SERvice TO MAnkind Award from Tampa Gem SERTOMA Club
September 21, 2011 by Lisa Berg
Filed under News & Events
Operation Hug-A-Hero is humbled to receive the SERvice TO MAnkind award this week from the Tampa Gem SERTOMA Club on Thursday, Sept 22nd in Tampa. Executive Director Lisa Berg and Key Volunteer Ellen Kluver will accept the award on behalf of our entire Operation Hug-A-Hero team. The Tampa Gem SERTOMA Club has helped place many dolls into the arms of children in need by their continued generous donations to our cause.
Beyond the Uniform Book Benefits Operation Hug-A-Hero
September 21, 2011 by Lisa Berg
Filed under Fund Raising, General
Operation Hug-A-Hero to Receive Proceeds from Sale of “Beyond The Uniform”
Operation Hug-A-Hero is pleased to announce a partnership with “Beyond the Uniform”, every military girl’s survival guide. The authors, Megan Bekkedahl and Melaina Lausen will graciously donate 100% of the proceeds from the sale of their newly released “Beyond The Uniform”, a 226 page guide for those married to or dating someone in uniform.
“Beyond The Uniform” is a collection of stories covering a wide variety of topics concerning military life. These inspirational, sometimes funny, and always interesting stories feature tips on surviving deployment, making new friendships and even includes recipes for entertaining!
The Operation Hug-A-Hero program provides a tangible, comforting connection between military children and their deployed or fallen military loved one. Hug-A-Hero dolls, featuring the photo of the military loved one, become a constant companion for many military children as they face doctor’s visits, tough days at school, or long nights missing the absent parent.
“We believe each child experiencing the absence of a parent deployed or the permanent absence of a parent who has fallen in the line of duty deserves the extra comfort our Hug-A-Hero dolls provide, “ said Lisa Berg, Executive Director, Operation Hug-A Hero. “Each Hug-A-Hero doll is one of a kind.”
Operation Hug-A-Hero salutes the generosity of Ms. Bekkedahl and Ms Lausen. We encourage everyone to purchase their copy of “Beyond The Uniform” to support giving America’s littlest heroes their very own Hug-A-Hero doll. To purchase your copy, simply go to Lulu.com.
For more information contact Lisa Berg, OHAH Executive Director lisa AT operationhugahero.org or Carla Olivo, OHAH Director of Communications media AT operationhugahero.org
Hittin’ the Links for OPERATION Hug-A-Hero – SOLD OUT
June 15, 2011 by Lisa Berg
Filed under Fund Raising
Friends of OPERATION Hug-A-Hero in Naples, FL are hosting their inaugural golf tournament in the SW Florida area at the Grey Oaks Country Club on Saturday, June 18, 2011. It is only fitting that this tournament coincide with Father’s Day weekend, as so many of the heroes that we honor at OPERATION Hug-A-Hero are fathers that are deployed in harm’s way. The tournament’s capacity of 80 players was quickly reached – a testament to the SW Florida community – rich in patriotism and home to many retired service members.
OPERATION Hug-A-Hero volunteer, Michael Cox, whose son-in-law is a United States Marine, has led the effort to establish the tradition of a series of golf tournaments to benefit OPERATION Hug-A-Hero at premier golf courses in SW Florida. Cox’s goal is to organize at least 2 more tournaments in 2011.
For more information, please contact us at info AT operationhugahero.org!
Way to go Mike and our thanks to all of the players for their support!
Update on Family Fun Run in Walled Lake, Michigan
May 18, 2011 by mperry
Filed under Fund Raising
Just a reminder that the 3rd Annual 5K and Family Fun Run in Walled Lake, Michigan will be held Saturday May 29th. This event supports Operation Hug-A-Hero and The Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund. It should prove to be a fun event! The Support Our Troops 5K Run will begin with a grand opening celebration that includes an Honor Guard flag raising ceremony and the national anthem performed by local singer Gracie Jessup. All runners and walkers will enjoy a healthy brunch after the event provided by Uptown Grille and Great Harvest Bread in Commerce Township.
For more information please go to the Walled Lake, MI website for more information or to Run Michigan dot com to register!
Press release for 3rd Annual 5K and Family Fun Run
Schools “Dress Down” for OPERATION Hug-A-Hero
April 11, 2011 by Lisa Berg
Filed under Fund Raising
Schools “Dress Down” for OPERATION Hug-A-Hero
Join us in celebrating the Month of the Military Child by “Dressing Down” at your school! Don’t have a uniform dress code at your school? Join us in a “Pennies for Heroes” fund drive instead!
