[PPRAANet] Ham Radio Support for Salvation Army's Thanksgiving/Christmas Dinners

[Rob Roller N7LV]

Each year for nearly 20 years, the Salvation Army has served dinner to 
thousands of people in need in the community.  This year the Salvation Army 
expects to serve about 4,500 dinners at six locations around Colorado 
Springs.  For many of those 20 years, hams have helped by providing 
logistical communications to help coordinate distribution and replenishment 
of meals and to meet any other communications needs.  I'm recruiting hams 
now from the local community, from various clubs and organiztions, to 
provide that needed communications.

There are six serving sites:

- The Salvation Army, 910 Yuma St
- Fountain Valley Senior Center, 5725 Southmoor Dr
- Manitou Springs Town Hall, 606 Manitou Ave
- Marian House, 14 W Bijou St
- Salvation Army Mobile Canteen, Mitchell H.S., 1205 Potter Dr
- New Song Fellowship, 5515 Palmer Park Blvd

The days and times are:

- Thanksgiving, Nov 26, 0800 - 1500
- Christmas, Dec 25, 0800 - 1500

Hams volunteering will need to operate VHF and UHF from your own portable 
station, so you will need a power supply, extension cord, portable antenna, 
transceiver, coax, and pencil/pen and paper, and maps.  I will have more 
details in a communications plan that I will provide to the people 
volunteering.  All operating sites except for the Mitchell H.S. will be 
indoors; for Mitchell H.S. you will likely be able to operating outdoors 
from your vehicle since the support there is for the mobile canteen.

A volunteer registration web site has been set up (Thanks to Al Glock 
KC0PRM) for you to go to and sign up for either or both of those days. 
Please viist

http://www.wavelinedata.com/ARESPSE/Default.aspx

And click on New Volunteer if you've never used Al's registration site 
before, or click on Existing Volunteer Login if you have.

I will team up multiple people at each site as needed.  I'm looking for 
experienced people as well as new hams that are interested in volunteering 
in a public service event.  This event is a relaxed and fun event to 
participate in and is also a good learning event to get the feel for 
volunteering at a public service event.  Please volunteer if you can work on 
those special days.  Obviously family comes first, and I understand that 
these are days that we generally spend with our families.  On the other 
hand, these are events that your family members can certainly partiipate in. 
Last year my daughter helped me out at the Fountain Valley Senior Center.

I am also looking for a second person to assist me as an assistant 
coordinator for these events.  If you're interested in helping me out, 
please let me know by replying directly to me as well as registering on the 
web site.

BTW, dinner will be provided by the Salvation Army.

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!

73
Rob
N7LV