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How did Hero To Hero Begin?
HeroToHero.Us was started by Liz Jackson in Tacoma Washington shortly after September 11th, 2003. The war had begun, and a news story was done on the "Heroes of 9-11". Sadly, the segue from that story was the introduction of a "hero" ... A gentleman who had the nicest kept lawn in town ... to say the least, it lessened the meaning of the word hero.
Liz approached a Fort Lewis Soldier and asked how it felt to be a hero. He replied that he was not a hero, just doing his job. To him, the heroes were the first responders back home taking care of his family while he was away. He said if he wasn't focused he might not return ... they let him focus, knowing his loved ones were safe.
Following up, the same question was put to a Lakewood, Washington firefighter who responded instantly that he was no hero, just doing his job. And the true heroes were the ones putting their lives on the line in the sand since 9-11.
Hmmm ... So how do you get these groups who obviously admire and support one another together?
Just after these words were uttered, the first thing that was apparent was the logo over this firefighter's heart. The department logo bore the name of the hometown he worked for. Every troop deployed is from a hometown somewhere and the ultimate show of support is to give someone the shirt off your back.
Liz was part of another support effort, and suggested the idea to them. They liked it, but were geared more to send holiday packages. And besides they already had a Valentine's Day program with a very similar name. This group was Liz's first support for this effort, but they were not able to dedicate to the effort to the depths she envisioned. They shipped the first batch of 800 shirts, and it was agreed that Liz would take her idea and develop it as she had intended. HeroToHero.US was born and has now shipped 40,000 shirts, and has sent countless packages. Both organizations are doing the right thing for the troops but have traveled down different paths, parting with mutual respect and friendship.
It was the original groups founder who came up with the idea of adding written messages to the shirts, which has become a favorite part of the program.
How can my unit get shirts?
Canadian troops need to do the following.....
Simply send an e-mail to Kevin McHarg at troopshirts@gmail.com to request shirts for you and your unit. I will then contact you directly regarding the details of your shipment. All i need to know is how many shirts you wish to receive, how long you will be deployed for and your overseas mailing address. Shirts will be sent to any Canadian troops deployed anywhere outside Canada, including ships deployed at sea. You can help by making sure that your hometown hears about the program and better your chance at getting YOUR hometown shirt. Let them know about the program and ask them to support their hometown heroes.
How do you fund Hero To Hero?
For the first 4 years of this program, it was funded out of the pocket of the national director.
We are not a registered charity.
In the last 2 years we have received some greatly appreciated financial support from several organizations and individuals. We are very appreciative to the Fire Science students at Lambton College who initiated the wearing of red support our troops t-shirts on fridays amongst the Police Foundations, Paramedic and Fire Science students. Whenever a student purchases one of these red shirts, $5.00 is donated to Hero To Hero Team Canada.
In summer 2010, the great folks at South West Credit Union in Sarnia, Ontario held a BBQ which raised funds for our program as well as the Lambton Military Family Support Group.
Several other individuals have also supported our program.
We are very proud of the fact that we have accomplished the collecting and shipping of 6,000 shirts to our troops without a major sponsor ... Through sheer dedication, hard work, and the donations of people who gave from their hearts.
We're also very proud that it was the efforts of a very small contingent of volunteers that have made this possible .
In Canada we have been fortunate in that we don't have to pay to ship shirts to our troops.
Through the support of the Department of National Defence we are able to ship our shirts at no cost.
It cost HeroToHero.US $8,000.00 in postage to ship shirts to U.S. troops in 2008!
If any of our supporters wish to support the program by holding a car wash, BBQ or any similar activity, we would be grateful. These types of events also generate publicity for the program which in turn generates shirts for the troops!
How can I help?
If you aren't a first responder ... you know one, or you have several in your hometown. Make sure they know about this program.
Let your deployed loves ones know about the Hero To Hero Team Canada Troop Morale Campaign.
