PinUps for Vets Girlie Gina Elise Gives the Update

by Gina the Pin-Up Girl

I wanted to let all of you know that I have two VA hospital visits coming up in the next few weeks–one on the west coast and one on the east coast!!!  If you would like to donate a calendar or poster or tee shirt for a hospitalized Veteran for one of these visits, please visit the website, www.pinupsforvets.com and click on ORDER NOW, option 2. 

These donated gifts always put a smile on the faces of these Vets.  Many times they do not get any visitors, so it is such a nice surprise for them to get this gift of appreciation for their service. As a reminder, I do deliver all donated calendars myself to the hospitals and make my rounds to the patients bedside. 

Would be so appreciative if you could pass on our website address "www.pinupsforvets.com" to your friends and family and let them know about my upcoming visits.

I also wanted to let you know that I have been doing fundraising!  I attended the Arcadia, CA Memorial Day event to sell calendars, posters and tee shirts.  Met some amazing Vets there and thanked them all for their service to our country!

Here’s me and a cute bulldog named Bruin!  I was an instant fan of his because I graduated from UCLA and I love the Bruins! Look at that face!   

This past weekend, I attended the 2009 Seabee Days at Port Hueneme, CA. 

Here I am at my table in the morning, getting ready for a day of fundraising!  I wore a boat dress for this Navy event!
 
SEABEE below! 

To see more pix of this event, click on page 31 of "In the Field" link on my website. 
 
Also, as a reminder, I am on Facebook now, so please add me!  You can find my page at www.facebook.com/pinupsforvets  I constantly post pix and updates about the project.
 
Thought I would share this nice letter with you that I received from an Army Sgt. during Memorial Day weekend:
 
"Congratulations of receiving your award. You deserve it and much more. You have really made something of your adventures.  I am proud of you. Soon I will be returning to Iraq. I accept the challenge with great anticipation. Thank you for all you do for the guys who seem to be placed behind the scenes. I am sure you brighten many lonely hearts with not only your beauty but also in what you do. You represent the true spirit of today’s service volunteer and the never forgotten nostalgic time of the men and women whom without there sacrifices this country would not be where it is today. You have the spirit within you to represent what this Holiday weekend is all about. That you for your service. " 
 
On a final note, I wanted to thank all of you who have already taken the time to nominate me for Loreal’s "Women of Worth" award.  Loreal picks women in America making a difference in their community.  The winner gets to donate $25,000 to the cause of their choice…and I would LOVE to be able to donate this money to a rehab program for our brave Wounded Warriors and Vets.  The nomination deadline is July 13.
 
If you could visit http://www.womenofworth.com/ and nominate me, Gina Elise, for the Pin-Ups For Vets project, I would be so appreciative!   There are four questions to answer and it should only take a few minutes.  I figure the more people nominate the project, the more the committee will take notice…and we might actually get a shot at donating this money to our  brave heroes!

The website is: http://www.womenofworth.com/

 Here are some project highlights to possibly mention on the nomination form:

• I have donated $20,000 so far to rehab programs for military and VA hospitals, and will most likely donate another $15,000 this year
• This is the 3rd calendar–the project started in June of 2006
• I travel all around the US to military and VA hospitals to deliver donated calendars myself to meet Vets and Wounded Warriors at their bedside to put a smile on their face and thank them for their service! 
• I have sent hundreds of calendars overseas to deployed military to boost  troop morale
• Have received  awards: 2007 "Outstanding Young Californian" from Junior Chamber of Commerce and CA Jaycees 2009 "Volunteer of the Year"  LA Business Journal’s Women Making a Difference Awards Daily Point of Light Award
• 7 flags flown over military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan in honor of the project

The nomination form will ask these questions:

Email address: pinupsforvets@aol.com
website: http://www.pinupsforvets.com/
Date the project began:June 2006
Age: 27
Address:
PO BOX 14
Redlands, CA 92373