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THE CITADEL HEROES PROJECT:

Back in November 2007, the Citadel Family Association realized that there were approximately 18 Citadel Cadets who had their college interrupted when they answered the call from their military units to serve our country. The CFA wanted to express appreciation by sending Christmas gifts to all our Citadel Cadets. The CFA gathered Christmas cards, letters, food items, magazines, books, supplies and entertainment items. With the assistance of Col John Carter and his staff, Citadel Cadets who packaged the boxes, these gifts were shipped to our entire Citadel deployed. The Citadel Alumni Association provided postage expenses.

The result was an overwhelming outpouring of support from our CFA families and Citadel Cadets. This mission was given the designation of Citadel Heroes. So this is how the Citadel Heroes enterprise was born.

What started out as a Christmas operation has turned into a long-term commitment to keep this project going for as long as we have deployed Cadets. The year will be changed, but the Citadel Heroes will remain. The CFA soon realized that our Cadets deserved more than just once a year attention; our efforts were therefore expanded to include Easter and July 4th. We also send Valentine Cards in February. We soon learned that our Citadel military share the gifts they receive so we are not only expressing our love and support of The Citadel, but we are reaching out to touch a life of someone we may never know.

On September 2, 2008, the Citadel Family Association was informed that Brian Brennan, Class of 2006, had been severely injured while serving in Afghanistan. We immediately sent an email to all our CFA Volunteers asking for prayers for Brian. At the same time the CFA started a fund to help retrofit Brian's home so his parents could better care for him. The response from our members was tremendous. We had to extend the deadline for collections on two occasions because we kept receiving emails from parents saying "we are sending a check". On September 26th, less than a month after the fund was started, the CFA had collected $3,900.00.

In addition to serving parents of our current Cadets, the CFA has a prayer chain for emergency needs, such as a wounded Citadel Alumni or a deployed Cadet, or for other crisis that families undergo from time to time. We are in touch with their families through email, letters and get well cards.

What can you do?
We are also accepting donations now until April 20th and the list of items stays the same. For all those coming down to Corps Weekend, March 16-17 please bring your donations to Deas Hall and see Susie Maghakian.

If you have questions, please contact Gwen Christ, 516-650-0965, Project Director. Or stop by our CFA table during Parent's Weekend or Corps Day and pick up information as to how you can participate.

Here are some suggested items that you may send: