Military Moms of Tx Helps Families in Need: MyFoxAUSTIN.com
Operation Green Santa brightens season, Kids not forgotten at Camp Mabry, KXAN
2nd Green Santa helps military families, KVUE
Operation Green Santa a Big Success, Lisa Birkman, Williamson County Conservative Examiner
Operation Green Santa, 12.11.11, Austin American Statesman
Austin Motorcycle Riders Group, Green Santa Toy Run, Photo Gallery
American ingenuity
Lisa BirkmanJune 4, 2010
Click here to link to article.
As we read of the impending state budget cuts, the rising unemployment rate and other dismal news, I would like to take a moment to salute folks that look for ways to solve problems using their own time and talents instead of merely bemoaning some of the life’s lesser moments. “American ingenuity” is defined as being resourceful and innovative. One of my neighbors in the Round Rock area is an excellent example of American ingenuity. Tracy LaPorte is a business owner, mom and founder of “Military Moms of Texas (MMOT).” When her son, Adam, was deployed to Iraq about a year ago, she looked around for a group of other military families for support and found none in our area that met her needs. So, instead of looking for the government or others to start and fund a program, she started one herself. Since that time, MMOT has been involved in a variety of activities including sending care packages to the deployed troops, having support group meetings, taking soldiers without transportation to and from the airport, manning booths at various local events and more. One of the most moving things Tracy organized was a neighborhood parade to welcome home a local Marine who was returning to our area briefly after two tours in Iraq, before he left for his third tour. Tracy managed to turn out hundreds of folks to line the street with American flags and homemade signs to let him and his family know that we appreciate his and their sacrifice. She did all of this while also working and raising her other children, one of whom is a toddler. Currently, she is organizing a care package drive to send to deployed soldiers in honor of the 4th of July. She is in urgent need of cash to ship the packages. More information is available on the MMOT’s website, http://www.militarymomsoftexas.com, Click on the care packages link for a list of needed items. Additionally, Tracy and MMOT will have a table at the grand opening of the Williamson County Jester Annex on June 16th from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. to accept donations. For more information on the event, see my earlier post on this site. If you can help, please do so.
Folks like Tracy LaPorte inspire others to do what they can do to improve our community. I know many local citizens have lost their jobs, are doing with less and are in need. I urge everyone who can help others, if it is by donating to MMOT, by showing up at a parade to welcome home a Marine or by solving another problem in our community, to use your American ingenuity to work for a positive outcome.
Community Welcomes Round Rock Marine
Friday, 14 May 2010
People and American flags lined the streets in Round Rock as the community welcomed home Staff Sgt Christopher Petty. The marine said the surprise was a bit overwhelming.
Round Rock Marine gets hero’s welcome
by JIM BERGAMO/KVUE News
May 14, 2010
A drive down Great Oaks Drive Friday afternoon revealed two solid blocks of Round Rock revelers. There were big flags, small flags, homemade signs and electronic signs, all there to welcome home Marine Staff Sergeant Chris Petty.
“I can’t wait to meet him and see his face when this happens because this doesn’t happen a lot anymore,” said Staff Sergean. Scott Jackson of the U.S. Army.
The crowd continued to grow the closer it got to Petty’s scheduled arrival.
“It’s amazing,” said Tiffany Wilkes,a family friend who thought Petty deserved a special welcome home after returning from his second deployment overseas. So she contacted Military Moms of Texas, who arranged the parade and community support.
“It brings tears to my eyes,” said Wilkes. ”It’s amazing that everybody would come out and want to show their support. It’s great, I love it,” said Wilkes.
The Patriot Guard riders, Williamson County Sheriff’s Office and Round Rock Fire Department helped lead the guest of honor to his hero’s welcome. As Petty waved to the crowd, his father was overcome with emotion.
“Glad he got home. I’m just glad he got home safe and sound,” said Ron Petty, as he held back tears.
Chris Petty’s wife, Bri Anne, and 6-year old son Andon met him at the airport but didn’t tell him about the welcome home parade, and Petty said he was surprised.
“Oh my God, I had no idea,” said Staff Sergeant Petty. ”I was wondering why she was sitting in the back of the car not talking.”
Chris, Andon and Bri Anne all took time to thank those who lined the streets to say welcome home.
“It’s very sweet that people would do this for (us), because we live it everyday … it’s normal life for us, and to see people’s reaction to us it’s amazing, because he’s our hero and to see that he’s everybody’s, it’s very honoring,” said Bri Anne Petty.
Chris Petty says the first thing he’s going to do is get some Texas barbecue. His third deployment is already scheduled.
“The groups I found didn’t fit the bill as to what I was looking for,” the Austin resident recalled. “I wanted something more than a support group. I wanted a group that was making a difference, not just with care packages.”
Her son, Adam Huckstep of the U.S. Army Infantry Division – a member of the renowned “Hell Hounds” – gave her the nudge she needed while stationed abroad, encouraging her to create the group herself.
In October, Military Moms of Texas – now 3,000 members strong – was born.
Austin-based, the organization will next month launch a branch in San Antonio, from where it receives its greatest support, she said.
“Some of my most active members are from San Antonio,” LaPorte said in a recent interview. In addition, locally based Fitness in Motion – a supplier of fitness equipment to commercial clients owned by local businessman Paul Cuevas where her husband works – is the group’s biggest sponsor, she added.
Military Moms of Texas offers the full range of support to a military contingent – preparing care packages, collecting food for families, home repairs, organizing welcome home gatherings send-offs for soldiers and more.
LaPorte expressed particular pride in the group’s Deployed Night Out, providing an evening out for soldiers and their families through donated gift certificates and tickets to shows, restaurants, sporting events, concerts and other diversions.
“They’re giving us the ultimate for our freedom, so whatever I’m doing I’m doing it for them,” said LaPorte, mother to three other children, ranging in ages from 17 to a year. “What little part I can do needs to be a million times more, but I’m going to try to make a little bit of difference.”
Some of the group’s other activities include delivery of much-needed but suddenly unaffordable baby formula for a young soldier’s wife, the clearing out of accumulated brush at a widow’s Seguin property – vegetation her husband had hoped to get to before being deployed but now never will.
“She needed manual help clearing out the brush and changing the property to the way it was before he left,” LaPorte explained, describing how a team of volunteers rushed to the widow’s aid.
Such needs abound, she said, and provide her greatest motivation: “It puts a fire in me.”
But with a soft economy, she noted donations have begun to dwindle. The group is always in need of cash donations and items for soldiers’ care packages including beef jerky, energy drinks and protein-packed snacks.
She added that despite the group’s name – a moniker born of a distressed mother’s instinct – anyone can join, regardless of gender and with or without family members stationed overseas.
“It’s kind of a Catch-22,” she said of the group’s identity. “But you don’t even have to have a soldier. You can adopt one of ours!”
But the most efficient communication conduit has been a popular social networking website.
“Facebook has become a powerful tool,” she said. “That’s how our soldiers communicate, and that’s how we have found 99 percent of our soldiers.”
Those interested in contacting or donating to Military Moms of Texas can visit www.militarymomsof texas.com. The mailing address is P.O. Box 1627, Round Rock, TX, 78680.
This story will air on KVUE Saturday, May 29, 2010 at 6:30pm.
Tom Sileo
Monday, February 1, 2010
Provided by The Unknown Soldier, click here to link to story.
Ever since Tracy LaPorte’s son, Spc. Adam Huckstep, deployed to Iraq in October, the military mom has been on a mission. She is supporting the troops, at all costs, and spreading the word of her cause’s importance at a rapid pace by using the internet and social media.
KTBC-TV in Austin, Texas, is giving LaPorte’s organization, Military Moms of Texas, some well-deserved publicity. I have had the pleasure of corresponding with Tracy in recent weeks, and know how much it means to her that all the hard work is paying off so quickly.
LaPorte’s unshakeable faith and tenacity reminds me of Leigh Anne Tuohy, played by Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side.” She is also creative; coming up with all sorts of ways to support our troops. She sends care packages with everything from candy to sundries, and donates gift cards so soldiers can enjoy nights on the town while home on leave. In one case, LaPorte found a contractor to help repair a returning hero’s home, following the death of his father and grandfather. It’s this kind of compassion that keeps her organization vibrant and growing.
“We also have a support group of soldiers or families out there that are looking for assistance or veteran’s services as well,” Laporte says.
It’s amazing all Tracy and her group of dedicated volunteers, which includes her son’s girlfriend, Kelsey White (pictured above with LaPorte), have accomplished in just a few months. I have been honored to help Tracy with some small projects, like editing press releases and posting links, in recent weeks. Every single time, she has made it a point to thank me profusely. Yet it’s me that should be thanking her for raising a wonderful son who is protecting our freedom overseas, and for working so diligently at home to support Adam and his brothers in arms. The Unknown Soldiers encourages everyone to check out her organization’s website, become a fan of Military Moms of Texas on Facebook, and donate whatever you can to help Tracy continue her fine work.
