A Rose by any other name would still be a hero

There was a time when Rose Sliepka was able to run her modest business, an engraving and trophy shop in California while enjoying the luxury of occasional "spare time". One day in September, almost 8 years ago, would soon alter all of that as it did for so many Americans. The events of 9-11 once again led our country to war and military action abroad. Despite one's personal political views, it was quite evident that the military needed our support and thanks for their service to our country.

As troops began to be deployed, Rose remembered something from her brother who served overseas during Desert Storm. He mentioned that one thing they wanted but couldn't get over there were Mothers Day cards. She was determined to make some available and soon found herself mailing packages of cards to our troops once action escalated. A small token many would not think of, yet a gesture truly appreciated by the beneficiaries.

Rose heard a story about a soldier who was in Iraq, and he wanted to send something home to his kids. They of course were very excited to receive it simply because they got something from Dad who had been away for a while. Unfortunately, he sent the only things he had access to: a couple of band aids and some sun screen. The kids didn't care though, needless to say, as it came from Dad!!

What a shame, Rose thought to herself that there couldn't be something more meaningful for our soldiers to send home. She tried to think of an item that could be sent to Mom or Dad that they could easily send back to their kids. The perfect solution seemed to be a dog tag, much like the military wears, easy to mail and something that could express love from a parent. After all, what soldier's child wouldn't want a dog tag of their own, especially one from mom or dad??

That thought sparked what would be the last of Rose's free time and a tireless dedication to a wonderful idea.

Before Rose could say 'Operation Enduring Freedom', she soon found herself scurrying to engrave dog tags that read "With love, from Dad" or Mom along with the country such as Iraq and the year. Needless to say they became a huge hit with the soldiers overseas and the difference it made for some of the children was nothing short of phenomenal. They soon became the greatest gift a miltary parent could give, and became permanent fixtures around the children's necks and adorned backpacks with great pride. Wherever they resided, they carried with them a connection like no other between parent and child.

As requests poured in, help was enlisted from the Kids Charities of the Antelope Valley and the grassroots project was offically launched as Dog Tags For Kids, a non-profit, non-partisan effort to keep those connections going while supporting our troops, one tag at a time. Milestones came as the number of tags engraved and shipped to our men and women in harm's way reached into the tens of thousands. Diligence and dedication over the years turned hours of labor into many tags, now totalling over 701,950 at the end of January, 2012!

Rose, like everyone of course wishes there was no reason for such a program. However, this is about the kids and helping them through traumatic times and separation anxiety during a parent's deployment. I have been, and remain in awe of the time consuming devotion of one person to a project she truly loves and believes in. In times when so many are too busy to pursue any involvement, Rose truly sets a high bar for giving of one's self, but also provides an inspiration and enthusiasm for those around her.

Those interested in getting more information on the program Rose started, or to see how they too can help can visit the official site for Dog Tags For Kids. Rose's endeavors have also been selected by Squidoo as one of their accepted charities that you can support through these sites. Your help and consideration is gratefully appreciated.

You can watch Rose's TV interview conducted at a local TV station in California and hear about it in her own words.

The national media finally got involved when Fox News ran a story about the project that aired on Fox Stations all across the country. If you missed it, you can still view the video on Dog Tags for Kids.

Last, but certainly not least, Rose got some of her due recently. The Jefferson Awards is a prestigious organization designed to recognize and honor those individuals that provide excellence in community service through their contibutions and achievements. We're extremely proud to announce that the awards were recently presented in Washington D.C, and Rose Sliepka was indeed honored for her dedication and outstanding work with the Dog Tags for Kids program.