The Joy of Sharing my Pain

Samuel Luna is being recognized as a Champion of Change for his dedication to service and his continued support for efforts to reduce mental health disparities among fellow veterans.

My involvement in the community has been my way of sharing the blessings that I have received. Each day is an adventure with my faith, family and  community.  For many years, little did I know about the pain that lingered in the background after my military service.  Much less did I know how that pain would be turned to joy.  I am honored and humbled in being named a White House Vietnam Veteran Champion of Change.

For about thirty five years I never knew that my life, and that of my wife and children, had been affected so much by my service in Vietnam. I was stunned when I was told that I had Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) but saw immediately the missing piece of my life. That was the start of an incredible life changing experience.  A painful journey that always had healing and hope behind each dark moment.

A Universal Token

Gail Belmont is being recognized as a Champion of Change for her dedication to service and her continued support for fellow veterans.

As a Vietnam veteran and founding member of Quilts of Honor America, I am honored for the opportunity to support our warriors and veterans. My service in the Army began with playing Taps at the services of our fallen warriors and I have since found great duty and honor in being able to show my gratitude for those who have served and continue to serve our country. I am overwhelmed with gratitude to be awarded a Champion of Change by the White House.

Cpl. George A. Burrows, USMC 1968-1969, wrote me with these words, “Thank You for the Quilt, it’s beautiful. It’s something I will not only use but will pass down to my grandson with the story of how I got it. What you people are doing means more than you could know to people like me. When I came home from Nam [Vietnam] we were not honored. This Quilt is MY WELCOME HOME!” His letter is a resounding sentiment that I have heard countless times. It is these words and other similar sentiments that have been our inspirations in forming and growing Quilts of Honor America.

Feeding the "Book Famine"

Shannon McNamara. (Photo courtesy of Points of Light)

For the Win is a guest blog series featuring the remarkable initiatives that young Americans are advancing to win the future for their communities. Each week we highlight a new young person and learn about their inspiring work through their own words. Submit your story to appear in the For the Win guest blog series.

Shannon McNamara, 18, and a sophomore at Rice University in Houston, Texas, founded SHARE (Shannon’s After-School Reading Exchange) to empower girls in Africa through reading. Shannon is arecipient of the Daily Point of Light Award, presented by Points of Light. In 2011, Shannon was honored to be invited to speak at the White House by First Lady Michelle Obama at a reception celebrating the 100^th anniversary of International Women’s Day.

Dear Shannon,

Thank you for wanting to help the girls of Bukoba. We have so many challenges but as we say here, “It is little by little that the bird builds its nest…”

Thus began the email response from the Tanzanian community leader regarding my offer to help the local girls during an upcoming service trip to Africa. Never could I have imagined the events that would open my eyes,fill my heart and change my life.

I grew up with my parents telling me I had won the “birth lottery” in life by being born in America. They instilled in my siblings and me the motive for giving back. So when our family trip to Africa in July 2008 coincided with completing my Girl Scout Gold Award, I knew the chance to make a real difference had arrived. Before departing for Bukoba, Tanzania, I researched this region of the world and learned about the “book famine,” as well as the cultural bias that discourages education for girls. Determined to empower these undervalued girls, I collected 500 pounds of school books and supplies by distributing flyers to my neighbors, family and friends, and transported it all on the plane to Tanzania. My goal was to bring the opportunity of a better future to the girls by creating an after-school reading program just for them.