Military Mom’s Sending Love in a Box
Sunday, 31 Jan 2010
It was back in October 2009 that Tracy Laporte’s son was deployed to Iraq. She tried to look for a place where she could meet other mothers in the same situation, but didn’t find it. “There was very little to find here. What was here wasn’t very active,” says Laporte. It’s why she decided to organize her own. In just three short months Military Moms of Texas has gone from a small club of mothers and wives to an all out organization helping soldiers and their families. Sunday the busy mom of four is arranging 100 care packages to send to Iraq.
From toiletries to taffy most of the items were collected by Tracy’s daughter’s fifth grade class. “That’s awesome because little fifth graders have provided more than probably than the community has, it’s wonderful,” says Laporte. It’s not just care packages Tracy works on. Through donations she’s now able to provide other services.
“We also have a support group of soldiers or families out there that are looking for assistance or veteran’s services as well,” Laporte says.
Even deployment night out packages. Those are small donated gift cards so soldiers can enjoy a night out after returning from duty. “I just feel like soldiers in our community need to feel more appreciated and when you step off that plane it’s like ‘oh I’m here’. I want them to feel like ‘wow they really appreciate what I did’ and they’re so thankful.”
It’s the same idea that brought Lori Elliott, a Houston resident to join Tracy’s group. Her son is also in Iraq. “Every time she finds out there’s a kid that needs something she does everything she can to make sure they get it,” says Elliott.
Lori is just one of many who constantly keep in touch with T racy. They are just doing what they can to keep our soldiers in the hearts of many, even if it’s in the form of a stuffed 12 x12 in box. “Those guys who aren’t getting anything, just to get one box you have no idea what it means to them,” says Elliott.
City connects soldiers to homes for the holidays
Thursday, November 26, 2009 | Heather Bonham | Leander Ledger
Provided by Leander Ledger, click here to link to story.
With Christmas just four weeks away, some soldiers are looking for a place to share a holiday dinner and the city of Leander wants to connect them with Leander families.
Continuing its support of the 3-4 Aviation Unit based out of Fort Hood for the second holiday season, city leaders are coordinating the Host-A-Soldier for a Holiday Dinner effort.
City secretary Debbie Haile said there are between 20 and 30 soldiers available—those who can’t go home for the holidays, some away from their home for the first time during the holidays.
To sign up to host one or more soldiers, contact the city’s parks and recreation office at 528-9909 by Dec. 15. Most of the soldiers will have their own transportation.
The stocking stuffer collection ended Wednesday. Candies and baked goods were collected by city residents to fill 180 holiday stockings for single soldiers who will spend Christmas away from their families.
Last year, the stockings included items such as socks and personal hygiene items because the unit was deployed to Iraq. The Blackhawk helicopter aviation unit returned from the overseas tour in June with no loss of life and a record number of 22,000 flight hours logged.
The stockings will be presented to the soldiers on Dec. 5 at the city’s annual outdoor Christmas celebration.
Community Support
The Leander Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) hosted two support groups for soldiers and their families Nov. 21 with a seafood dinner and a turkey shoot.
Heroes Night Out, organized by Cedar Park residents Wes and Judy Pierce, and Military Moms Of Texas, organized by Round Rock mom Tracy La Porte, each work to raise awareness and support for the many aspects of the military life that continue to impacts many in the area.
Heroes Night Out is a non-profit organization whose mission is to show appreciation and support for the soldiers who have returned from service wounded. The Pierces raise money to offer wounded soldiers and their families a wallet filled with up to six gift cards for area restaurants or tickets to a movie or sporting event in order for the family to have a night out.
Military Moms Of Texas is a local support group for military families with loved ones deployed overseas and friends and others who wish to offer their support. LaPorte’s son Adam is currently overseas, serving in the U.S. Army.
LaPorte is also working with Operation Christmas Tree, which for $25 will send a Christmas tree to a specific soldier deployed overseas.
For more information or to donate for Heroes Night Out, visit www.heroesnightout.org.
For more information on Military Moms Of Texas, visit http://twitter.com/armymoms or visit Military Moms Of Texas on facebook.
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