Ukuleles
“In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us.” – Flora Edwards
I only caught a few minutes last night of President Bush’s State of the Union address and as usual it left me flat. But hearing all the talk about the war in Iraq got me wondering again about the health and safety of our troops.
Last weekend, I was touched by the story that ran in the LA Times about two women that came up with the idea of sending Ukuleles to US soldiers. David Reyes writes, “What started seven months ago as a lark has mushroomed into a nearly full-time hobby for the Huntington Beach shop owner and ukulele instructor. Shirley Orlando, 57, has shipped more than 400 of the four-string instruments common in Hawaii to dozens of units in Iraq and Afghanistan — and plans to continue.”
“Orlando and Anita Coyoli-Cullen, head of a regional National Guard family support group, founded Ukes for Troops. For $25, they will send a ukulele to a soldier, together with song books, a tuner and extra strings.” Who would have guess that a tiny little instrument could mean so much to our soldiers?
Every time I read an article about ordinary citizens doing something to help our troops I feel a bit uncomfortable that I have done nothing. Until recently, I didn’t even know anyone on active duty. A friend from Miami called and that’s when I learned that his younger brother has been there for over a year. This is the first time that I have known someone personally touched by our soldiers’ dedication and commitment.
I think about what family members must be experiencing and aside from the worry, I have to believe that most of them are under a tremendous financial burden. The American press hasn’t written much about this topic. As a matter of fact, the only thing found with a quick Google search was an April 2003 article from Australia in the Sydney Morning Herald.
“As US troops battle remnants of Iraq’s fallen regime, their wives are locked in a bitter struggle against money woes that have forced some to resort to charity handouts to survive. Low military salaries and the high cost of living in parts of the United States means that families of many of the lower ranking US troops fighting in Iraq live a hand to mouth existence.”
“Natalie Castro, the wife of a 21-year old Marine private, is one of around 130,000 residents of Oceanside, which is dominated by Marines from the nearby Camp Pendleton base and lies near the upscale Californian city of San Diego.”
“Military salaries are so low that they are almost impossible for a family to live on, leaving some women desperate, especially now when we also have the emotional turmoil of worrying if our men are safe in Iraq,” she said.
“Much like other US military towns, Oceanside’s main street is festooned with US flags, patriotic messages for the troops in Iraq and miles of yellow ribbons symbolizing the town’s vigil for loved ones who are fighting abroad. Like much of California, the sun drenched seaside town boasts an idyllic beach and a resort town atmosphere. But it also comes with the higher rental and retail prices that go with life on the glistening Pacific coast.”
“Low ranking privates and corporals - they make up 60 per cent of the US Marine Corps - take home only around $800 a month after tax, or $9,600 annually. The US Census Bureau classifies a family of three as poor if its cash income is less than $14,128 a year, or $11,569 for a married couple.”
“We get a lot of young Marines’ wives who need things like eggs, bread, vegetables and such items to get through the month,” said Manny Garza who helps hand out food to the needy at Oceanside’s St Mary’s Church.
“It’s tough for them because they are so proud of what their husbands are doing, especially now that we are at war, yet they’re battling at home,” he said adding that many families did not like to talk of their financial woes. Even a combat pay boost awarded to troops in Iraq has not ended the monthly cash crunch that families of low ranking soldiers feel.”
So if ukuleles can bring so much joy to a few soldiers, I’m wondering what all of us (including me) can be doing in the personal finance community to help. Does anyone have any ideas? Sure, we could all give money, but that seems like the easy way out and the path that I usually take when it comes to charity. I’m wondering if anyone has any ideas about what we can do as a group of people focused on saving money and making smart financial choices… what skills as well as our money could we use/give to help these families.
I’ll open up the comments section today so any thoughts shared can happen in real time. I’m really interested in what the readers of Sitting Pretty have to say or perhaps what you have done personally to help and want to share as inspiration to others.
I only caught a few minutes last night of President Bush’s State of the Union address and as usual it left me flat. But hearing all the talk about the war in Iraq got me wondering again about the health and safety of our troops.
Last weekend, I was touched by the story that ran in the LA Times about two women that came up with the idea of sending Ukuleles to US soldiers. David Reyes writes, “What started seven months ago as a lark has mushroomed into a nearly full-time hobby for the Huntington Beach shop owner and ukulele instructor. Shirley Orlando, 57, has shipped more than 400 of the four-string instruments common in Hawaii to dozens of units in Iraq and Afghanistan — and plans to continue.”
“Orlando and Anita Coyoli-Cullen, head of a regional National Guard family support group, founded Ukes for Troops. For $25, they will send a ukulele to a soldier, together with song books, a tuner and extra strings.” Who would have guess that a tiny little instrument could mean so much to our soldiers?
Every time I read an article about ordinary citizens doing something to help our troops I feel a bit uncomfortable that I have done nothing. Until recently, I didn’t even know anyone on active duty. A friend from Miami called and that’s when I learned that his younger brother has been there for over a year. This is the first time that I have known someone personally touched by our soldiers’ dedication and commitment.
I think about what family members must be experiencing and aside from the worry, I have to believe that most of them are under a tremendous financial burden. The American press hasn’t written much about this topic. As a matter of fact, the only thing found with a quick Google search was an April 2003 article from Australia in the Sydney Morning Herald.
“As US troops battle remnants of Iraq’s fallen regime, their wives are locked in a bitter struggle against money woes that have forced some to resort to charity handouts to survive. Low military salaries and the high cost of living in parts of the United States means that families of many of the lower ranking US troops fighting in Iraq live a hand to mouth existence.”
“Natalie Castro, the wife of a 21-year old Marine private, is one of around 130,000 residents of Oceanside, which is dominated by Marines from the nearby Camp Pendleton base and lies near the upscale Californian city of San Diego.”
“Military salaries are so low that they are almost impossible for a family to live on, leaving some women desperate, especially now when we also have the emotional turmoil of worrying if our men are safe in Iraq,” she said.
“Much like other US military towns, Oceanside’s main street is festooned with US flags, patriotic messages for the troops in Iraq and miles of yellow ribbons symbolizing the town’s vigil for loved ones who are fighting abroad. Like much of California, the sun drenched seaside town boasts an idyllic beach and a resort town atmosphere. But it also comes with the higher rental and retail prices that go with life on the glistening Pacific coast.”
“Low ranking privates and corporals - they make up 60 per cent of the US Marine Corps - take home only around $800 a month after tax, or $9,600 annually. The US Census Bureau classifies a family of three as poor if its cash income is less than $14,128 a year, or $11,569 for a married couple.”
“We get a lot of young Marines’ wives who need things like eggs, bread, vegetables and such items to get through the month,” said Manny Garza who helps hand out food to the needy at Oceanside’s St Mary’s Church.
“It’s tough for them because they are so proud of what their husbands are doing, especially now that we are at war, yet they’re battling at home,” he said adding that many families did not like to talk of their financial woes. Even a combat pay boost awarded to troops in Iraq has not ended the monthly cash crunch that families of low ranking soldiers feel.”
So if ukuleles can bring so much joy to a few soldiers, I’m wondering what all of us (including me) can be doing in the personal finance community to help. Does anyone have any ideas? Sure, we could all give money, but that seems like the easy way out and the path that I usually take when it comes to charity. I’m wondering if anyone has any ideas about what we can do as a group of people focused on saving money and making smart financial choices… what skills as well as our money could we use/give to help these families.
I’ll open up the comments section today so any thoughts shared can happen in real time. I’m really interested in what the readers of Sitting Pretty have to say or perhaps what you have done personally to help and want to share as inspiration to others.
posted by Nina Smith at 6:12 AM
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