Alameda’s Operation Mom Launches
Written by Eric J. Kos Published: Friday, 13 April 2007
Readers recently found a column on this page by local resident Renee Kellogg. Kellogg’s son is a member of the U.S. armed forces and the inspiration for Kellogg’s column about being the mother of a soldier, an instrument of war and defense. The column....
Readers recently found a column on this page by local resident Renee Kellogg. Kellogg’s son is a member of the U.S. armed forces and the inspiration for Kellogg’s column about being the mother of a soldier, an instrument of war and defense. The column, from the Sun’s standpoint, was intended to provide a perspective on the war that we don’t often hear about. Here in Alameda we have the uncommon privilege of speaking out against our warmongering regime without fear of retribution (unless you’re a West End artist), but seriously, in our town, it’s more common to be a peacenik than a war supporter for whatever reason. Mothers whose sons are on the front lines are examples of a demographic that really don’t want us to lose the Iraq war.
Kellogg did not take a stance on the war in her column, but she took a stand for our troops who sorely need the support of us here at home. While her column didn’t spark a partisan debate, it did spark a grassroots, homegrown fund-raiser to support the troops through an organization called Operation Mom. Operation Mom started back in World War II and provides a forum and a support group for families of people in the military. Many local communities have gotten involved in the effort. Today, the group maintains an address in Castro Valley.
Shortly after her column appeared, Kellogg received a flurry of calls from local groups asking how they could get involved and support Operation Mom. Kellogg welcomed each offer and took it upon herself to raise awareness about this program and start raising funds and collecting supply donations from all over town. Many local organizations jumped at the chance to help.
Donations can be made to Operation Mom at the Alameda Chamber of Commerce office, the Alameda Towne Centre, Bank of Alameda on Park Street and on Otis Drive, Linguini’s Restaurant, McGee’s Bar & Grill, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Razor’s Edge Barber Shop, Alameda Business Machines and RK Promotional Advertising. If you make a cash donation at RK Promotional Advertising you can get a free “Alameda Supports the Troops” T-shirt.
Please do what you can to give those kids out there in Iraq “A Little Touch of Home,” and make a donation at one of the locations. To find out more, visit www.
operationmom.org.
It does me proud that the Alameda Sun helped launch such a selfless community effort. Alameda wouldn’t be such a safe and wonderful place to live if our troops weren’t out there risking their lives for us each and every day.
For more information on the local effort, contact Renee Kellogg directly at 865-6375.
Contact Eric J. Kos at ekos@alamedasun.com.
