Check out the lead story today:

Bonaire Welcomes the Wounded Warriors in October...very cool!

Grasshopper: As a member of the US Army for over 30 years, I thank you for posting this and once again, as always, I'm overwhelmed by the coolness of Bonaire.

As cool as that is, I should be there, then. I would love to meet them and say thanks. I'd be surprised if we don't, I see a welcoming committee in their future.

I went to the link at the end, but it's in Dutch...so can't read it! Then there is a link to the "Wounded Warriors" webpage.

Cecil, please try to meet up with them and take pics What a great place to finish your OW...on Bonaire!

Marcus, thank you for your service to our country

I for sure will be there at that time and plan on meeting these people and shaking their hands... Ron

PS they will probibly stay at the Divi.

As a former Marine I would give anything to be there to welcome and congratulate these people. Their chance to be a part of Bonaire and water sports will go a long way in the healing process. Semper Fi to the Marines, and my best to the Army. They will all make fine divers.

What a great idea, and thanks for posting this story, Grasshopper. Those BT'ers who do meet these fine people, please pass on my congratulations too, even though I'm a neighbour from the cold land to the north. (I don't know if there are any programs yet like this for our Canadian soldiers wounded in Afghanistan, but I hope so.)

Ron G, I'd have thought the Divi too. But seems like the Papiamentu version of the article mentions Captain Don's and Jack Chalk, so maybe it's happening there. My Papiamentu is pretty non-existant, so any Papiamentu speakers feel free to correct me.

That's what it seems to say. I think some of the Moray Wheels (a disabled divers group based in Boston) used to go to Captain Don's too, so that makes sense to me as well. Jack's a veteran, too.

Thank you Jack for hosting them, and thank them and cheer them on for us when you see them.

I emailed Susan Davis, who wrote the article (for the Bonaire Insider) and they are staying at Cap Don's. Cecil, Ron, I would suggest emailing Susan (you can find her email by clicking on her name at the bottom of the article) and let her know you would like to meet these men and women. She said in her email:

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quote:

What a wonderful idea!...If I can help with anything else, please give me a call...and Marie Rosa from TCB-NY, is one of the persons who arranged this.

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I have Marie Rosa's email as well and can pass it on to you if you want to begin communication with her as well.

Hmmm....I have another idea but must run it by the mods first

Please keep us posted if you do contact Susan and Marie, and PLEASE thank each and every one of them for their service from Bonaire Talk

We'll make sure it happens. I'm thinking some signs and some cold brights might be the ticket. They'll surely appreciate the latter.

Hey all - we just received the official English language press release on this - I've updated the Bonaire Insider site with it. See link below if you weren't able to read the Papiamentu version.

http://www.bonaireinsider.com/20060829-WoundedWarriorProject.html

Jake

Thanks Jake!

How cool. I'll be there at the Divi at the same time!!! And, I'm a member of an HSA group here in Chicago land called Diveheart (on the web).

Bill and I will be in Bonaire Oct.14-28 and would love to meet these fine individuals! Yes, let's have a Welcoming Party for these fine individuals, they certainly deserve one! If there is anything we can do or bring, please let us know. We have a Orthopedic Physical Therapy Clinic in Birmingham, AL and maybe can help. I certainly would love to meet these people!

We (the mods of BT) have something in the works, that we will need BT'ers help with. We are waiting to hear back on some specifics before we post the "surprise" for these fine folks One portion, is that we will give each of these soldiers/marines a BT t-shirt...but that's only a "small" part of what we want to do

Let us know, we'll be there and we can pitch in with whatever....

Me Too.

Me three.

Count me in. Semper Fi.

Cecil, Mike, Ron, Bill & Donna please send on my infinite gratitude.
Mods- please let us know what we can do to help

Good Job Cynde on starting this thread!

I'll be at Captain Don's that week, too. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help!

Lot's of servants and no master.....

Mike, we are still waiting to hear from Jack Chalk in regard to our request. Once we hear back from him, or someone at TCB, then we can go ahead with what we have planned and will need BTers help!