Donations are gratefully accepted.
Buy an honour coin.
Get on "our mailing list", so you know what's coming up, and the way you can help for various events.
What kind of shirts do you mean?
We request t-shirts, bearing department logos. However, it can be most anything with a department logo ...T-shirts ... Hats ... Shorts ... Tank Tops ... Sweats ... Jackets ... Patches, etc
Item can be new or used.
Most First responders have a closet full of t-shirts from our own Dept's, ones we've visted, a police/fire/ems college, firefighters field day, combat challenge, etc.
Go to your closet once a year and see which ones you can part with, knowing you are going to make a soldiers day by sending it to him/her.
*Criteria for used items ... Items MUST be in such condition that you would be honored to look the troop in the eye as you handed it over. On numerous occasions, troops have stopped by after their deployments, to thank the donating departments (A really nice touch!)
Hats & Boxers MUST be new ... 'nough said. ( ;
Who is eligible to receive shirts?
Any Canadian soldier deployed anywhere outside of Canada (including ships at sea) is eligable to receive shirts.
In previous years we have sent shirts to troops deployed in Sudan, Haiti, Israel and Afghanistan as well as ships at sea. To learn more about where Canadian troops are deployed click on "Where are our troops?"
Our dept shirts are dark, will messages show up on them?
YES! For dark fabric shirts, use Silver Sharpies (available at office supply stores). If you are concerned about security, make sure to mark lots of messages on the shirts. Make sure to put something between the front and back material of the shirt so it doesn't seep through and make a real mess.
Permanent ink black Sharpies work great for white, or light colored shirts.
HINT: Silver Sharpies can be pricey, and they dry out quickly if not stored properly. Also, you'll have better print quality if you don't press hard when you write.
What kind of messages do we write on the shirts?
Words from the heart are always best. We see a lot of ...
"Thank you!" ... ""YOU GUYS ARE THE REAL HEROES!" ... "We've got your back" ... "You make us proud!" ...
You get the idea. Favorite messages have included invites (And many are accepted!) ...
"If you don't like the shirt come trade me for a new one when you get home!" ... "Come have dinner with us when you get back" ... "This shirt is good for one free beer!" ... "Wear this shirt to our department and get a ride along"
Favorite all time message ... (And only shirt we've knowingly sent with a hole in it) ...
On an FDNY shirt, under the logo, with a small scrape and tear on the right shoulder ... "I wore this shirt in to Tower One, September 11th, 2001. I came out alive, so can you. Come have dinner with us when you get home" (Didn't want to let that one go, but it did get sent ... would love to know who got it)
HINT: If you have a huge stack of shirts to add messages to, choose your message, then write that same message on each one. Every shirt goes to a different troop.
Don't forget to attach a business card as well or just a piece of paper with your name and e-mail address.
NO political or pro/anti-war messages.
Also, please keep it clean. Chaplains are often the points of contact for the shirts, and profanity is not acceptable.
Remember, you may very well get a personal visit from a troop who received your shirt. Make sure it's one that will make you proud in this instance.
Did you ever expect this would get so big?
The original concept was that this would be a Washington State program, honoring Washington State deployed troops.
But with the addition of the annual national ... now international tours, and a lot of work by dedicated volunteers, we have grown.
The first year in the U.S. 800 shirts were sent to troops ~ in 2005, 3,100 shirts were shipped~ in 2006, 5,500 were shipped~ in 2007, 7,000 shirts were shipped, in 2008, 7000 shirts were shipped.
In Canada we shipped 228 shirts our first year (2007) and 1200 shirts the second year (2008). We shipped 2200 shirts and 450 hats in March of 2009. In 2010 another 2000 shirts were shipped.
We have given shirts to wounded troops in military hospitals, and various programs.
We have dedicated that as long as our troops are deployed around the world ... As long as the hometown heroes keep supporting the effort ... As long as we are physically able ... We will continue to support our troops by giving them the shirts off our backs.
