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MILITARY ADOPTION PROGRAM (MAP)
THE CAMEO CLUB PEN PAL PROGRAM
In keeping with the history and tradition of the Cameo Club, Senior America is adding a pilot program to the Cameo Club with the help of the present administration. The name of the concept is called the Military Adoption Program. (MAP)
The Cameo Club Administration - Dorcas Preston, President and her Board will administer the program along the guidelines structured by the United States Armed Forces and under the direction of Col. Kevin J. McAleese. The guidelines for success are spelled out here so that once this program is up and running we can begin to implement several other meaningful programs which involve more Cameo Club Members.
Senior America has been informed that the United States Army has accepted Senior America's proposal to run a PEN PAL PROGRAM for United States Army Soldiers in Iraq.
FOR SECURITY PURPOSES:
Senior America has received 157 First Names, and the Rank of the soldier serving in Iraq. Once a letter is written, the First Name and the Rank are placed on the inside envelope. The outside envelope is sent by a certain date “March 1, 2007” to Nicole Hanemann at Senior America Inc., 387 Herbertsville Road Brick, New Jersey 08723. Ms. Hanemann will gather the inside letters addressed on the inside envelope with First Name and Rank, your return address and a 39 cent stamp in the right hand comer. Nicole will send your unsealed letters to Col. McAleese so that in the first letter he can tell the soldier who and what your letter is all about, including his role in the program. Col. McAleese will then seal the letters and will send to an undisclosed secured address. The recipient of the letters will place the last name of the person on the envelope and it will be sent/or given to the soldier. There will be no duplications. The soldier will return the letter in writing directly to the Cameo Club member who wrote the letter directly to the sender and the Cameo Club member will have a direct address to write to the United States Armed Service person directly on the second letter. For security purposes we will follow these initial rules & regulations.
PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM:
The purpose of the program is to match a Cameo Club member with one soldier serving in the Armed Forces and develop a relationship with the soldiers family, if it is appropriate.
OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE:
The Military Adoption Program (MAP) will be the exclusive Pen Pal Program (PPP) of the Cameo Club members and are assigned a soldiers name and rank and correspondence begins directly between the soldier and a Cameo Club member. Cameo Club members must be in good standing with the National Cameo Club in order to participate. I understand completely the rules and regulations of the Pen Pal Program as seen on the, Cameo Club section of the Senior America Website and have read the rules and regulations of the Military Adoption Program. Once a Cameo Club Member accepts to be a volunteer, she then calls or corresponds with her State Director asking her if there are any open Pen Pal assignments left out of the five or six positions assigned to each State. If there is an opening, the Cameo Club member is given the First Name and Rank of the soldier selected for her State. She then writes another note for the inside of the first letter to Nicole and it says basically;
Print your name and address and email (if you have one) and phone and signs a piece of paper, typed or written that "I have read the material on the Cameo Club Web Site, I have received confirmation from my Director and have been assigned a soldier (First Name & Rank) and I agree to be a Pen Pal. I will notify my Director if I have any questions or if I can not continue in the Pen Pal Program. I also know that I am expected to give a report at least every 3 to 6 months at my Cameo Club meeting in person or by letter/phone or email about my assigned Pen Pal.
SIGNED RELEASE: (Your Name & Date)
Please talk to your State Director for the Release Form.
STATEMENTS & ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.
* I have asked Michelle Rahn to write a sample letter and had it approved by Col. McAleese to give you an opportunity to see what your first letter could be like. (Enclosed on the Internet separate page)
* Each mature Cameo Club Pen Pal needs to understand that the average age of the soldier is probably the age of your granddaughter or grandson!
* Ask the Soldier “what are your immediate needs if any”?
* Ask your Cameo Club President or Dorcas Preston what would be appropriate if the soldier asks anything of a sensitive nature.
* Write to the family, "only" - if the soldier asks you to.
* Our Chaplin's list will automatically include any name of a soldier on a prayer list.
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