I'd never heard of "A Hero's Welcome" (www.AHeros-welcome.org ) or its unabashedly selfless and inspirational creator, Sharon Hyland Keyser (who left a six-figure corporate job to start it and whose husband, Ian, is currently serving in Iraq), until I saw her interviewed Nov. 13 on CNN's "Glenn Beck" program (www.GlennBeck.com). But she did inspire me--not only to send her very worthwhile and rather unique group a donation, but also to broach the subject of perhaps starting at least a couple of chapters here in Idaho, including one somewhere in Blaine County, and also in Boise or Twin Falls.
Designed to "organize and encourage Americans to welcome home our brave military personnel from the War in a manner befitting a hometown hero," A Hero's Welcome (webmaster@aHeros-welcome.org ) seems like the sort of group many regions of the United States would benefit greatly from, but right now, sadly, Keyser's fledgling group only has enough money and members to serve the Philadelphia area, although it's clear from talking with her she'd love to have people in other regions follow her incredible lead.
I'm not sure what it all entails, or how time-consuming it might be for those of us who do start a chapter here, but I'm certainly willing to do what I can to get a chapter here up and running, so if you can help in some way (i.e, with a donation to her Pennsylvania-based chapter and/or with helping establish a Blaine County chapter), please call (725-4056) or write me (Box 5134, Ketchum) and let's see what we can do!
Regardless of what we may feel about the Iraq War, thanking our troops for their service there is something all of us should be willing to do, and this group seems like a great way to do just that!
John Pluntze
Ketchum
