November 2005

Dear soldiers,

We hope this finds you all well and as safe as possible under the circumstances. Most of us cannot even imagine what you all face day to day, but rest assured, we appreciate the extreme sacrifices you are making for us. Being away from your families this holiday season surely must be one of the most difficult situations to face, and although we can't bring you home for Thanksgiving, we decided to send a little "home" to you.

In this box you will find coffee, coffee and more coffee (over a thousand pounds total), all of it donated by citizens of Plano, Texas! Several of the Starbuck's store managers in Plano, in partnership with the founders of The Share A Smile™ Foundation (a local nonprofit foundation for children), organized the "Share A Cup with a Soldier" drive and collected the coffee with the hopes of sending it to you for Thanksgiving. Along with the coffee, we are sending notes of "Thanks" created especially for you by students and teachers at Bettye Haun Elementary School and The Beatty Early Childhood Center (both in Plano). In addition to the cards made by the students, a local Starbuck's store sponsored a "Create a Thank You Card for a Soldier/Share A Cup with a Soldier" party with a live band. Numerous Starbuck's customers of all ages and races attended, with many spending their time carefully creating cards expressing their gratitude and well-wishes. The evening was filled with energy - the music was inspiring, children were dancing and throughout the night we continuously heard comments such as, "I was having a rotten day, but this turned it around! Thank you for letting us do something nice for the guys overseas!".

We hope you enjoy this little touch of home. With each cup you drink, know that you are in our hearts and prayers this holiday and every day. Please stay safe and return home soon.

With thanks,

Starbuck's Store Managers, Plano, Texas
Holly & Blake Stock, The Share A Smile™ Foundation
Students & teachers at Bettye Haun Elementary School, Plano, Texas
Students & teachers at Beatty Early Childhood Center, Plano, Texas