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Cedar Creek group presents checks to Fisher House and Hope for Warriors
Monitor Staff Reports
DALLAS–Funds raised in the Cedar Creek Lake area were presented to organizations supporting U.S. Veterans and military families recently.
Five board members of the Cedar Creek Veterans Foundation (CCVF) presented checks to Fisher House representatives and to Hope for the Warriors volunteers at a special luncheon presentation Dec. 19 in Dallas.
The Cedar Creek Veterans Foundation presented a $15,000 check to Fisher House director Lydia Henderson.
The Fisher House provides a home away from home for military families so they can be close to a loved one during hospitalization for an illness, disease or injury.
These funds will be used to supply food, linens, gas and many other services for Fisher House.
Since its founding three years ago, CCVF has contributed $45,000 to the hostel.
Also attending the luncheon were U.S. Army Gen. Robert Carey, Fisher House board member Dick Agnew, and doctors and staff from the Veterans Hospital in Dallas.
Hope for the Warriors also received a check, totaling $4,000 to help Texas service members and veterans. This organization helps military and veteran families whose loved one is undergoing treatment at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.
“The CCVF exists to raise funds for charities that support our military personnel,” president Gayle Robinson said.
The Fisher House began in 2009 and has provided housing for 1,583 families, 17 active duty families, 17 combat war veterans, 291 seniors, 1,048 adults and 114 children with an average stay of eight days.
“Many of these families would have been unable to afford to be with their loved ones as they recovered from wounds or received treatment before Fisher House was built,” Henderson said..
“It is the goal of Fisher House Trust to have a Fisher House located at every veterans and military hospital in the United States,” Agnew added.
Hope for the Warriors is a national nonprofit organization that assists combat wounded service members, their families, and families of the fallen.
Hope for the Warriors representative Anne Woods attended the luncheon on behalf of those recovering Texas soldiers and their families.
She reported 13 open cases with immediate needs from Texas service members and veterans for December 2011.
Donations are used to help with utility bill payments and rent, preventing some families from being evicted from their homes.
“The Cedar Creek Veterans Foundation will sponsor two events in 2012 to support The Fisher House, Hope for the Warriors, and the Navy and Marine Corp. Relief Society,” Robinson said.
The Cedar Creek Veterans Foundation Golf Classic will be held Monday, June 4, at the Pinnacle Golf Club.
Tournament proceeds will go to all three charities and gives local businesses, communities and residents a chance to support U.S. Veterans and troops.
The annual air show “Thunder Over Cedar Creek Lake” will be held Saturday, July 7. This show is the fifth largest air show in the southwest and the only one over water, Robinson said.
Featured pilots from the Navy, Marines and Air Force will demonstrate missions they’ve flown.
“More than 47,000 men and women have been wounded since 2001. Many of them will need continuing medical treatment throughout their life,” Robinson said.
“The Cedar Creek Veterans Foundation is dedicated to helping make these soldiers and their family’s lives a little easier.”
For more information about becoming a sponsor or tournament participant, contact Gayle Robinson at (903) 451-5054. Make a donation online at www.ccveteransfoundation.org.

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Let’s welcome home the troops
The Monitor would like to recognize our returning troops with a special tribute in January and asks readers to submit photos and stories about their loved ones recently returned from Afghanistan and Iraq as a result of the President’s troop recall.
Send your stories and photos to the newspaper by Jan. 20, 2012 by e-mail at publisher@themonitor.net, or by mail at The Monitor, P.O. Box 48, Mabank TX 75147, or simply drop it off at the office, located at 1316 S. Third St. next to Groom & Sons Ace Hardware between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. M-F.
All submissions should include a contact name and phone number, details of military service and a photo.

Police dog locates suspect
Monitor Staff Reports
KAUFMAN–While most were enjoying a New Year’s holiday, a police dog sniffed out a burglary suspect Monday.
Kaufman County deputies responded to a call at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Kemp at around 10:50 a.m.
Witnesses told deputies that someone had broken into the building and had left a vehicle parked in the church parking lot.
According to a press release, deputies swiftly called on the services of new K-9, Nurmo.
The police dog went into action to clear the building and make sure the building was safe for deputies to enter.
Finding no suspects in the building, Nurmo lead deputies to a possible suspect located on a gravel road behind the church.
Louis Lee Underwood, 25, of Garland was taken into custody and arrested on charges of burglary of a building and fraudulent use/possession of identifying information.
Upon further investigation, deputies found that Underwood was also wanted on a warrant out of McKinney and Dallas police departments and on three warrants out of Dallas County.
Persons with information concerning a crime are encouraged to provide information by calling Kaufman County Crime Stoppers at 877-TIPSKCC (887-7522) or click on “Crime of the Week” at kaufmancounty crimestoppers.org.
Crime Stoppers tips are always confidential and can result in awards of up to $1,000, if they lead to an arrest.

Price of stamps goes up Jan. 22
Monitor Staff Reports
WASHINGTON, D.C. –The U.S. Postal Service will increase many of its postage rates Jan. 22, including a one-cent increase of first-class mail, from 44 cents to 45.
The postage rate increase comes in the wake of a September announcement that the Postal Service has lost more than $5 billion dollars in 2011.
The decline of postage traffic, caused largely by the increase of Internet usage is cited as a major cause for the decline.
Many tasks that just a few years ago needed the postal service, such as paying bills, browsing catalogs and sending messages, can now be done on a personal computer or even smart phone.
The U.S. Postal Service has made other proposals to cut its losses, including a reduction of mail delivery days from six to five weekly and closing thousands of offices across the country.
Closings have resulted in 130,000 lost jobs in recent years.
The postage increase, however, will not be enough. It will make only a small dent in losses, according to recent news reports.
The current 44-cent first-class rate has been in effect since May 2009.
“The overall average price increase is small and is needed to help address our current financial crisis,’’ Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe stated. “We continue to take actions within our control to increase revenue in other ways and to aggressively cut costs. To return to sound financial footing we urgently need enactment of comprehensive, long-term legislation to provide the Postal Service with a more flexible business model.”
Other prices will also change including:
• Postcards will go up three cents to 32 cents.
• Letters to Canada and Mexico will increase a nickel to 85 cents.
• Letters to other foreign countries will go up seven cents to $1.05.
• Advertisements, periodicals and parcels will also increase about 2.1 percent.
• A new three-month option for renting post office boxes goes into effect, for those needing them for only a short time.
• Delivery confirmation will be free on some parcel services, rather than being an extra charge.