Kansans raise funds for Guard Christmas trip

[unhappycamper]

Kansans raise funds for Guard Christmas trip
By John Milburn - The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Dec 8, 2007 8:16:32 EST

TOPEKA, Kan. — Thanks to the generosity of hundreds of Kansans, 430 National Guard soldiers will be home for Christmas.

Flanked by several soldiers and oversized checks, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius announced Friday that private and corporate donations totaling more than $146,000 had been raised — more than enough to charter buses to Fort Bliss, Texas, where the 1st Battalion, 161st Field Artillery, is training for a year before going to Iraq.

“We think that total will grow because people have committed to donations that aren’t quite in hand yet,” Sebelius said. “This is just a great way to say thank you. Thank you to . Thank you to the families.”

Soldiers will leave for Kansas on Dec. 23 by bus, returning to Texas on Jan. 2. Some of the soldiers are flying home through other arrangements and residents in Liberal raised money to bring home some 40 soldiers from that community.

“It’s a long way to El Paso,” said Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, the guard’s adjutant general. “Wow. Just to know the people that you serve think this much of you.”


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2007/12/ap_kansas_guardchristmas_071207/