The Grand Lodge has a program called the Army of Hope which was created to help the families of our soldiers who are sent to Afghanistan,  Kuwait and Iraq.

With the call up of the local army unit, Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation unit,  our lodge now has an opportunity to participate.

• Baghdad weekly 41st edition. Big file at 2.3 meg but beginning on page 9 is a must read article by a Navy surgeon. Real heroes we have over there ~ such brave men and women. Please check it out. Click here for this adobe pdf file.
• to see the Oct 4, 2004 Salisbury Post article announcing this program, click here
• Salisbury Lodge cooks big barbeque dinner for departing Guardsmen and families. Click here for front page article Salisbury Post Oct 18, 2004.
• Oct 30th Article in Salisbury Post on official sendoff. Click here
• to view Grand Lodge program click here
• January 05 group pictures. Click on to enlarge. Not all of Bravo company is pictured here as they have been split up once they got to Iraq. The group below is Company B 1/126th Aviation. Stephen Davis, son of ER Mike Davis is in the middle of the back row. Stephen joined the Lodge last year.  The stateside contact for Company B is SSG Sharon Thurston. Please contact her or call her at 704-359-5827 if you would like to assist in the many projects they have going on. Her last note indicated that they were looking for treat bags filled with candy, toys and trinkets. They drop these to Iraqi kids from their helicopters.

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