banqued the night before the hamfest
we will have a moment of silence for the victims, their families, and the
responders.  Pray for peace in the aftermath of destruction.  Pray that the
Gulf Coast and all of America can recover.


On behalf of the officers of GRARA,

Bill Cahill, AD8BC, President
Grand Rapids Amateur Radio Association, Inc.

_______________________________________________
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Grara_members at w8dc.org
http://mail.w8dc.org/mailman/listinfo/grara_members_w8dc.org

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