Yeah, we've grown. Good growth ... great effort ... wonderful people making it all happen. And we applaud you all!
What is the tour about?
Note: Tours were an annual event that we all looked forward to. The pledge was that as long as I was physically able, I would tour for the troops - (Honoring our family's fallen hero, Jake). That line was originally meant as a joke, meaning that the war seemed like it was going to last til I was too old for the road. But at the end of 2007 I started having medical issues that impaired mobility. By fall of 2008 the diagnosis was a pretty healthy case of osteo-arthritis in the knees. So until a miracle happens, tours have been ended. There will be random visits to promote the program as possible. This was one of my favorite parts of Hero To Hero, and our intro in Canada, so I am sad that it had to end. To misquote a favorite first responder regarding the situation ... "You drove around the world, now it's our turn to be your legs 'til you can do it again" Works for me. lj
The original answer to this question:
Ever send out an e-mail, and realize you've probably been "round-filed"?
We send out, probably, thousands of e-mails annually about Hero To Hero. The response from e-mails is about 10-20 percent.
We found that when we went out and visited the hometowns, aside from getting the message out there, the response was over 90 percent.
When the first responders see that we are dedicated enough to make this kind of effort, they step up their dedication and support.
The tours are about honoring hometowns of our deployed. We photo journal all of it, so the troops deployed to the desert can see their hometowns stepping up.
Were it not for the tours, we would not be touching so many with this troop morale campaign.
Do you ever hear back from the troops?
Yes we do! And it is like opening a birthday present you have been waiting for ... for a very long time!
Now, don't take this as law that you will get a response. While we encourage a reply, we cannot guarantee it.
We won't lie to you ... The messages are few compared to the number of shirts we send. But we try to remember what the troops are facing.
In the best of situations, how many of us sit down and write a thank you? Now imagine doing that while you are in a war zone.
We do all we can to encourage the troops to send back photos and messages. Because not only does it feel great, but it is important to the departments donating to the troops to know they are making a difference. Sometimes we think that there have been no responses, and then we go out on the tour and the station has the responses posted proudly on their walls. Who knew?
We post all the photos and messages we receive, and ask that if you get responses, you drop us a copy to share with everyone.
Troops ... Take a moment to send a thanks back. A smile from you, a few well thought out words, a genuine thank you ... can make a world of difference in how a department will support the next year's efforts. Think of the troop that will take your place.
And please note: If you make an invite to a hometown Troop, don't be surprised when they come by. If you invite them for dinner or a ride-along, be prepared to follow through.
Two Canadian Fire Departments that we know of have received personal visits from returned troops, Sarnia and Windsor Ontario.
How can I contact Hero To Hero Team Canada?
Please feel free to contact me with any questions, or concerns, you may have.
Kevin McHarg
National Director
HeroTo Hero Team Canada
1940 Avenue Rd. SS1
Bright's Grove, Ontario
Canada, N0N1C0
e-mail:troopshirts@gmail.com Cell # 519-464-2644
Who can donate shirts?
Any emergency first responder is asked to donate shirts. We have been pretty broad in who we have added into that category.
FIREFIGHTERS - MUNICIPAL POLICE - PROVINCIAL POLICE - RCMP -- EMS - CANADA BORDER SERVICES - COAST GUARD - SEARCH & RESCUE - HOSPITAL STAFF - CORRECTIONAL SERVICES - MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS - RAILWAY POLICE - RED CROSS - ST JOHNS AMBULANCE, ETC.
We will also accept shirts from school groups and businesses that want to show their support but with the condition that those shirts have a hometown name on it, even if you just write it on yourself with a sharpie marker. We also ask that you sign the shirts with messages of support. What we are looking for is sincere staff/student involvement.
We also have made exceptions ... per troop requests ... to allow sports teams to donate items, as many troops have sports heroes.
What all of these have in common is that they all represent hometowns.
