Red Cross Letter - Call To Action

As many of you know, the American Legion Children’s Home has been scheduled to close as of December 31, 2010.

The Board in OKC who have made this decision say it’s because of financial burden. 

·        Our home is financially stable (financials can be requested)

·        90% of our home’s budget comes from OKDHS

·        Individual Am Legion Posts & Units in OK do donate to our home but provide less than 3% of last year’s budget

·        None of the funding is received from the OK American Legion Headquarters.

·        Local businesses, organizations, churches, and individuals sponsor our children.

The Board also claims that the children are a liability

·        Our Children’s Home provides liability insurance for the Officers and Board of Directors

·        Yes, there is a liability to help people.  What if all organizations & churches close because of this reason?  Where would we be then?

It has been said that our Home is a black-eye to our community

·        What would happen if we closed all businesses, organizations, and groups who were considered “black-eyes” in our community?

·        What if we kicked out all the individuals who were considered a disgrace to our community?  Is that really the community you want to live in?

It is said that our children are not “model citizens” but isn’t it our responsibility to help them become that way?  Isn’t that one reason why E. W. Marland opened the home in 1928? To give a place filled with love to our children who are homeless?

Please help us save our children! You may be asking what you, as an individual, can do?

·        Forward this email to everyone in your address book.

·        Choose a two or three day window to paralyze the state American Legion office by having multiple people call and/or email to protest the closing. (emails & phone numbers are attached to this email.)

·        Contact American Legion Posts throughout Oklahoma, talking with their commanders about the closing, the timing of it, and the Board’s refusal to even grant an extension so that our children can have a Christmas and our Seniors can graduate with their class in May.

·        Send a press release about the closing to every newspaper, news station and radio station.

·        Assist with letter writing campaigns for the Angels (savethechildrenshomeangels@yahoo.com)

·        Christmas Party Fundraiser/Project for our children and staff’s children.

·        Attend the forum for our Home on Sunday, November 21^st @ 2:00pm in the Poncan Theatre. (in 1928 28,000 individuals were on hand to celebrate the opening of our Home! Please let’s pack the Poncan and close Grand Ave with thousands of concern citizens and supporters.)

·        Wear a Red Ribbon (available at the Ponca City Chamber office and at the forum.)

I believe that all children deserve a home.  Our home began as a home for veteran’s children but has expanded to provide for abused and deprived children, who for various reasons, have families unable to care for them or have no family at all.  Where will our children go if the American Legion Board closes our home?

Please consider helping!

Tamie Barnes