London, OH

This Monday, America will be celebrating Memorial Day. Like many holidays that fall on a Monday, we all too often talk happily about a three day weekend without actually acknowledging the reason for it.

On Monday, amid the barbecues, potato salad and parades, I encourage you to recognize the day as it was intended to be recognized - honoring our fallen heroes that gave the ultimate sacrifice. Let's take this one step further - I not only encourage you, I challenge you, and those that you will be celebrating with, to dedicate your Memorial Day to a specific fallen hero. Visit USFallen.org and find a hero to honor. Say their name out loud, think of their surviving family and talk about them with your friends and family.

Whether you agree with their mission or not, it's important to remember that these fallen heroes, and those currently serving in our Armed Forces, are someone's son or daughter, wife or husband, brother or sister, and they deserve to be acknowledged.

Personally, I will be paying homage on Monday to Staff Sgt. James R. Patton, 23, of Fort Benning, Ga., 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Ga. To whom will you pay tribute? I challenge you!

Hi Friends and Neighbors!

WARM COATS NEEDED!

I'm calling on you this winter season to help provide warm coats for children and their families. In conjunction with the Coats for Columbus campaign, I'm encouraging everyone in London, Ohio to donate new or gently used coats. All the collected coats will then be distributed to those in need. The donation drive runs from now through October 24. Dublin Cleaners even cleans all the donated items! This is coordinated through The Salvation Army.

There are three options for the collection of these donated coats.

• Option 1) E-mail me and let me know you'll be donating. Tape this notice to your coat filled bag. Leave the bag outside your front door by noon Saturday, October 18th. I'll travel through the neighborhood and collect the bags.
• Option 2) E-mail me at sandra.thomas@kingthompson before October 15 and I'll make a special arrangement with you to pick up your donation.
• Option 3) You may drop off your donated bag of coats to my office at 7240 Muirfield Drive in Dublin, OH 43017

Feel free to call me if you have any additional questions, 614-805-8679. Thanks for caring and helping others in our community!

Sincerely,

Sandra Thomas, Realtor, Coldwell Banker King Thompson