What is the usual procedure to collect shirts?
In Canada all shirts are shipped to National Director Kevin McHarg at the following address....
Hero To Hero Team Canada
1940 Avenue Road SS1
Bright's Grove, Ontario
Canada
N0N 1C0
You should NOT have anyone asking you to hand them shirts. Your shirts are NOT shipped out by anyone but YOUR department/agency.
If someone comes to your department asking for shirts, they are obviously not aware of how this program works. Please advise us if anyone represents themselves as being with Hero To Hero Team Canada.
We encourage people to spread the word about our program but unless you know them and trust them, they should not be physically collecting the shirts, but instead letting you know where you can send them (address above).
*In Canada we have several support team members who have been authorized to physically collect shirts on our behalf. Their photo and info can be found on our "About Us" webpage. They will also present you with a letter of introduction from the Canadian Director of Hero To Hero Team Canada.
Do you have a brochure & how do I get one?
Yes, we do.
I can e-mail you an electronic copy and/or mail you hard copies.
Okay, what are you selling?
Nothing!
We collect donated shirts from first responders across Canada and we forward them to deployed troops.
That's it!
We don't sell candy bars, cookies, or rescue equipment and are NOT affiliated with any program that does.
If anyone shows up at your department selling anything, and represents themselves as having anything to do with Hero To Hero ... Kick them to the curb!!! If you are among those receiving emails asking for shirts that do not come from the actual Hero To Hero Team Canada Troop Morale Campaign, they need to be redirected and reported to us immediately at troopshirts@gmail.com.
What if we don't have department shirts we can donate?
On rare occasion there is a department, whose policy it is, that their department shirts are completely accountable. As such they cannot donate, this is really rare, but it happens and we get it ... unless we see them for sale on a website.
Those departments have gotten very creative, and have donated shirts, hats, etc., from their town's events "Night Out", "DARE". These shirts still have the hometowns on them. Even if it is a past event, it represents a hometown.
Get some extra drawer space. Rotate out some of the shirts you've collected from police/fire college courses, EMS conferences, mutual aid training events, fire buff clubs, etc.
This is a great way to recycle shirts from past programs, etc. Sometimes, the printers don't get it just right, and you can't use the shirts. Find out what they're going to do with the mistakes ... We can use them ... Talk about a great way to recycle!
Can we send our shirts to a specific troop?
Okay, the way it works is this ... If YOUR troop is deployed from your department (such as a firefighter/cop, or family member of one) and you send us a box of shirts ... and you KNOW that your troop has requested adoption ...
When you pack the shirts, separate the shirt(s) for your troop by placing them in a large manila envelope with their name and unit address on it. Send us an e-mail advising us of this person, and when to expect this box.
When we receive it, it will be kept separately and a notation is made on this unit's request. We will make every possible effort to get the shirt to your specific troop.
We do everything we can to accommodate.
The best thing to do is contact us directly at troopshirts@gmail.com with your specific request.
How do you decide which units get which shirts?
Any Canadian soldier/sailor/airman/woman who is deployed outside of Canada can request shirts any time of year.
What do we require from troops requesting shirts?
- that they be willing to receive and distribute shirts to all the members of their unit.
- that they let us know how long they will be deployed.
- that they provide their overseas shipping address.
Do they really wear these shirts out in the desert?
Well, i'll let a few Canadian soldiers answer that one.....
Hello!
My name is Josh Muir, i am a reservist from Vancouver. i am currently attached to B company, 1 PPCLI, here as the Force Protection Company for the Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team (KPRT), in, as you can tell, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan!
I got your shirt and contact info last night after a long partol, and wanted to thank you and your boys as quickly as possible.
We must have got a lot of shirts from the program, as today you could barely see a man who wasn't in uniform not wearing the shirt of some fire company or another, from all over the continent!
They are very popular, and everyone who got one is proud to be wearing it, especially here!
