Seasons Greetings 2024 #1

This is my first of what will be several, probably 3 or perhaps 4, non-memorial based posts over the holidays.

It does not see right to me to concentrate on the loss of our buddies, known and unknown, at a time that is supposed to be celabratory.

So, in keeping with my past deviations from the norm, as they used to say on Monty Python,

Now for something truly different!

In my travels I frequently run across things that interest me and today, it is old cars. I have always loved these old beauties and couldn't pass up the chance to grab a few shots.

1930 ford

1931 Ford

1930 Chevy

Found all of these in Arizona and they are actually used as advertising for a company there. 

Next time, on the 23rd, check back to see what else I can come up with that may interest you. As always, at 9:00 am. 

To see Vietnam memorials from any state and Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico click on the individual names on the left side of this page.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, and very soon Elli from Maryland, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Arizona XL

Arizona, as you know if you follow along, is one of my most visited states because my wife does a lot of business there, so we visit at least yearly if not more often.

The state like most western states is huge which presents obvious problems for me as most of her visits are work is in the southern end of the state.

There are memorials in other parts of the state that are just not within driving distance for me. I have planned trips to these more far reaching areas but events beyond my control have caused those efforts to fail. I will make additional attempts.

Today, I want to return to Eloy, as previously promised, which lies between Tucson and Phoenix just off I-10.

The Eloy Vet Center has an extensive memorial site. You can see previous posts from it here and here.

This lone soldier is highlighted here.

As is my holiday custom, next time on the 18th, and for a couple of posts beyond that I will take a break from featuring memorials and post other pics I hope you will enjoy. This, I think, allows us to stay in touch but more easily enjoy the seasons. It also allows me to reassure myself that I am not a one dimensional photographer. So return, as always at 9:00 am and see what I have found.

To see additional memorials from Arizona, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, and very soon Elli from Maryland, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Wisconsin XXII

I wonder if Joan has followed along and seen the tremendous impact she has made upon this site and the many, many vets, and others, who frequent it?

For those who don't know, Joan stumbled over this site and sent me photos of a traveling Vietnam War tribute circulating through Wisconsin. Over the months I have posted a number of photos from the exhibit.

Sadly, I have lost contact with Joan and wonder if she is well. Her email address keeps bouncing back as "undeliverable." So, I have no way to reach and thank her, again, for her generous contribution.

Below you can see a few of the others who have added so much to A Means to Heal and I hope you will be moved to join them and do the same.

Today, a few more of the heroes from Wisconsin:

These are pictures of pictures of pictures so they may not be up to the very finest in photographic quality and I will never be able to pay tribute to all of the lost from Wisconsin, or probably anywhere else, but those who pictures I can find will be so honored here.

Next time, on December 13th, we will return to  Arizona, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see memorials from Wisconsin, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, and very soon Elli from Maryland, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Pennsylvania XLVII

More than 7,000 dead.

More than 1,300 monuments.

Wandering among these, the history, the tragedy, the monumental loss of the deadliest battle of the Civil War, you might never imagine that a memorial to those lost in Vietnam would exist.

You would be mistaken.

Gettysburg College honors the 14 lost to the war, including one Medal of Honor recipient.

Gettysburg is a small college founded in the early 1830's, it currently has a student population of about 2,200. In the very few records I could find then population was not terribly different during the war years.

 

"We leave you our deaths. Give them their meaning

We were young. We have died. Remember us."

                                                                                       Archibald MacLeish

This oft repeated quote from Archibald MacLeish sums up the hopes of the lost.

 

 

The College has said it well, too.

Thanksgiving Day 2024

I'm taking a break today to spend time with family and friends. I hope all of you are too. To my vet friends, while giving thanks today, in whatever manner you do so, remember to be thankful that you made it back!

Take a moment to be thankful that we have young men and women, all over the world willing to be away from their homes and, possibly, make the ultimate sacrifice for our country. I think one of the silver linings of Vietnam is that we have learned not to blame the soldier for decisions made by others. Whatever your views are on this war or that war, remember those who are away, and most likely very homesick this Thanksgiving 2024.

Next time, on December 3rd, we will return to Pennsylvania, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see memorials from any state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, and very soon Elli from Maryland, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

North Carolina XXVII

I return, once again, to North Carolina where I did my Basic and have had relatives, off and on, since before the American Revolution.

This site in Broadway continues to draw me back to honor the many who served and were lost in many wars, but especially in Vietnam. every time I look at my photos from my visit, I find new names of those who served and/or were lost.

Today, a few of each.

The above group honors some of those who served.

While these two were among the many lost.

There is, after-all, not too much more that can be said about those who served or were lost in this effort. Each had his or her reasons and chose to answer the call of their Nation. We may debate forever the wisdom of those efforts (as hindsight is always so clear!) but their sacrifice is not debatable.

Next time, on the 28th, a day early I know, I hope you will stop by for a Thanksgiving Day wish and then on December 3rd, we will return to Pennsylvania, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from North Carolina, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, and very soon Elli from Maryland, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Maryland XLIV

I had an idea a few years back that I would like to photograph the Maryland Vietnam Memorial from the air.

