LMFRF Quarterly Report

Whenever we gather to honor those who served, a special connection takes place regarding those in attendance, as almost everyone has a connection to a veteran. The veteran could be them, a mother, father, brother, sister, uncles, aunts, cousins, or a close friend.

We can’t help remembering those lost, those who were wounded, and those who suffered simply from the extended periods of time away from loved ones.

For many of us, World War Two, Korea, Vietnam, and more currently, the War on Terror, are reminders of the sacrifices of so many.

Our military has paid the price for our freedoms in the past, and those who wear the uniform of our armed forces today, continue to shoulder that responsibility.

The men and women that our Landings Military Family Relief Fund (LMFRF) support, serve in todays all volunteer force! Their devotion to our country and to us, is so precious.

When asked to be speakers at our Veterans Day Kiwanis meeting and at our Marshes Veterans Program, they always willingly accept. Although we emphasize that their presentations should focus on their current responsibilities and the people in their unit, never do they start without first recognizing the Landing’s Military Family Relief Fund (LMFRF).

At our Veteran’s Day Event at The Marshes, our new residence, my wife Gerry and I were honored by the 1^st Ranger Battalion,175^th Ranger Regiment. They presented us with a United States Flag, which was flown over Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, during the final evacuation of American forces. Although the flag was given to us, the citation is for each of you who support the LMFRF.

“Your outstanding support for our Rangers contributed greatly to success of our mission, and this flag represents a small token of our appreciation.”

Thank you to all our donors!! Your generosity and caring continues to provide much needed assistance:

Below are some examples of assistance offered by the Fund.

• A Sgt. recently reached out needing assistance with his utilities. His wife had to stop working due to having a high-risk pregnancy. The family is paying out of pocket medical expenses due to the high-risk pregnancy and their need for specialty doctors. In addition, they have a special needs son who requires a structured environment and weekly therapy. This expense depended on the wife’s salary. A larger than normal water bill caused the soldier to reach out to the Landings Military Family Relief Fund for help. Through the LMFRF, this soldier and his family received financial assistance with their water and electric bill, alleviating the financial stress they were experiencing.
• A male Specialist at Fort Stewart reached out for assistance through the Landings Military Family Relief Fund in August of 2021 due to his house being struck by lightning and causing a housefire. Not only was there fire damage, but all the electrical had to be replaced. In southeast Georgia, the water damage moisture quickly turned to mold, so that had to be dealt with as well. This all happened while he was deployed to Korea. The soldier and his spouse worked with their insurance company for the repairs, but having to replace everything, find alternative living arrangements to accommodate pets, and a lengthy repair process left the soldier not knowing if they would have the money to pay for the $1,000 deductible. The repair process was finally complete in July of 2021. After a year of being dislocated, the soldier and his wife are finally able to be back in their own home thanks to the Landings Military Family Relief Fund and your financial support in their time of need.

LTC Ed Ziembinski, expresses his gratitude to the LMFRF for our support to his command, The Soldiers Recovery Unit at Fort Stewart. Our efforts in this area have been greatly appreciated and credited with the restoration of resiliency and confidence, so important to the healing process!

Our Fund is administered through United Way of the Coastal Empire, Chatham County, with Patty Wolfe as the Landings Military Family Relief Fund Case Manager. They have been, and continue to be, our faithful and trusted partners. Thank you and your team, Patty.

On behalf of the Landings Fund Directors, thank you to all who support our Fund, enabling it to provide help and support to our Coastal Georgia active-duty Military and their families.

If you have not yet joined our team, you can do so by making a check payable to LMFRF/SCF and mailing it to the address below.

Savannah Community Foundation

2225 Norwood Avenue, Suite B

Savannah, GA 31406

Pictured below are a couple of storyboards on kayaking and gardening from The Soldiers Recovery Unit Fort Stewart.