Thank you guys for thanking us, and we are just as prouud of you guys! A great idea, a big morale boost! Much appreciated.
I will send a post card to your station as soon as i can get a good one, and when we have access to faster email connection, look for a pic with as many of the company as i can get wearing your shirt, of course, and as many other ones as i can muster!
Again, good job, and thanks!
Yours truly
Josh Muir
~~**~~
I'm Warrant Officer Yves Martel, Canadian, based out of CFB KINGSTON ON and i'm deployed to Kandahar, Afganistan for 9 months as part of Regional Command South, RC(S). My section has 32 personnel in it. We all received shirts from various organizations in Ontario through the Hero to Hero. What a great support! you guys fight fires and save lives everyday, and we are here fighting different kinds of fires, but with a goal of improving the lives of local Afghans and saving the future generations from hardships as witnessed in the past.
I would like to express my utmost gratitude and honour of receiving one of your shirts from Hero to Hero campaign.
I was extremely impressed by the idea of the shirt off the back of a Hero for this, and am very proud of the support we receive from all of you inter-national Hero to Hero US and Canadian. I have worn the shirt with pride and have included a picture of me for all of you.
Thanks agains for all of the unwavering support you have shown us, as it is truly appreciated.
Yves Martel
WO
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I am a Captain in the Canadian Armed Forces - Communications and Electronics Engineering. I recently arrived in Sudan as part of the UN effort to assist in implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the North and the South, ending 20 years of civil war. I was given one of your t-shirts last week. As you can see from the photo, I am wearing it at the Nubian pyramids at Meroe, about a 3 hour drive north of Khartoum. Must admit, I did not wear the t-shirt all day as it was over 40 deg C (over 100 deg F) and black was likely not the best colour for this occasion, but I did want to wear it for a while in this distinctive location. On Wednesday I will be flying to my teamsite in Aweil (not far from the border with south Darfur). Will try to get a photo from somewhere in the south.
Thanks for the gift.
(Capt) Bill Chambre
~~**~~
To see the photos mentioned above as well as other e-mails and photos troops have sent us, check out the "Letters from the Troops" and "photo album" sections of our website.
In a perfect world, how would H2H work?
Well, in a perfect world, this program would not be necessary, and all of our loved ones would be home. (And no that is not a political message, just one from the heart)
But, in a perfect world ...
EVERY year, as long as our troops are deployed ... If EVERY first responder would send one shirt on September 11th ... We could make sure that EVERY troop would get a hometown shirt!
There would be no pressure to get a box of shirts to cover for the departments that don't yet participate.
This is very do-able. You can help get the word out. Forward our link out to your entire e-mail list!
Why?
Because the morale of a troop is more important than you might think.
With rare exception, troops get homesick. Troops get bored. Troops get lonely. Troops see more negative/antiwar newsclips and articles, than positive. It may just be a shirt to you, but as a troop told us, with tears in his eyes ... "You see shirts on those tables ... We see home."
This is such a simple effort. This can make such a huge difference to the morale of a troop.
Morale ... that's why.
I'm going to share a personal e-mail i just happened to receive the night before i sat down to update these pages. I'm still blown away by it......
Hello Kevin,
It's been a long while, and so much is going on. Still pretty busy with the battalion after returning in May from my second tour in as many years. Nothing new to Canadian soldiers as many are going back now for their second, third fourth and even fifths. So acres receiving the email about the American side, which did bring a tear to my eye, I figured I'd remind you of how proud the soldiers are to have you and all you do for us on our side. Your are a tremendous asset to our organization! The morale you give soldiers deployed just may be a catalyst in what keeps bringing so many of the boys home healthy and happy. Thanks for all that you've done and continue to do. We are truly proud to have a man and team of your calibre pulling for us. So again thank you so much, we appreciate it.
I won't sign the soldiers name because this was a personal e-mail.
What are the official dates of the Shirt Drive?
Updated February 2011
In Canada we welcome your shirts 365 days a year!
