USO Fundraising Efforts For Troops Overseas

Coming to a backyard near you - A visitor to the USO building on the Bagram Airfield base in Afghanistan could easily mistake the place for a civilian home. But despite all the comfy trappings, soldiers serving abroad can still fall victim to homesickness. That’s where meals come in. Sara Lottie, West Area Director for the USO, has managed operations in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan, in service of the group’s mission: “Lifting the spirits of America’s troops and their families. Fourth of July is coming up,” Lottie said. “Everyone in America can go out to their grocery store, get steaks and burgers, have a barbecue and cook with their families. But that is a luxury over in Afghanistan.” If the USO wants to hold a holiday event, it has to move mountains to coordinate the shipment of meat to service bases. The group almost always finds a way. That’s where fundraising comes in. “Getting a freezer to put all of the stuff in was a challenge,” said Lottie, laughing. “But we managed to do it and we had a line around the USO building.” The food is free of charge for the soldiers, which the USO funds through outside donations and ongoing fundraising campaigns. With “Barbecue for the Troops,” for instance, participants back home host their own cookouts, collect money from friends and family, and pledge to donate it to the USO.  www.fundraising-ideas.org