While visiting The Citadel with Reese, my son who is committing his life to the United States Army after college, we passed were transferred from Charleston to the Columbia Airport in South Carolina where we noticed that the Paradies Shops collect donations for the USO. The USO then takes the donations to those soldiers stationed at Fort Jackson, Fort Gordon, Shaw Air Force Base and the 81st Regional. When you have a child committed to years of service, you do not mind donating to other service members and their families.
If you are unfamiliar with the USO, it is good to know that they are an organization that pays special attention to those who sacrifice their lives for our freedom. This nonprofit, non-political organization is now and will continue to be all about our troops. They continue to provide not only intangible, but tangible ways to thank the troops and their families. They have committed to doing so for some 70 years now. The USO could not do this without the public’s support!
Those generous enough to donate, help to lift the spirits of those away from family and friends. The USO also puts on a wide variety of programs at approximately 160 locations, 27 states, and 14 countries; providing hundreds of entertainment events each year. They do so in essence to provide a home away from home for our dedicated troops. They attempt to see to it that the troops stay connected to loved ones back at home.
With programs like that of the Paradies Shops collecting donations, means that the USO can send the goodies to those in combat, their family members back home, wounded warriors and their families and also to those families of fallen soldiers. When we learn all of this, we do not mind the workers at the Shops who request we spend an extra dollar or two for those that protect our freedom!
The Paradies Shops can be found mainly in airports and hotels throughout the U.S. and Canada. They are a retail organization that sells snacks, wares and books. The original Paradies Shop was founded in 1960 in Atlanta, Georgia by none other than Dan Paradies himself; it was a toy shop.
The Columbia Airport Paradies Shops are not the only Paradies Shops collecting goods for the USO, so is the Philadelphia International Airport Paradies Shops. They are so grateful when passengers team up with them to support the local Liberty USO. They have termed the collection as “Treats for Troops.” The staff at this airport delivers the donations to the USO to ship overseas. This is the same concept as the Columbia Airport.
Although when we look around at all of the individuals and organizations doing good service deeds, we may get irritated, it is really hard to feel that way when the donations are going to our troops. Next time you fly, stop in to one of the Paradies Shops and inquire if they, too, are sending treats to the troops!
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