I spent quite a bit of time thinking about this as I knew it would be quite expensive. The desire finally won out, I rented a helicopter and made the trip and took the pictures.

At the time I was also working on the print version of this site (also called A Means to Heal) and included some of those shots within its pages. And completely forgot to share them here.

So, today, a few shots from the air over Baltimore, Maryland,

 

and a few others from within the site.

In the beginning there was an eternal flame here, but it has failed and seemingly cannot be repaired.

Each of the panels has names of the lost or missing inscribed upon it alphabetically, by month.

It shocked me when I saw the pics as it had not occurred to me that this is essentially a stone circle: calling to my Celtic roots!

The memorial is located at the foot of Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge, (formerly the Hanover Street Bridge) just off route 95 in Baltimore in Middle Branch Park on Waterview Avenue.

Next time, on November 24th, we will return to North Carolina, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Maryland, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, and very soon Elli from Maryland, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Delaware

 ***Note: I have no idea why the last post, Veterans Day 2024 posted as it did. I attempted several times to correct the incorrect print alignment, but could not fix it. In the view I see as I am writing, it is perfect, but the end result, how it appears on the actual site is faulty. If you have any suggestions, I would live to hear them!

 

So, Veterans Day is past and on to the promised post from Delaware.

On my last visit to "The first State" I had read or been told about a memorial at a local VFW. I was able to track it down and it is is impressive for what I often find at these places. (usually a nice plaque or similar.)  

Lots and lots of names but for the life of me  could find no indication that it was a Vietnam memorial. No particular war was singled out but there wee too many names for some of them not to be of those lost in 'Nam.

As you can see there are many names listed here on all sides of the monolith and also special plaques along the brick walls. If you are from this area and know anything more about this site, I would love to hear from you and update this with additional information.

The memorial is located at: 4941 Wheatleys Pond Rd, Smyrna, DE

Next time, on November 19th, we will return to Maryland, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Delaware, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, and very soon Elli from Maryland, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Veterans Day 2024

I know that I promised a post from Delaware for today, but opted, instead, to honor veterans Day a bit early. This will post at 11:11 am. to honor the signing of the Armistice ending WWI. November 11th was originally called Armistice Day, honoring that momentous event.

Veterans Day honors ALL WHO SERVED no matter when or where. Confusion still seems to exist concerning this. I am not sure why but it does. So, once again, Veterans Day honors all, Memorial Day honors those who paid the highest price for their country and Armed forces Day honors all who are serving.

A Means to Heal actually attempts to both honor those who served and those who were lost. Many memorials around the country honor the lost and those still MIA but, over the years more and more sites go out of their way to honor all who served. If you browse this site (and I hope you do) you will find many memorials that actually do both. 

I try each year to come up with something fitting to pay tribute to all who served. 

Each year The Department of Veterans Affairs creates a new poster honoring Veterans.

Below is this years rendering. I could no better than this.

By the way, if you go to the Department of Veterans Affairs you can see the posters going back many years.

WWW.VA.gov

 

Next time, on November 14th, we will return to Delaware as previously promised, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from any state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, and very soon Elli from Maryland, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

California XLIII

As Veterans Day approaches I want to feature a few of those highly deserving of the honor of being called veterans. 

These following pictures are from the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda. They are POWs who were freed at the end of the war. 

Regardless of what you may think of the war and its stated purposes, no one can deny that these paid a terrible and lasting price. 

They deserve our honor and respect.

Next time, on November 9th, we will return to Delaware, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from California, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, and very soon Elli from Maryland, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Arizona XXXIX

One last trip to San Manuel to honor the last two faces on the roadside memorial found there.

I will be back in Arizona sometime next Spring, I hope to find new sites there.

Next time, on November 4th, we will return to California, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Arizona, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, Colleen from Pennsylvania, and very soon Elli from Maryland, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Wisconsin XXI

As I write this today, I wonder if Joan, or any of the other contributors to this effort, knows just how much they have added and how much it is appreciated by me and by the many readers of this post who have gained knowledge and perhaps some understanding due to their generosity?

Once more to Joan and all the others, I thank you. I have just recently received a group of pictures from another contributor that I will be posting in the not too distant future.

However, today, a few more faces of the heroes from Wisconsin.

This post falls into my sub group that I call Faces of Remembrance. You can see all of the faces collected by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's The Wall of Faces here, ( https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/) Most, if not all, states have pictures of all who were lost or are missing from their state.

Next time, on October 30th, we will return to Arizona, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Wisconsin, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, and very soon Elli from Maryland, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed. 

I have tried, unsuccessfully, to contact Joan. I hope she is well.

Virginia XXXIII

Last time I promised that we would next visit Wisconsin, but, Colleen from Pennsylvania visited Luray, Virginia and sent me these pics of a memorial found deep within the world famous Caverns found there.

