by CJ at “You Served®” Veteran and Military Blog
Laptops For Wounded Warriors Goes Global

After contacting Walter Reed, Samek learned that laptops are the one item that the wounded warriors really wanted and truly needed and he began seeking donations to fulfill this need. As a veteran, his heart lies with America’s armed forces and for years he has been apart of the troop support organization, The Gathering of Eagles. “As a simple old soldier I wish to say thanks to each of you for joining in to make this happen,” Samek said, “I work for smiles from my military and those smiles become a good reason for them to know they know we care and they are not alone.”

Lynda Figueredo of WECT6 in Wilmington, NC reports on the GOE Warrior Support Project.

Pay it forward: Helping wounded warriors

Reported by Lynda Figueredo

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WECT) - George Samek is helping to provide computers to wounded warriors so they can keep in touch with their families.

This weekend he and some special mothers delivered the donation to soldiers recovering in a hospital in Washington DC. Samek said the experience changed his life.

"That was a life long dream coming true," said Samek.

Samek's heart has always gone out to the servicemen at war. For years he has volunteered with an organization called "Gathering of Eagles" to help make recovery easier for wounded soldiers and veterans.

He says the greatest accomplishment is his newest project: Laptops for Troops.

"I am a 69-year-old veteran," said Samek. "This is a combination lifetime of caring and dedication to guys who didn't come home and we want to pay forward so boys will stand up when we are gone and do the same for soldiers to follow."

The program started with an email to organizations across the nation. Four weeks later, 20 laptops and web cams were donated to wounded veterans so they can keep in touch with their families regardless the distance.

"[When] the wounded soldiers go to Walter Reed they are cut off with communication," said Samek. "We want them to be able to say goodnight to their children, their wives, and have constant communication. It helps with recovery. There is nothing more important than being able to touch home."

Samek's next mission is to present laptops to the troops at Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune with other gold and blue star mothers.

Update: After seeing this story the VFW Ladies Auxiliary Department of NC contacted Samek and expressed interest in making his project a statewide effort for 2010.

To contact Samek, email him at: samek.george@gmail.com

You can help by donating a check to:

Gathering of Eagles/George Samek
1105 Copas Road
Shallotte, NC 28470

*Donations are tax exempt.

Laptops for Wounded Warriors: September 11th at Walter Reed Army Medical Center

For some of America’s wounded warriors who have risked all in the defence of freedom, the recovery may be swift. For others who have lost precious limbs or endured near death burns at the hands of terrorists and insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan, their challenging recovery may span months, to years, to a lifetime.
The donated laptops serve not only as a window to the world but will also enable America’s wounded warriors to do something most take for granted—and that is to be able to say “goodnight” to their loved ones and keep in close touch with their families who often live in different states.

Room by room, the band of patriots visited with several wounded warriors and in many cases met with their families as Samek and the mothers presented the troops with laptops, I-Pods and phone cards. The patriots were welcomed and embraced by America’s heroes, brave with the boundless love-of-country.