May marks a time to appreciate, remember our military

In an effort to honor the nation’s military personnel and their families for their dedication to duty and love of country, Congress has designated May 2007 as National Military Appreciation Month.

A special Website, NATIONAL MILITARY APPRECIATION MONTH 2007 – The official Website, has been created to encourage government entities as well as schools, civic organizations and private businesses to organize and participate in the various programs and events taking place nationwide during the month-long celebration.

Additionally, the Department of Defense through its America Supports You (ASY) program has teamed up with corporate partners to co-host events such as the McDonald’s Air and Sea Show in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and numerous Professional Golfers’ Association activities all over the nation.

Along with the Buick, Pontiac and GMC divisions of General Motors, ASY is also collecting thank-you letters for the troops that the public can drop off a various GM car dealerships located across the country.

Delta Dental is proud to do its part in showing appreciation for our military families. On a recent “Bring Your Child to Work” day, several children of Delta Dental employees kept themselves busy creating unique, patriotic-themed quilt squares from fabric provided by Binky Patrol in Orange County, California.

A team of Delta Dental volunteers sewed the squares together to make quilts for donation to the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), a non-profit Veteran Service organization based in Virginia that reaches out each year to thousands of American armed forces families who have lost a loved one.

The patriotic quilts were combined with 150 other quilts and fleece blankets donated to Binky Patrol by local groups such as the Girl Scouts, and Delta Dental gladly covered the entire cost of shipping all of them from Orange County to TAPS in Arlington, VA.

Over the Memorial Day holiday, TAPS will be sponsoring a “Good Grief” camp for surviving children of deceased armed services members. The campers will each be given one of the hand-made quilts or blankets to take home as a memoir of their experience at the camp.

Recognition and appreciation of our military men and women during May culminates with Memorial Day. Celebrated each year on the last Monday in May, Memorial Day is traditionally a time for remembering the men and women of the United States armed services who have died in war.

On May 28, please join Delta Dental and the TRDP in honoring our nation’s armed services personnel who have given their lives in battle for our country, as well as those present and former members who have made sacrifices and shown commitment to preserving and protecting America’s freedom.