Located in the Cathedral Room the memorial was originally established to honor those from Page County lost in WW I. Placed by the American Legion, over the years additional tributes have been added to the site. Until 1928 no such plaques, etc., were allowed within the cavern site.

Five from Page County were lost in 'Nam and they like their comrades from earlier wars are memorialized here.

This was a tiny, tiny pic probably from a cell phone so it is especially hard to see here. 

It says, Veterans from Page county who lost their lives in Vietnam

The name of the five lost heroes from Page County are:

Norman Brubaker

Emmett Dougans

Thomas Fox

Leroy Phillips

Samuel Tharpe

R.I.P. brothers, may you always be honored and remembered. I have written here before that it is said that as long as someone says your name, you will always be. Even many feet into a marvelous cavern, these are remembered.

There is much interesting about the caverns themselves and you may check them out here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luray_Caverns

Next time, on October 25th, we will return to Wisconsin, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Virginia, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia, Colleen from Pennsylvania and Molly from Florida, and very soon Elli from Maryland, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Pennsylvania XLVI

So, I am back after an unexpected, unscheduled, and unwanted week or so off due to health issues. Seemingly, mostly, resolved now I hope to get back to my regular posting schedule.

Today, as previously promised we return to Pennsylvania.

Reading and Pottstown are only about half an hour apart and yet I am fascinated by the different approaches the artist who created the separate memorials took to creating the their equally remarkable tributes.

Here is a repeat picture of the larger memorial in Reading.

In Reading, the statue of the soldier is stark and somewhat harrowing. I find it almost hard to look at, almost skeletal, haunting. Amazing for so very little detail.

I have found little to explain this approach but one article said the eyes and face of the solitary soldier are covered so that the viewer can see the face that they need to see. Interesting, I'll take it.

In Pottstown, the complete opposite approach. Yet, just as haunting.

The soldier here follows a more recognizable approach: fear, anguish, the 1000 yard stare, beautifully done.

I guess, like so many other things in life, that there are as many interpretations as their are designers or for that matter, viewers. I love them both.

Next time, on October 20th, we will revisit Wisconsin to see a few more pictures from Joan, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Pennsylvania, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

North Carolina XXVI

Today, we take another look at the incredible Triad Park in Colfax, North Carolina.

We have, in fact, visited here before and you can check out those visits here and here.

Just a couple of the features pertaining to Vietnam.

This beautiful obelisk can be seen from all around and is a tribute to the effort, respect and love that went into building this site.

Truer words were never spoken. As I have said in the past I still have trouble taking the support, and thank you for your service comments seriously. As long as it took to get to this point, I fear it could vanish so much quicker.

This is a name I found on one of the walkways. I am trying to track down if he was lost or not. I have made several attempts to learn something about him, to no avail.

So, as  have done in the past, I throw the challenge out to you to see who might know something about him. You have helped before, I hope you can come through once again.

Next time, on October 10th, we will revisit Pennsylvania, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from North Carolina, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

New Mexico XXX

I am headed, one more time, to New Mexico. Specifically to Lordsburg which lies along Route 10, about 2 hours west of Las Cruces.

We have visited here before and you can see those posts here and here.

Today, a few more names from the Wall that virtually surrounds this site. It honors many: soldiers from several wars, Border Patrol personnel, Policemen and other First Responders.

These name are all from those lost in 'Nam.

Too often, in my opinion, memorials are rather general. They often recall a war, but not necessarily the individuals who did the actual fighting and especially those who gave all. It may seem that I post a lot of these names and I assure you that I will continue to do so. If a city, state, or town goes to the effort to commemorate these heroes, so will I.

I've located a couple more from this site that I will feature later, but for now I will just say that:

Next time, on October 5th, we will revisit North Carolina, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from New Mexico, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.

Maryland XLIII

This past summer I had the occasion to visit Bel Air, Maryland. I had driven through on a number of previous occasion coming down I-95 from somewhere else, but never visited.

What a lovely place. Found perhaps one of the best Mexican restaurants this side of Santa Fe and a lovely tribute to the many who have served and were lost in various wars.

Vietnam was prominent among those honored.

It is located in a pretty little park adjacent to the Police station located at 50 E. Lee Street.

There is no designation as to whether these served or were lost, except that across the front it says: 

For God Forever Honored       For Country forever Mourned

View from the rear over wild flowers and a small pond.

Next time, on September 30th, we will revisit New Mexico, so join me there, as usual, at 9:00 am.

To see additional memorials from Maryland, or any other state, please click a state name on the left side of this page. Please note that Canada, Ireland, and Puerto Rico have been added to the list.

If you are following along at all, you will have seen that a number of you, like Joan from Wisconsin, Tony from Texas, Mike from Maryland, Ron from Florida, Tim from Virginia and Molly from Florida, among others, have responded to my request to send me memorials you have seen in your area or where you may have traveled. I even got one from Ireland! These submissions help expand the knowledge of how we have remembered the men and women who served or were lost in 'Nam and you help to honor them. If you have any such photos, I would love to see them. Please send them along to the email at the left and I will gladly share them here. Thanks, once again, to all who have contributed.