Car Wash To Send Marines to Ball Before Iraq

Photo Credit: This photo is one I lifted from a Google image search. It appears it is, "of Sarah and me talking to the guest of honor, Lieutenant General Klemp. Melissa, Patrick's date, is in the background to the left," at the 99 Ball. I hope they won't mind that I've added them to this blog. Photo is out there at http://www.austinandalyssa.com/austin/personal/adventures/ball99.html. Two degress of separation from copyright infringement on the story--one degree on the photo, I guess. But I did give credit where due and this is such a good cause, I hope neither party will mind. There's nothing for me to gain and I HAD to share the story because all the guys from the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines HAVE to get to the ball in Vegas.

The Battalion has been washing cars on the weekend (and are doing so again at the Jiffy Lube on La Paz in Mission Viejo today) and providing security at Chargers games to get $ into the kitty. So if you live near Mission Viejo, go on over and get your car washed for a good cause.

If you want to help, but live elsewhere, send your donation to Sgt Major Jordan, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, Box 555473, Camp Pendleton, California 92055. You can participate in a sort of "virtual" car wash.

The Battalion, which served in Ramadi last year, is returning to Iraq in December.

Hugh Hewitt's campainging to help because he believes the really kind folks out there in cyperspace should be able to raise enough money through virtual carwashes to get the troops some of their Saturdays back between then and now and still get them to the MGM Grand. Hope you love the idea as much as I do--enough to chip in.

"From Hugh Hewitt's blog"
From a Southern California newspaper, the Irvine World News, (which I hope won't sue me for copyright infringement, but I can't find a link and I want folks to read this, because I think we can raise money for the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines Marine Corps Birthday Ball rather than have the fine men of this Battalion washing cars on their day off:

A birthday to remember Marines raising money for a celebration before shipping out again.
BY NAOMI ULICI IRVINE WORLD NEWS

This year’s Marine Corps Ball will be much better than last year’s, according to members of the 2nd Battalion 5th Marines. Last November, the men were in combat in Iraq.

This year, they plan to celebrate the Marine Corps’ birthday with an all-out gala at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The Marines washed more than 100 cars near the Spectrum Center on Saturday (9-17-05) to raise money for the celebration.

“The ball is pretty important for most of the guys. It’s a birthday celebration. The Marines turn 232 years old this year,” Hays said. It’s also one last hurrah before the men leave for Iraq in December, he said.

Stationed at Camp Pendleton, the Marines are in the middle of urban combat training in preparation for the deployment.
In addition to washing cars, they’re providing security for San Diego Chargers football games to help foot the bill for the ball. The money they raise will be used to rent a luxury bus to take them to Las Vegas and for special medallions inscribed with their unit’s name.

“We want to defer the cost for some of the younger Marines,” said Matthew Hays, a staff sergeant. Tickets to the dinner ceremony alone cost $60 each and they plan on paying for a room to raffle off to one lucky Marine.
The community seems to want to help, Hays said. Most of those lined up to get a car wash didn’t really need one, he pointed out, but were using it as an excuse to donate.

Joe Felder of Lake Forest noticed the car wash while on a bike ride earlier that morning. He returned with his car.

“I’ve had a lot of friends in the military. I appreciate the troops,” he said.

So far, the Marines had no negative feedback from people questioning the legitimacy of the war.

“After what I saw over there, you can protest all you want, and you can call me anything you want, but I’m going to defend your right to do that,” Hays said.

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