Leading up to the Run Like a Mother 5K, we will be featuring “Moms on a Mission.” These are Moms who have taken up causes that are dear to them and spend their time improving the lives of others. You can NOMINATE a Mom for our “Mom on a Mission” Contest by emailing Tim@YourHometownEvents.com. Featured Moms may win:
- Up to $500 for their cause.
- $300 gift from Fleet Feet Schererville to the winning Mom including a new pair of shoes, running socks & inserts.
The first of the “Moms on a Mission” to be included is Penny Ambler. Penny has been creating care packages for active duty service members since November, 2020, when she heard of a sailor committing suicide. What follows is her story and ways for others to get involved. Thank you, Penny, for all the work and effort you have put into this project.
What is Your “Mom on a Mission” project?
My project is called “Bless the Brave”. I send care packages and personalized letters to active duty deployed sailors, and servicemen (and women) stationed overseas. All branches.
Why is Your “Mom on Your Mission” project important to you?
I started this after my son joined his ship in November 2020 when there was a man overboard who had committed suicide. I could not sleep for 3 nights thinking about that sailor’s turmoil and now his family’s pain. I. I wondered if that sailor had received care packages from home and if he had not, if it would have changed things for him if he HAD been receiving encouraging words and love from someone. That prompted me to start collecting names and addresses from admins of Navy support groups. I collected the names of sailors who don’t ever receive anything from home (later, all branches). I started with maybe five and it quickly grew to around sixty, which I could not afford by myself so I started a gofundme and called it Bless the Brave. 
What are some of the challenges you or your project have faced?
It is extremely time-consuming: purchasing the stuff to fill the boxes, to inventory the contents to put on the claims form, write each serviceperson a letter, tape up the boxes well (top and bottom), transfer the info-name, address, contents-to the shipping software, download, print ,cut the labels and tape them to the boxes, take them to the post office. I do this about every 6 weeks. But it takes about 3 weeks of work to get it all done.
What have been your successes with the project?
I’ve had sailors and soldiers email or write to me to thank me and tell me things like they ‘believe there are good people in the world’ or that ‘my package and letter got him through the night’ or a female sailor just feeling isolated and able to confide in me. I’ve been able to fill a request from a unit of sailors for a mom that couldn’t because she was battling cancer. There is no feeling like developing a relationship with these young men and women who don’t get support from home.
How can people help you?
Some ways to help include: write letters, tape boxes, purchase or amazon-deliver non-perishable snacks or personal hygiene products, card games, coloring books and pencils or crayons, lightweight books, magazines, packing tape, or donate to my gofundme. I always appreciate anything that helps me reach more unsupported servicemen and women. One final thing…while people could come here and help me fill and inventory the boxes, they would not be able to see names and addresses, for security reasons. Please visit my GoFundMePage.