Cynde...finally got to this thread count us in please whole heartedly!

Grasshopper, Gotcha. I wasn't sure who was pulling this together, glad you are taking charge.

The 14th will be a check in day for these brave people. The 15th will be a busy day for them as well as my family and cecil (Check out and weights). I think we should look at monday afternoon (at the soonest)to do something BTish as a group. Just my opinion. Lets hear from the people interested... Ron

1st Lt. R.M. Gould
I co. 3rd battalion 5th Marines 1st Marine Division 6 years 2 months 19 days active service.
2 purple hearts, 16 months POW

My thinking has been a welcoming group when they arrive, but the thought of getting to dive with them... well I would be more than honored. Just say where and when. That applies to you also Ron.

A few scheduling things, the BT trip on the Woodwind is Sunday the 15th and we leave on Wednesday the 18th. Late flights, so Tuesday is a dive day.

US Navy 5 yrs 9 months 28 days
USS Daniel Boone
Nuclear Qualified Electrician
Floated around under the North Atlantic
It sucked but a thousand times better than a POW.

Cecil,
That works for us... Ron

Folks, we are still waiting for information regarding something else we would like to do for the soldiers.

Ron, thank you for your service! I am glad you made it home and am honored to have been able to meet you and break bread with you at Gibi's!

PN2 T. J. Cousino, USNR (7 years active duty)
Naval Air Stations and Training Centers - all stateside (lucky wasn't I?)
Everything from Pencil Pusher to Deserter Chaser

Ron...wow..16 months POW...thank you my friend. I wore a silver POW bracelet in the early 70's for 3 years. He never made it home I'm certainly glad you did. Sends chills, I cannot even comprehend, but again, thank you.

What we want to do is to buy these soldiers and marines and their families a "graduation" dinner. We don't know exactly how many there will be, so we have asked Jack Chalk and he is looking into it for us. We have asked if Rum Runners would be a good place as they are staying there. He was going to have a meeting with the manager, but we haven't heard. Anyway, once we find out how many we need to pay for, an amount, then we can start the fundraising. Some of us have committed to $30.00 each so far, so, again, once we have a dollar amount we will start a fundraising effort. Ron, Cecil, Mike, it would be great if you could be there with them to celebrate, don't ya think?

Anyway that we can help these fine people is ok with me.
Cyndelee, sorry to hear about your loss. Brings back bad memorries. Not many people gathered to welcome Viet Vets! I would like to change that thought... Ron

Thank you, Ron for your service to our country. God Bless you and God Bless the USA

Cynde when will the fundraising start? It says some have contributed already? Do we just use the paypal account for BT ?

Ron, I didn't know him personally. There was a program through my jr high school and high school for those that wanted to participate. We were each assigned a POW. It had their name, rank, etc. on the bracelet. We were to wear the bracelet until our POW came home. I wore mine for 3 years every day. Never took it off. One day I received a letter from his wife that he was not coming home I still have the bracelet and her letter in my "keepsake box."

Meryl, Tom has donated money. The rest have "committed" when we get the final tally and what we are going to do. Normal and I are doing CG safety patrols this weekend for the Tall Ship Festival (did one last night as well), and she is going to be on Bonaire those dates, so she has offered to take the money, t-shirts, etc.

We would like to donate also. Email me/us when you want us to wire the money.

Yes, the POW bracelets..sigh...thanks Ron and all for sharing..this is such a wonderful program. Hope to meet some of our guests that week at Rum Punch party...

Ok folks. We have begun raising funds for their "graduation dinner."

Go here for more. Thank you in advance for your support of these soldiers and marines!

Hi All,
Thanks for your Support!!! I will leading this group down and getting them certified. I am Big Wave Dave from the Scuba Tour/DEMA. I am looking forward to meeting some of you during our stay. This is my 6th trip to Bonaire and have loved all of them. Of course this one will be extra special!! I any one would like to help out with the training dives let me know.

"Tanks" again in advance