“Your Thank a soldier cause and website is nothing but “WORDS ON A COMPUTER” our soldiers don’t care about that crap and it’s meaningless to them”
"You should spend less time in Tim Hortons and more time on a treadmill you useless fat #$$!!!$" (Received after I was on CTV News about Timmies for Troops)
"You're wasting your time trying to get a Support Our Troops stamp issued by Canada Post that will never happen"
The above three messages are a few of the rare negative emails sent to me in the last five years and did it stop me? Hell No!! It just lights my fire a little brighter.............
Three years ago I was listening to the song “The Red & White” by Julian Austin which has a line in it that says “Do we take the time to thank a soldier for everything they do…….” after hearing this song I decided to type three words on a computer called “Thank A Soldier”
These three words on a computer have been responsible for :
-Saving a potential marriage from a civilian to a soldier (See A wedding story on links)
-the introduction of numerous family members of our soldiers to other family members to help them grieve their sons or daughters loss
-Helping a soldier reach people with his music (MCpl Elton Adams)
-setup many school kids and civilians as pen pals with soldiers
-Group members posting over 1000 thank you messages a day thanking troops
-meeting other amazing organizations such as Operation Gratitude and HerotoHero.us who we now send people back and fourth to when we know things we can help
-over 4 million YouTube views of videos group members and organizations have posted
-Responsible for sending Christmas Cards to Veterans at Sunnybrook Hospital
A few months I decided to type THREE more words on a computer “The Gratitude Project” this was a idea to ask people on Twitter and Facebook to submit photos of themselves saying Thank You to our service men and women from all over the world serving as allies in various operations. Yes, People got up from their keyboards and went out taking photos, some lay in the snow, others made snowman and had them hold the sign. People went out in to public with their signs and asked strangers to hold the sign for a photo to say thanks. Those are some pretty powerful words on a computer. We received enough photos to make ten YouTuve videos and soon will be releasing he follow up "The Wall Of Gratitude"
One of the most amazing events to date was a email I received from a American soldiers serving in Taiji, Iraq. He enclosed a photo of an American Flag with a certificate that said “This flag was flown in Taiji Iraq in honor of Dave Murphy & Thank a soldier” I am a Canadian and since Day 1 of Thank a Soldier it has been for all coalition forces. Our men and women serve together, we support them together and to see this photo and to know American soldiers were flying a flag at a base where they serve in honour of a Canadian kind of sums it all up right there.
When I first joined Twitter in March 2009 it was because of a broadcast I had seen on “Red Eye” on Fox news. There were four analysts making fun of The Canadian Forces on the day when we had lost four heroes in Afghanistan. This enraged me and I had heard that one of the broadcasters was on Twitter and I wanted to check it out. Little did I know that after the situation blew over I would meet so many amazing supporters and organizations that also support our troops.
We are not in competition with anyone, for me it’s not a “Look at how good we support our troops better than these guys” or any of that. With the Gratitude Project for example @OpGratitude (Operation Gratitude) @HeroToHero have all been helping us get the word out and its bringing people together in all sorts of ways.
As Thank a soldier passed its 4 Millionth member in three years I want to thank every single person who has joined, invited their friends, shared links, put my links in your Twitter and helped. Without everyone else, my group would be one person strong and all these stories wouldn’t be happening.
Without me typing these “WORDS ON A COMPUTER” I never would have met Angelia Phillips a gold star mother and someone I consider a true friend. She is the mother of a fallen US Soldier and my only offiicial volunteer in the United States. I have introduced her to many families of Canadian soldiers and they have also become great friends. I have over 2200 friends on facebook and many of what I would call acquaintances, but I am lucky to say that I consider all of these people true friends.
My website is my life, It’s my heart what started out as a cool idea of sending coffee to the troops has turned in to a family of sorts. The people I have met I am so blessed and feel they have all made me a better person. I have learned so much from families of fallen soldiers about appreciating what I have and taking nothing for granted. I call my family and tell them “I Love You” whenever I can and it takes a lot to get me angry. ”Thank A Soldier” and everything associated with is like my child and when someone insults it and what it stands for it gets me going and had to get all of this off my mind.