For our “Dress Down” fundraiser, you determine the amount of the donation that earns your students a dress down day, and we will provide a customized promotional flyer template for you to promote your tribute to military children.
For our “Pennies for Heroes” fundraiser, put a collection receptacle in your school office, cafeteria, gymnasium during sporting events and raise funds for OPERATION Hug-A-Hero! Again, we will provide a promotional flyer for you to post and distribute to your students and on your website.
For more information, contact our Director of Development, Stephanie Crabb at 888-HUG-0329, ext 113 or Stephanie At operationhugahero.org.
Down Load a Full Resolution PDF -SAMPLE-Version of our Dress Down FLYER 
Calendar Fundraiser for Operation Hug-A-Hero
December 15, 2010 by Lisa Berg
Filed under Fund Raising
3rd Annual Fundraiser to Help our Little Heroes!
Help Support this creative group of women who are now selling their 3rd Annual “Pit Bulls n Pretty Girls” Calendar! 100% of their proceeds goes to Operation Hug-A-Hero! We are so appreciative of their support!
You can find their calendar at http://www.cafepress.com/rubypress.
Thank you, Michelle and all the volunteers (models and K-9s)!
iGive.com Donates to Operation Hug-A-Hero on your Behalf
November 15, 2010 by Lisa Berg
Filed under Fund Raising
Countdown to Black Friday – iGive for the Holidays 2010
This holiday season, buy a gift that includes an automatic donation to OPERATION Hug-A-Hero at not cost to you when you shop at any of over 700 participating online stores (including Amazon, eBay, Toys-R-Us, and many more) through iGive. A portion of each purchase comes back to support our cause in the form of a donation check when you register OPERATION Hug-A-Hero as your charity of choice! It is that easy!
It’s free for you, free for us, and you pay the same (or less!) than you would by going directly to the online stores you usually shop at. Plus, there is a $5 donation bonus for your first purchase (within 45 days of registering).
To all you smart shoppers: don’t miss iGive’s treasure-trove of coupons, sales, and free shipping. Save money, save time, and send gifts that give twice. What could be better than that? You can use iGive anytime for any purchase- it doesn’t have to be gifts for someone else, and you can get a tax deduction receipt for the portion iGive donates on your behalf.
If you download the iGive Toolbar, you will donate a penny for every search you make too! Plus, the automatic tracking feature means you don’t have to remember to start at iGive.com when you shop most stores. Check out the 700+ online stores after you register, and watch for special rate donations. For example, right now if you join eBay through the iGive link and place a bid or Buy-It-Now in the next 30 days, an $11 donation will be sent on your behalf to Operation Hug-A-Hero.
Want to get a headstart on planning your online shopping? Check out Blackfriday.info’s Black Friday Deals for all of the online specials from major stores that could be yours. Then, click on over to iGive.com to make your purchase count for our littlest heroes! Just don’t forget to search “Operation Hug-A-Hero” to select our cause and bookmark it before you start shopping!
As always, we thank you for your support!
2009 Holiday Hugs Drive
November 18, 2009 by Lisa Berg
Filed under Fund Raising, General
OPERATION Hug-A-Hero is inviting retailers, businesses, schools, churches and other interested organizations to adorn a holiday tree with OHAH Holiday Hug “ornaments.” Each ornament represents a Hug-A-Hero doll for a child, for a $25 donation. Donors can write a personal message to the child recipient on the back of the ornament which will be lovingly included in the package that OHAH will send to the child. OHAH will also offer the Holiday Hug drive on its website as well, and will offer donors the same opportunity to craft a personal message to the child recipient.
The Holiday Hugs Drive is made simple for the sponsoring organization as OHAH sends all of the materials – the sponsors simply provide the tree or other display for the ornaments. To obtain your Sponsor Package please contact our Director of Development, Stephanie Crabb at stephanie AT operationhugahero.org. or using our Contact Form select the Request a Holiday Hugs Packet option.
The Holiday Hugs for Our Littlest Heroes Drive will continue through January 31, 2010.
Be sure to check out our Press Release
Our Holiday Hug Angel:
Holiday Hugs Ornament
Press Release November 17, 2009
November 18, 2009 by Lisa Berg
Filed under General, News & Events
OPERATION Hug-A-Hero® Launches Holiday Hugs Drive
OPERATION Hug-A-Hero kicks off its inaugural “Holiday Hugs for Our Littlest Heroes” Drive to provide Hug-A-Hero dolls to the children of military, law enforcement and first responder families this holiday season.
