The summer seems to have kicked into full gear, hasn’t it? The continual rain in our part of the world has put farmers behind but our yard and plants are flourishing and for once, just once, our yard looks about as good as our neighbors. That is a huge accomplishment.

The month flew by and it hardly seems that it is time to post the Comments for a Cause results and reveal the new cause for July! How can that be? If you read my June 1st post here you will recall that our cause for June was to offer support for my niece and her husband, Rachael and Nate Youmans, to go on a mission trip through Habitat for Humanity to El Salvador. They have been fundraising and spreading the word about their trip and I am happy to let them know that there is an additional $227
that will be donated through your comments to help them on their way. Good luck, Ra and Nate! i am so proud of you!

I saw a little news piece on my charity for July the other day and felt compelled to give it top billing for the month. Operation Mend is a wonderful organization that assists wounded military men and women who have suffered severe facial and other medical injuries by giving them access to top rated plastic and reconstructive surgeries. When I saw the piece on television I was moved to tears because it touched me to know that these men and women who have served OUR COUNTRY have suffered injuries that will be a constant reminder to them as long as they live of the horror of war. Let’s face it—when we see someone who is horribly disfigured by burns it is hard to look at them. We want to look away. It hurts to look and yet this is their life—-something that they live with every single day of their life. There are so many great groups that serve our wounded warriors but for some reason this is the one that spoke to me loudly.

A little bit about Operation Mend taken from their website located here:

UCLA Operation Mend is a groundbreaking program that provides returning military personnel with severe facial and other medical injuries access to the nation’s top plastic and reconstructive surgeons, as well as comprehensive medical and mental-health support for the wounded and their families. It was established in 2007 through a partnership envisioned by Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center Board and Executive Committee member Ron A. Katz and his (now deceased) wife Maddie.

In a partnership with Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC), a leading burn and rehabilitation center in San Antonio, Texas, the V.A. Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, and UCLA Health System, Operation Mend started with facial reconstruction. The program has since expanded in order to optimize healing-body, mind, and spirit. In addition to plastic and reconstructive surgery, mental-health support (for warriors and their families), orthopaedic reconstruction for severely damaged limbs, urologic treatment, otolaryngological care, the examination and treatment of reproductive issues, repair of airways, and design of new prosthetic ears are provided.

“It is a privilege for UCLA Medical Center to assist our country’s men and women in the military,” said Dr. David T. Feinberg, Presidentof UCLA Health System and CEO of UCLA Hospital System. “We are honored to partner with Brooke Army Medical Center to help heal several of America’s wounded warriors.”

The program is currently funded through an existing grant from the Iraq Afghanistan Deployment Impact Fund (IADIF) via the California Community Foundation, along with important individual donor support.

In June 2013 Operation Mend had a total of 88 individuals that it was actively helping from all branches of the military. To have this option must be such a source of comfort and relief for not only the wounded warriors but for their families.

So please–comment often and I will donate 50 cents for each comment at the end of the month to Operation Mend . It will be money well spent. Thank you!