Hittin’ the Links for OPERATION Hug-A-Hero – SOLD OUT

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

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

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

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

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!

Inflate World sponsors Operation Hug-A-Hero

Local Tampa Area Business provides Fundraising Opportunity for Operation Hug-A-Hero for the entire month of November 2010.

John & Jennifer Ferraiolo, owners of Inflate World located at 2552 Merchant Ave in Odessa, FL 33556 have graciously offered to sponsor Operation Hug-A-Hero for the entire month of November.  What that means is for every admission, which is $10, they will donate $2 to our cause!  This applies every Friday night at their Open Play (excluding the Friday after Thanksgiving, as they will be closed).

With all the holiday breaks from school this month kids are going to build up a lot of extra energy, especially if they stay indoors due to the cooler weather.  If you’re looking for a fun place to take your kids or perhaps you have a birthday party to plan, then Inflate World is the place to go.  It’s fun for adults too!

Inflate World is a clean, safe, and fun Indoor Inflatable Party Center offering thrilling private parties and events for children.

What a great donation this company is giving to us.  20% of every ticket to help support our littlest heroes!

Local Merchants – Are you looking for a way to bring in customers this Holiday Season?  Please contact us so that we can show you a way to do just that and at the same time provide a Charitable contribution that supports a great service to our active duty military families.  Please check out our Planning a Fund Raiser page and then contact our Executive Director, Lisa Berg for more information or submit a request via our Contact Page.

Shop at iGive.com & support OPERATION Hug-A-Hero

This holiday season, send a gift that means an automatic donation to OPERATION Hug-A-Hero when you shop at any of over 700 participating online stores through iGive, a portion of each purchase comes back to support our cause in the form of a donation check.

Gotta have those fringed boots for the season?  Order them from shoebuy.com at  iGive.com and 7.6% of your purchase will be donated to OPERATION Hug-A-Hero!  Sending photocards?  Order them through Snapfish at  iGive.com and 6.4% of your purchase will be donated to OPERATION Hug-A-Hero!

It’s free for you, free for us, and you pay the same (or less!) than you would by going directly to the store. Shopping online means no wasted gas and no more standing in long lines at the mall. And 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?

See for yourself here: iGive.com

Be sure to select OPERATION Hug-A-Hero as your cause, Bookmark it and start shopping!

As always, we thank you for your support!

Team OPERATION Hug-A-Hero

2009 Holiday Hugs Drive

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:

Ebay Flag Auction to benefit OPERATION Hug-A-Hero

Veterans Day is only a few days away. Wednesday November 11, 2009.   You can help make this day even more memorable  for a Special Friend or Loved one who is a Veteran , Patriot or Flag Collector by participating in an EBay auction to support OPERATION Hug-A-Hero.

We have been provided with a very special  opportunity to help raise attention to the OPERATION Hug-A-Hero mission while also being able to pay tribute to all of our Veterans all across the globe. We would like to call your attention to the information below regarding an EBay Auction that started this week and will continue until approximately 10:00 PM on  Veterans Day.

This is a very Special Flag, and while the specific details of where it is going to be flown are a SECRET, we know that whomever is the wining  bidder will be pleased with the historic nature and value of this collectible item of our Military History. On top of that, the proceeds will go to OPERATION Hug-A-Hero.  That means that we will be able to help  reach-out to many more children in need.  We are hoping that the bidding  will continue to increase as word spreads of this great item and the great cause that it will support.

Every $30.00 that we can bring in allows us to help (1) child.  A $300.00 bid will allow us to help about 10 children, $500.00 would help over 16 and $1000.00 dollars will help over 30 children.  No matter the amount of the final bid, know that your thoughtfulness will go to help a very worthwhile cause and every time you look at the Flag and the Certificate in your name, you will be proud to own a piece of history and will know that you helped a lot of Military family’s and put a smile on the face of a young child in the process!

We would be honored if you bid on this SPECIAL Flag as a tribute to our VETERANS. It would be great  if you could also pass this article or link on to a friend or relative who might be interested.

Thanks from Team OPERATION Hug-A-Hero

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American Flag Tribute

November 5, 2009 – November 11, 2009

EBay Auction Item number: 180426880681

Bid on an American Flag flown proudly over one of the most historically-significant overseas military installations in celebration of all those who have served our nation.

• Flag will be flown on Veterans Day.
• Winning Bidder will have their name inscribed on a Certificate accompanying the Flag stating that the Flag was flown in their Honor.
• Flag will be expertly Folded by US MARINES, and inserted into a Flag Presentation Case.
• Certificate will be accompanied in a matching frame.

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This is not any Flag; but one that will be flown on a US Military Base that is located overseas in a location with significant historical merit.   The Flag is a standard 5 x 8 Flag that will be flown on Veterans Day November 11, 2009.

Once the Flag has been flown, a Certificate will be issued identifying the Time, Location and Place that the Flag was flown and Signed by a Commission US Military Officer.   We have arranged to have the Certificate held until the 15^th, so that we can determine the winner of the Auction. That individuals name will then be put on the Certificate, which will then be Formally Signed and Framed, notifying all that The Flag was flown for this person(s) on behalf of OPERATION Hug-A-Hero.

The Flag will then be Expertly Folded by US MARINES, the procedure photographed and the Flag will then be inserted into a Flag Presentation Case and sealed.

The Flag/Case Framed Certificate and (2) Photos of the Flag Folding Ceremony will then be packed and shipped to the United States office of OPERATION HUG-A-HERO, where it will then be FED-EX Ground to the winner.

Please expect 2-3 weeks delivery at completion of the Auction due to shipping from the overseas location.

OPERATION Hug-A-Hero would like to provide a special thanks to the Team at Goin Postal, in New Port Richey, FL for setting up and running the auction for us. They have kindly donated their services to support the OPERATION Hug-A-Hero cause.

The GAP Gives Back – Fundraising for OHAH – Jacksonville, NC

Shop at the  GAP store in Jacksonville, North Carolina this entire month of October, 2009  and through your purchases you can help contribute to support the OPERATION-Hug-A-Hero mission:

Stylish and Generous – A winning combination!  The GAP store in Jacksonville, NC is responding to our cause through a “donate at the register” campaign that will take place through the month of October.  Every GAP shopper will be given an opportunity to donate any amount to Operation Hug-A-Hero (OHAH).  For each donation, shoppers will be able to add their OHAH donation card to the “Recognition Window” in the GAP.   The GAP, in turn, will match those donations from shoppers, dollar for dollar, up to $25,000!  So, when it is all said and done, a total of up to $50,000 could be raised in just 31 days, which would allow OHAH to gift 2,000 Hug-A-Hero dolls to eligible children.
Many supporting organizations in Jacksonville are helping to spread the word and encourage everyone they know to shop The GAP this month.  Whitney Jezek-Power, 2nd VP and Lesley Ginder, Fundraising Chair, of the Camp Lejeune Officers’ Wives Club (OWC), have challenged all of the OWC members to not only stop by and make a donation, but to pass the word to everyone that they know as well. The Camp Lejeune OWC was one of the first organizations to donate to OHAH with a $1,000 cash grant in May, 2009 specifically to provide Hug-A-Hero dolls to families of deploying Marines and Sailors from the Camp Lejeune community.

Click on the link to  learn more about the GAP’s commitment to community: GAP Embracing Our Responsibility

More OPERATION Hug-A-Hero Fund Raising events  for October 2009 :

Operation Hug-A-Hero Harley Ride &  Kids Bicycle Rodeo: Jacksonville, NC – October 24, 2009