Jacksonville, NC (PRWEB) November 20, 2009 — OPERATION Hug-A-Hero, a 501(c)(3) organization serving the children of military, law enforcement and first responder families, kicks off its inaugural “Holiday Hugs for Our Littlest Heroes” drive this week with the goal of providing 2,500 children with Hug-A-Hero dolls this holiday season.
OPERATION Hug-A-Hero Executive Director, Lisa Berg, reports a tremendous increase in the applications for the Hug-A-Hero doll program in the weeks leading up to and just after the holiday season. This is due in part, Berg suggests, to the fact that the holidays are very hard for the littlest heroes when they are separated from a parent or other loved one in their lives, or, in the worst case, if they have lost a parent serving in the line of duty. “The separation anxiety is often heightened during the holidays, a time that is already particularly stressful for the family back on the homefront or that is grieving a loss. In addition, the number of units and individuals across our armed forces scheduled to deploy in the January-February timeframe is high,” stated Berg.
A recent application for the OPERATION Hug-A-Hero program from a service member in the United States Air Force readying for deployment puts the need into perspective. The application stated, “I will be leaving behind my fiancee and daughter to go to South Korea for a year. It will be extremely hard for me considering I have only spent a few days apart since she has been born. I am hoping this (Hug-A-Hero doll) will help her remember me while I am gone,” shared Berg.
OPERATION Hug-A-Hero is inviting retailers, businesses, schools, churches and other interested organizations to adorn a holiday tree with OPERATION Hug-A-Hero Holiday Hug ornaments. Each ornament (a $25 donation) represents a Hug-A-Hero doll to be gifted to an eligible child. Donors can write a personal message to the child recipient on the back of the ornament which will be lovingly included in the package that OPERATION Hug-A-Hero will send to the child. The Holiday Hugs Drive is made simple for the sponsoring organization as OPERATION Hug-A-Hero sends all of the materials – the sponsors simply provide the tree or other display for the ornaments.
Individuals who want to participate in the Holiday Hugs Drive may do so on the OPERATION Hug-A-Hero website. The website will also offer donors the same opportunity to craft a personal message to the child recipient.
“We are thrilled at the early response from organizations and businesses all over the country who are becoming Holiday Hugs supporters,” shared Stephanie Crabb, Director of Development for OHAH. “Our goal is to have 50 participants in the Holiday Hugs Drive this year, and for each of those sites to display a minimum of 50 Holiday Hug ornaments. If we achieve this goal we will be able to include 2,500 more children in our program.”
The Holiday Hugs for Our Littlest Heroes Drive will continue through January 31, 2010.
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Down load a copy of this Press Release
Motorcycle Ride for OPERATION Hug-A-Hero & Children’s Bicycle Rodeo
October 6, 2009 by Lisa Berg
Filed under Fund Raising, General
Be one of the first 100 to register and receive a FREE t-shirt!
October 24th 2009 in Jacksonville, North Carolina there will be (2) great events to support our Military and Operation Hug-A-Hero. These events are for the entire family. The first event is for all the Motorcycle Enthusiasts. This Harley Ride is just for you. For the second event be sure to bring your children along for the Bicycle Rodeo, where the kids get to dress up their bikes with all kinds of free stickers and then a contest for the best dressed and a lot of other categories for them to win prizes with their bikes. Lot’s of fun stuff for children of all ages; there will be Face Painting, a Rock Wall, Giveaways, Live Music, Food and more.
So be sure to set the date (October 24, 2009) on your calendar for these two great fun events at the New River Harley Davidson off Wilmington Highway in Jacksonville, NC.
Event 1 – Harley Ride for Operation Hug-A-Hero
Fall is in the air! Rain or shine, be a part of the first ever ride in our community for our littlest heroes!
Ride for Operation Hug-A-Hero – Jacksonville, NC
October 24, 2009
New River Harley Davidson/Buell
2394 Wilmington Highway
Jacksonville, NC
The Harley Ride is Sponsored by:
$20 Solo Rider (Free Event T-Shirt to first 100 registered riders) 9:00 AM Kickoff and Registration 11:00 AM Kickstands Up After Party – WRNS Your Country 95.1 FM Broadcasting Live – Kids Bicycle Rodeo For more information, contact: Tricia Dyal @ 910-333-1502 or tricia AT operationhugahero.org
Event 2 – Kids Bicycle Rodeo and Family Fun
Kids Bicycle Rodeo and Family Fun – Jacksonville, NC October 24, 2009 New River Harley Davidson/Buell 2394 Wilmington Highway Jacksonville, NCThe Kids Bicycle Rodeo and Family Fun is Sponsored by: Accent Real Estate
Be one of the first 100 to register and receive a FREE t-shirt!
Ride for our Cause!
