Please help us to help our troops and enioy this holiday season even more

As I was writing last month's column about how I was enjoying my job. I was at the same time researching for a charity to support for our annual business card drive when I came across Homes for Our Troops. a charity that attempts to build new lives for our wounded soldiers and their families. I must admit it made me feel a little bit guilty that here I am enjoying my life and yet there are 130.000+ soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan who daily willingly put their lives on the line to protect our lives. and who often arrive back in the U.S.A. tenibly injured and with serious disabilities.

Whether or not you support the war, you cannot shy away from your television screens where nightly you learn of deaths and injuries to our brave men and women. In August alone over 7O00 of our troops were injured to some degree. Some of the horrific descriptions I have read in my research are bone chillin-e. And yet. while we thank them for their service and move on. these men and women have to face a very uncertain futuremany for the rest of their lives.

Homes for our Troops is a nonpartisan. non-profit organization committed to supporting our military who have selflessly given to our country only to return home with serious injuries and disabilities. It provides our injured soldiers and their immediate families with handicap accessible homes at no cost. The seriousness of their injuries-including loss of multiple limbs, paralysis. and traumatic brain injuries-means these young men and women must struggle with relearning skills that we take for granted. Not least they need a barrierfree home which will allow them to live more independently.

I cannot think of many better ways that we might thank them for their service than by helping them lead better lives. I cannot think of many better ways for us to enjoy the upcoming holiday season with our families than contributing our support to this cause.

I am asking for your help in our appeal. You can check out the group at www.homesforourtroops.com. and then please send us your and perhaps your colleagues' business cards (see page 66)- For every card that we publish. $50 will go to this charity. Your support is truly appreciated.

Lastly. I would like to thank our readers and especially all our advertising partners, who help us to publish each and every month. for all your support and kindness. Your feedback to us is priceless. and your enjoyment of our publication is our sole reason for being. We are now entering our 85th year and we thank you for your continued loyalty and friendship. From my colleagues here at Cutler Publishing. we wish you and your family a happy holiday season and much success and happiness in 2007.