Van Nuys, CA -- Operation Gratitude, the non-profit, volunteer-based Military and Veteran support organization, will have dual cause for celebration when the Milestone 900,000th Care Package rolls off the assembly line, and the special gift from the 800,000th Care Package (sent in June, 2012) is delivered to a returning Soldier on Saturday, December 15, 2012 at the National Guard Armory in Van Nuys, CA.

Hundreds of volunteers will be joined by members of the Military, politicians, notable personalities, Motorcycle enthusiasts and representatives from several of the organization's Corporate Friends and Sponsors, to assemble care packages and to honor 800,000th Care Package recipient Spc. Samuel Mancilla, recently returned from Afghanistan, as he receives his custom-built Orange County Choppers' motorcycle donated in partnership with SJO Foundation for Hope and Torque Sports & Performance.

Operation Gratitude Director of Operations, Rich Hernandez, expects the "milestone moment" to happen shortly after 11 am.

The Doubleheader Celebration wraps up the organization's Deployed Troop Care Package assembly for the year, having made and shipped more than 100,000 Troop, Veteran, Family and Battalion Buddy Care Packages in just six months, since June 2012. Operation Gratitude volunteers will continue to assemble Veteran, Battalion Buddy and their new "Care Giver" packages on weekdays through the end of the year (see Volunteer Schedule for hours).

WHEN:
December 15, 2012
Care Package Assembly 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Milestone Assembly & Celebration: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

WHERE:
California National Guard Armory
17330 Victory Boulevard
Van Nuys, CA 91406
Corner of Victory and Louise; parking available in adjacent lot

Pink's Hotdogs will be selling lunch on site for all volunteers and guests.

Financial donations are still needed to help pay the assembly and postage expenses of $15 per package.
Every tax deductible donation of $15 sends another care package, personally addressed to American heroes in harm's way, their children anxiously waiting at home, and to Veterans, First Responders, Wounded Warriors and their Care Givers.

Online donations can be made here: Donate .

Donations by check can be made payable and mailed to:
Operation Gratitude
16444 Refugio Road
Encino, CA 91436

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About Operation Gratitude: Operation Gratitude annually sends 100,000+ care packages filled with snacks, entertainment items and personal letters of appreciation addressed to individually named U.S. Service Members deployed in harm's way, to their children left behind, to Veterans, to Military families in financial distress due to unemployment, to Emergency First Responders and to Wounded Warriors recuperating in transition units. The organization's mission is to lift morale, bring a smile to a service member's face and express to our Armed Forces the appreciation and support of the American people. Each package contains donated product valued at ~$75-100 and costs the organization $15 to assemble and ship. For safety and security, assembling of packages occurs at the Army National Guard armory in Van Nuys, California. Since its inception in 2003, Operation Gratitude volunteers have shipped more than 890,000 packages to American Military members and their children.

Ever wonder what life would look like come January if Congress and the President failed to avert the now famous "fiscal cliff?"  Remember the classic Christmas movie, "It's a Wonderful Life?" The main character, George Bailey, is brought back from the brink by his guardian angel after a glimpse of what life would look like if he'd never been born.  A remake may be in order.  This time the plot falls in DC where Congress and the President get to see what their family, friends and many communities across the country would look like if they don't extend the current tax rates and find meaningful spending reductions.

Would you believe a 47-year-old farmer from Des Moines, Iowa would see a $1206 tax increase next year? Economists and labor experts at The Heritage Foundation have the numbers on how your family budget and community (click here for interactive map) would be affected.

Raising taxes on any income level is a lose-lose situation for our economy.  According to the Department of Treasury figures, 1.2 million Americans who employ people are earning $250,000 or more a year and paying their taxes through the individual income tax.  They would be hit head-on. The amount that their taxes would go up could be roughly equivalent to one employee's salary, meaning that's one person they can't hire in the new year. A study by Ernst and Young estimates that these tax hikes would kill 710,000 jobs.

City of Pekin to Receive $4.8 Million Low-Interest Loan to Improve Waste Water Treatment System; Support Almost 400 Jobs

PEKIN - December 4, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) Director John Kim, and Illinois Finance Authority (IFA) Executive Director Chris Meister today announced that the first loan of the governor's Illinois Clean Water Initiative would be awarded to the city of Pekin to improve a wastewater treatment plant. As part of the governor's $1 billion water infrastructure initiative, the city completed the necessary application and meets the eligibility criteria to qualify for a long-term, low-interest $4.8 million loan, which is being jointly administered by IEPA and the IFA. This project will create or support nearly 400 jobs by improving local water infrastructure.

"Just as Illinois was defined by its waterways, so too was Pekin," Governor Quinn said. "Built by skilled laborers, this new wastewater treatment facility will protect the health of Pekin's residents and its waterways. The project is a prime example of how the Illinois Clean Water Initiative is an investment in our environment, health and the creation of good-paying jobs."

In October, Governor Quinn launched the Illinois Clean Water Initiative to help local governments overhaul aging drinking water and wastewater treatment plants and pipes, and ensure that residents will have access to safe drinking water and that our environment will remain protected. More than 350 local governments have already expressed need for the program. Many Illinois residents are receiving drinking water through water mains that are nearly a century old; and scores of other drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities are in dire need of repair.

The city of Pekin is using the proceeds of this loan to complete phased improvements to its wastewater system that were initiated in 2011. The project cost is nearly $40 million, which utilized previous IEPA loans of $35 million. This major upgrade to Pekin's wastewater system will provide a significant increase in treatment capacity that will improve the ability of the plant to meet current and future discharge standards. A project summary is attached.

"The Clean Water Initiative will benefit Pekin and other communities greatly with improved infrastructure and reduced risk of environmental harm caused by leaking piping," said IEPA Director John Kim.

Governor Quinn proposed the Illinois Clean Water Initiative during his State of the State address, and later this year directed the IEPA and the IFA to move forward to access $1 billion in long-term, low-interest loans to local governments for drinking water and wastewater systems across the state. IEPA has lent $4.3 billion to 472 Illinois communities since 1989. There has never been a defaulted loan during the program's history.

The program provides a substantial increase in the clean water and drinking water low-interest revolving loan programs administered by Illinois EPA. The program provides financing to communities for projects such as wastewater treatment plant upgrades and expansions, new sewer lines, drinking water treatment plant modifications and expansions and new or replacement water distribution systems.

The Pekin Clean Water Initiative will create 190 construction jobs plus approximately 180 associated jobs by equipment suppliers, manufacturers and fabricators, raw material suppliers and fabricators, and utility providers. Pipefitters, plumbers, operating engineers, carpenters, electricians, ironworkers and others will replace broken water mains, build treatment plants, upgrade sewers and prevent environmental threats.

The SRF is funded with annual federal grants, a one-time infusion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 funds, plus principal and interest from loan repayments. No new state tax dollars will be used. Needed equity will be provided by the existing loan portfolio and future federal capitalization grant dollars.

To learn more about the Illinois Clean Water Initiative, visit CleanWater.Illinois.gov

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