We used to collect shirts all year and then send whatever we had to troops in the spring time.
We now have enough shirts donated throughout the year that we are able fill troop requests year round.
Why do you have everyone do the "BadAss" shot?
The idea came to us from a returned troop. When we asked him to pose, this was the pose he assumed, and informed us that this was the BadAss shot.
We don't care how young, or old you are ... You can do a BadAss shot!
We liked it. We always like smiles, and do plenty of smiling photos, but we have now become known for the "BadAss" shot, and have departments requesting we come and do theirs.
Aside from a heartfelt smile, this is our favorite shot. And it is so frequently requested that you will soon be able to link directly to these photos.
You can always send us yours, and we will post them. Be sure to add your department name, and contact info.
Where do you get your mascots & who designs them?
While searching the internet looking for the perfect mascot to represent Canada, we came upon a wholesaler in Langley British Columbia called "The Stuffed Animal House". They had what i considered the perfect mascot, a moose dressed in the uniform of an RCMP officer.
I contacted the good folks at The Stuffed Animal House to find out the nearest retailer of their products. When i explained what Hero To Hero was about and that our mascots would travel the country for a year before being retired with honour to a military base or First Responder headquarters, they offered to send us twelve free mascots to show support for our troops. In June of 2008 our first mascot was retired after a year of travelling and collecting pins from various first responders. His name is "Reggie T-Shertz"(short for Regiment) and he now resides in Wolseley Barracks in London, Ontario at the London Military Family Resource Centre.
Our second mascot was been named Langley T-Shertz in honour of the homewtown of The Stuffed Animal House. Langley was sent to Lieutenant Colonel Michael Patrick at Headquarters at Kandahar Airfield.
Our third mascot was named "Brock LockNLoad". "LockNLoad" was named after the soldier that he was sent to in Afghanistan, Brock Leistra.
We are presently looking for a name for our fourth mascot.
Any suggestions? Send them to troopshirts@gmail.com
The Stuffed Animal House stepped up for our troops.
What is an acceptable donation?
SHIRTS, HATS, PATCHES, SHORTS, SWEATS, JACKETS, COATS, TANK TOPS, etc. Basically, any uniform parts with unit logos on them.
The City, County, or Province on the donated item is very important - so the troops can identify an item from their hometown. Be advised that shorts & tank tops are normally set aside for our Wounded.
Cold weather gear finds its way to Afghanistan due to the bitter winter weather they endure.
Please be sure to write messages on your donated items.
Note: Pins, patches, etc. from your Department/City can be attached to donated items.
Hero To Hero would also welcome one of your Department or city pins to be pinned on our mascot.
Do you send other items/supplies?
Our primary mission is to send the shirts off the backs of our hometown heroes, but in recent years we have included items such as pepperettes, cookies,coffee and music cd's in our shipments.
Piller's Delicatessan's http://www.pillers.com/ in Waterloo, Ontario donates their famous Pepstix for inclusion in our shipments.
Tree House Coffee Bar and Eatery http://www.facebook.com/treehouseballs in Sarnia, Ontario held Operation Caffeination which gave patrons an opportunity to purchase and donate bags of fresh ground coffee to troops.
For additional info on what you can do to support Canadian troops visit the DND website and click on "support our troops".
Can we add a business card?
We encourage it!
If you don't have a business card, attach a letter or even just a piece of paper with your name and e-mail address.
Can we send banners, flags, etc, or should it just be shirts?
You sure can.
It is my understanding that all banners that are sent to Canadian troops are being hung in mess tents and other places where troops congregate. When they run out of room for banners, they rotate them on a regular basis.
Your banner may hang for a few weeks and then be taken down for a while and then rehung elsewhere at a later date to insure every banner enjoys some hang time and is seen by the troops.
Units that receive a banner from Hero To Hero are told that the banner is theirs to take home to Canada at the end of their tour.
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