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Sharon Yamato
310-823-7997
sharony360@gmail.com
Go For Broke National Education Center to Ship 3rd Wave of Care Packages Deployed 29th Brigade, 100th/442nd units to receive needed items
TORRANCE, CA (May 27, 2009)– World War II veterans, their wives and more Go For Broke National Education Center volunteers and staff will fill a third shipment of care packages for soldiers in the Hawaii Army National Guard’s 29th Brigade, including the Army Reserve’s current 100th Battalion and 442nd Infantry, who are serving overseas. The nonprofit GFBNEC adopted these troops in late 2008 just as they were being deployed at the request of Major General Bob Lee, Adjutant General of the Hawaii National Guard. GFBNEC has already shipped approximately 1,500 individual care packages.
In Dec. 2008, GFBNEC volunteers, including a few dozen 100th, 442nd and Military Intelligence Service veterans of World War II working alongside their wives, wrote Christmas and holiday cards with personal notes and enclosed the organization’s trademark dog tags. In March 2009, GFBNEC filled the care packages with items soldiers need such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, snacks, playing cards and even hand-knit and fleece neck scarves. The organization will send more care packages in mid-June.
Charlie Cobra Commander Major Ralph W. Robinson, Jr., wrote, "Thank you for caring and ACTIVELY taking time to support our troops. Your gifts were used immediately. Knowing that family and friends like you support our efforts over here goes a long way to make life away from home a little easier."
In a hand-written thank-you note, Sergeant First Class William K. Malakawa wrote, "To the Heroes of Go For Broke, thank you so much for taking the time to send those holiday cards. We appreciate your efforts. And thank you for allowing us to wear the dog tags that so many before us wore with distinction."
Package contents were donated by Hershey Corporation, Mishima Foods, Umeya Rice Crackers, Kikkoman, the California Club and Casino in Las Vegas and the Japanese Dental Association. Dr. Rodger Uchizono and Dr. Roger Yamashiro gave toothbrushes. Countless other organizations and individuals also supported the effort with needed care package items, funds and, most critically, by volunteering time to write holiday cards and pack boxes.
The 100/442 Veterans Association (Los Angeles), JAVA (Washington, D.C.), Friends and Family of Nisei Veterans (San Francisco), Oregon Nisei Veterans and Oregon Nikkei Endowment, all members of the National Veterans Network, supported the effort by also adopting deployed troops and sending care packages.
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of its formation this year, Go For Broke National Education Center has created educational and preservation programs based on experiences and oral histories of Japanese American soldiers of World War II to teach the values of citizenship, patriotism and leadership in schools in California and across the nation. These Nisei or second-generation soldiers rose above suspicion and mistrust to fight and sacrifice themselves for honor in defense of the United States of America. Their story resonates today with multiple generations of Americans and ethnicities.
Additional information about the Go For Broke National Education Center is available at www.goforbroke.org.
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