WOUNDED WARRIORS

Supporting wounded American troops at Landstuhl regional Medical Center, the largest U.S. military hospital outside the U.S. and the first stop on the way home.

Democrats Abroad Switzerland is calling on the American Community in Switzerland to help our troops while they recover from injuries at the Landstuhl Medical Center.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

1. Purchase these items for a care package. This is a list of items that the soldiers need most right now:

· Foot powder

· Chap stick

· Toiletries / cologne

· Sweatshirts with hoods

· Jackets with hoods

· Sweatpants

· Men’s boxers and boxer-briefs, L & XL

· Socks

These items must be new. They asked especially for foot powder and Chap Stick plus the sweatshirts with hoods since it's starting to get cold.

2. Other items to donate, which would make the soliders and hospital staff very happy:

· DVD movies, Zone 1 (no extreme violence)

· Books and magazines

· Phonecards

· And Chocolate!

3. Donate money

If you prefer to donate money to the wounded warriors, it will be used it to buy these items from the US commissary store on the Landstuhl base, where the money will go a long way (or at least buy more than what it costs at Swiss stores). Log-in to Paypal and send money to mfsc1@aol.com

4. Write a card to a wounded soldier.

Tell him/her how much we appreciate their service. Keep the card undated. Soldiers really appreciate hearing from us. View a some sample messages to write in your card here: WW_Write_Card.pdf

5. Visit Landstuhl Medical Center

Join Democrats Abroad and other Americans from Switzerland on Saturday 12 December 2009 on a weekend trip to Landstuhl Miliary base in Germany. We will deliver all the gifts and letters and visit the soldiers at the hospital. Travel and accommodation are at your own expense. We will car-pool from Geneva and Zurich. Email dems4ww@gmail.com if you are interested in joining u s.

WHERE CAN I BRING OR SEND MY CARE PACKAGE?

We will be collecting donated care packages or items from you at the following locations and dates. This list is being updated regularly. If you would like to volunteer to collect goods, please contact us at dems4ww@gmail.com.

GENEVA:

· November 19 - Brasserie des Halles de l’Ile, 1 Place de l’Ile, from 7pm-9pm

· December 1st to 10th - SITA Building, International AIDS Society, 71 av. Louis-Casai. Contact Emily Blitz on emily.blitz@iasociety.org

· December 1st to 10th - Chemin Louis Degallier 26, Versoix. Contact Emily Blitz on emily.blitz@iasociety.org.

· December 8th, collection and wrapping party in central Geneva. Contact dems4ww@gmail.com for address info. From 6pm-8pm.

CHECK OUT OUR REPORT AND PHOTOS FROM THIS EVENT: http://geneva.democrats.ch/2009/12/wounded-warriors-project.html

ZURICH:

· Tuesday December 8, Starbucks (Central), Limmat-Quai 144, 8001 Zurich, from 6pm-7pm

For any donations through Friday 11 December, contact zurich@democrats.ch to arrange drop off.

Bern:

Friday, December 11, at Starbucks on Waisenhausplatz, near train station in Bern, from 12pm to 1pm.

Contact Natasha on 031 300 20 30 for more info or to arrange another drop off time. Her office is near the train station.

DA SWITZERLAND NOVEMBER 2009 NEWSLETTER

Celebration, Thanks and Action have been the main themes of our activities this fall. One reason for celebration was the 45th Anniversary of Democrats Abroad. To mark this occasion, members came together in Bursins, Vaud and Geneva to raise funds for our 2010 global voter registration campaign. We also learned about DA Switzerland’s rich history - going back to 1976 - through inspiring interviews given by all of our former Chairs. Watch what they had to say here.

Another reason for celebrating was the anniversary of President Barack Obama’s election last November. Election parties were held in Zurich and Geneva. The Télévision Suisse Romande (TSR) covered the event in Geneva, capturing the spirit of the Democrats in Switzerland. Watch the report here.

Representative Mike Honda of the 15th congressional district in California (and also DNC Vice Chair) was in Geneva on November 11th and he took time from his busy schedule to have breakfast with Democrats Abroad members. More than two dozen DACH members from every corner of Geneva’s American community engaged in a lively discussion with Representative Honda on a variety of issues including health care, taxation, and banking, and what these often mean for Americans living abroad.

A time for thanks

A year after the election, our spirits are high as we are grateful for the important changes that Barack Obama has already been able to bring to Washington, such as the prohibition of the use of torture, the signing of the Lilly Ledbetter Act, increasing fuel economy standards, opening constructive dialogues with Muslims in speeches in Egypt and Turkey, and signing into law the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

Time to give back . . . to those who protect us

DACH is proud to announce the “Wounded Warriors” Project. We are asking all our members and all Americans to help support our armed forces heroes who are recuperating at the U.S military hospital in Landstuhl Germany, by donating items to help them as they get better.

How can you help? Prepare a care package of needed items, (sweatshirts, DVDs, Swiss chocolate, etc.) download the flyer and pass it around to your friends, volunteer to help collect care packages in your place of work or neighborhood, write cards of encouragement to soldiers, make a cash donation so that we can purchase items they need – there are so many ways to help, no matter how much time or money you can spare. See the flyer in this newsletter or on our blog here. All collected items will be delivered to the troops on December 12th by members of the DACH leadership. They have sacrificed so much for us, so please help us let them know we are thinking about them this holiday season. Read more about Wounded Warriors Project.

Read full Newsletter: http://www.democratsabroad.org/sites/default/files/DACH_NOVEMBER_2009_NEWSLETTER.pdf

Happy Thanksgiving!

Maya Samara

Chair, Democrats Abroad Switzerland

Hey Everyone! Hope we're all having a great week of election celebrations! Zurich had a lovely gathering on Tuesday, 3rd November.

A big congrats to Democrat Bill Owens in NY, who was elected to the 23rd Congressional District in New York! We also continue to celebrate President Obama's historic victory exactly one year ago and are gearing up for the 2010 elections where most governors, a third of the Senate and all members in the House will be on ballots! This is going to be a huge election year!

True Virginia and New Jersey resulted in wins for the Republican party however exit polls revealed that this was not because voters are not supportive of Obama and his Administration but rather, I think, evidence of the economic unease on everyone's mind that subsequently resulted in leadership changes. We must continue to work hard in getting the health care bill through (call your representative, write a letter your local paper, etc.) and successfully passed. This will be a huge victory for the Democrats and bode well for the 2010 elections!

Keep rallying!