Trip to Washington DC (2008)

I traveled to D.C. in February of 2008 as part of the Lobby Day for Northern Uganda.

Our goal was to encourage Members of Congress to take action towards the situation in Uganda. My sister and I traveled there to meet up with the group "Lobby Day for Northern Uganda."

Unfortunately, most of my pictures did not turn out. And although Lobby Day is over, the situation in Uganda is not. This website is outdated, but gives you a "History of the Conflict," "Consequences of War," and the "Attempts at Resolution:" http://www.ugandalobbyday.com/about.html.

You may have heard about the conflict of this African country through the college campus-popular rising of the group, Invisible Children. You may check them out at http://www.invisiblechildren.com/.

So here are the pics: I wish I would have shared them sooner!

The architecture in DC was absolutely stunning!

Iwo Jima Memorial

World War II Memorial Stone

Statue in front of the Rayburn House Office Building, used by the US House of Representatives.

Statue on other side of entry to the
Rayburn House Office Building.

US Capitol building

One of our stops on Lobby Day was the office of

Marilyn Musgrave, who was a United States Representative at the time.

After our stops at the Capitol, we walked to the White House. Along our way is The Extra Mile, with metal plates of famous change makers embedded into the sidewalk. You can learn more here: http://pointsoflight.org/recognition/extra-mile/honorees. As a social worker and a recurring volunteer for many agencies, these honorees are inspiring!


Jane Addams is considered the "first social worker" because of her work trying to better the lives of others by volunteering. She founded the Hull House in Chicago in 1889 and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1931, the first American woman to receive the award.

Better known is Harriet Tubman, famous for escaping slavery during the Civil War and then returning to help others escape through a network of people and places named the Underground Railroad.

Another famous African-American is Martin Luther King, Jr., and like Addams, received the Nobel Peace Prize, in 1964. He was known for his nonviolent protests in the Civil Rights Movement; his protests modeled those used by Mahatma Gandhi.

The end of our journey was the White House. I enjoyed my trip so much that I would love to go again, and this time take my husband and my son. I met so many wonderful people, all out in DC on their own dime trying to make a difference in the lives of those affected by war in Uganda. I hope you check out links to Invisible Children and the old link to Lobby Day for Northern Uganda to learn more about the situation. I hope this inspires you to take a trip to DC and to volunteer to make a difference in your community or somewhere around the world!

Honor Flight May 1, 2011

This is a bit late, but with the next Honor Flight Northern Colorado coming up, I thought I should post pics from the last one!

Honor Flight was created to give Veterans a chance to fly out to Washington, DC, to see the World War II Memorial. The May trip included WWII and Korean War Vets. We gathered at a local hotel for the send off:

Colorado Patriot Guard Riders waiting with flags in hand for veterans to arrive.

On hand during breakfast
was a bald eagle.

Bagpiper playing while veterans walk out to buses.

The veterans took four large
commercial buses down to



Denver International Airport, escorted by emergency service



vehicles and personnel, the Colorado Patriot Guard Riders,



a helicopter, and
individuals.

Military vehicles privately owned by a guy with a farm.







This is me in one of them.

I had such a wonderful morning; I was filled with pride and purpose that day. I had decided to volunteer with Honor Flight after meeting a man during my last job, which was for a local hospice. He was a WWII veteran and while I was at his house one day, he was thrilled to tell me about this trip he had taken the year before and showed me his military medals and pictures. He said visiting the memorial in DC changed his life; he died less than a year later. I wanted to be a part of something that showed our veterans our sincerity and thankfulness for what they have done. I am looking forward to the next Honor Flight, which will take place on September 11, 2011. This time, I will have my 12 year old son with me, as I think it is crucial that the gap between generations be bridged and that our veterans know that there are young people out there who do care about them and will honor them with a commitment to see them off on a trip of a lifetime.

For more information about Honor Flight Northern Colorado, please visit their website at http://www.honorflightnortherncolorado.org/

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR MILITARY AND FAMILIES!