When I first joined Twitter in March 2009 it was because of a broadcast I had seen on “Red Eye” on Fox news. There were four analysts making fun of The Canadian Forces on the day when we had lost four heroes in Afghanistan. This enraged me and I had heard that one of the broadcasters was on Twitter and I wanted to check it out. Little did I know that after the situation blew over I would meet so many amazing supporters and organizations that also support our troops.
We are not in competition with anyone, for me it’s not a “Look at how good we support our troops better than these guys” or any of that. With the Gratitude Project for example @OpGratitude (Operation Gratitude) @HeroToHero have all been helping us get the word out and its bringing people together in all sorts of ways.
As Thank a soldier passed its 4 Millionth member in three years I want to thank every single person who has joined, invited their friends, shared links, put my links in your Twitter and helped. Without everyone else, my group would be one person strong and all these stories wouldn’t be happening.
Without me typing these “WORDS ON A COMPUTER” I never would have met Angelia Phillips a gold star mother and someone I consider a true friend. She is the mother of a fallen US Soldier and my only offiicial volunteer in the United States. I have introduced her to many families of Canadian soldiers and they have also become great friends. I have over 2200 friends on facebook and many of what I would call acquaintances, but I am lucky to say that I consider all of these people true friends.
My website is my life, It’s my heart what started out as a cool idea of sending coffee to the troops has turned in to a family of sorts. The people I have met I am so blessed and feel they have all made me a better person. I have learned so much from families of fallen soldiers about appreciating what I have and taking nothing for granted. I call my family and tell them “I Love You” whenever I can and it takes a lot to get me angry. ”Thank A Soldier” and everything associated with is like my child and when someone insults it and what it stands for it gets me going and had to get all of this off my mind.
Why am I writing this blog? Well a good friend of mine Cpl Chris Dupee just posted a video a few days ago speaking out about PTSD and he told me he was starting to get some "Trolls & Haters" and I told him a few of these stories and how he should shrug it off, not pay them any attention and move along.
People who hate and have nothing better to do that post negative things come and go, people who support you truly will stand by you forever.
dude....fucke the nay sayers! keep up the good work brother...it'd be nice if we had more people like you helping and wanting to change things that aren't right. personally, i dont agree with the government, but i support those that would give up thier lives for something bigger then themselves...and we should thank them and be greatful for it.
ReplyDeleteHeck ya Dave. We love you brother. I think your fire just got hotter baby. Go get em. I got your back, you know I do.
ReplyDeleteYour friend
Chris Dupee
Military minds
Dave, you know you've done a great job in my eyes, and so many others. Your words are NOT just going into thin air, they are being read, heard and passed on. Our Soldiers, Veteran's and families need all the support we can get! Soldier On has funded so many programs and have done so much for many, including bringing Project Healing Waters Canada to my end of the country! Thank-you for all your hard work Dave!
ReplyDeleteAs a soldier believe me when I say nothing is nicer than knowing you have support. I love this site, I love your facebook page and I think you do a damn fine job! Are the words on the letters we receive from family when we're on tour just words? No, they're hope and love and hugs all wrapped up in the alphabet.
ReplyDeleteOne of the things that helped sustain me while I was on OP TOUCAN in East Timor (1999/2000) was the incredible support shown through the hundreds and hundreds of letters recieved onboard addressed to "Any Soldier" and "Any Sailor". Although not all of them could be answered personally, Every single one of them was read! You supported us and I felt it was necessary to honour that support by reading every letter. Efforts were made to respond to as many as we could but the support was just too overwhelming. I managed to maintain contact with some of the writers for years beyond the operation.
ReplyDeleteOf course there will be some people who cannot appreciate what is done for them. I feel sorry for those people and I am glad I don't live their life.
Ehanks for typing those 3 little words Dave, and all the little words that followed. I have no idea how you do everything you do but i'm sure grateful for all of it. Keep going strong and if you ever want more help in the U.S. just holler :)
ReplyDelete