I want to thank all of the memers of the Snowball Express Team, the volunteers, Oakley, and everyone else that I may forget to mention.

You made this a trip that my daughter and I will never forget. Being able to spend some time with other families that have walked the road we have and know how we feel was such an amazing thing.

I finally came to realize that I am not the only person who is in this boat. Sometimes it feels like you're alone, but thanks to Snowball Express, I have a new found feeling of hope.

Thanks again for one great weekend, can't wait to attend the next one.

It has been a month since our trip to California and the power of that weekend lingers on. I never imagined what that weekend would have in store for my children or myself. My husband had only been gone 2 months and I had not seen my son smile since the day we got the news. Standing in line at Disneyland he looked at me and said, "Mom, I guess we can still have fun even though Dad is gone."

You all made that possible. You made it possible for us to meet people like ourselves who hurt just like we do. But we also learned that life goes on and we do survive even though we are left behind. This trip marked the first day of the rest of our lives. You gave us a fresh start and no words I can say will ever be able to show my appreciation. I do know that my husband, like many other fallen soldiers, are watching over you and your family in return for being our angels here on earth.

Thank you

We can not truly express the depth of our gratitude to not only you but to all of the volunteers, corporations, organizations, and service providers who made the trip to California a truly magical adventure for the boys. 
 
Both boys truly enjoyed every aspect of the trip, from the hotel, to Disney. The evening of entertainment provided by the Chrystal Cathedral was breathtaking and held even little Carson's attention. Oakley's party will be remembered for years to come, I truly can't tell you what the boys enjoyed the most as they can't stop talking about every activity at the party. I can tell you that the pictures of the boys interaction with the Mighty Ducks mascot and  cheerleaders  show smiles bigger than they have had for quite a while.
 
Disney, WOW!  Need I say more. Magic at it's best. The staff and volunteers where so helpful and understanding. The kids absolutely loved it. Disney was one of the things Jess wanted to do with the kids so this trip was like a dream come true for him.
 
I am grateful to your organization for remembering all of the children who have sacrificed a parent in defense of our freedom, all too often they are a second thought and after the funeral, become forgotten, lost in the Nation's memory. It is people like you who prove that this Nation is still great and that gratitude still exists.
 
Again I want to thank you for making my kids smile and adding a bright spot to their lives.

Sydney and I had the most wonderful time together. Her daddy died in February and it has been very hard since. There has been no joy in her life. When we arrived on Friday, she meet another little girl her age. At dinner that night the name "daddy" was brought up and Sydney said "my daddy died in Iraq." Then all the other children one at a time said how their daddy died. It was then that they all realized why they were there and that they are not alone. It was the best thing for my daughter. She knows that she is not the only one.

I can never thank everyone for this enough. My daughter is going to heal.

Thank you with all our hearts.

Where do I begin? There are so many things I want to say to everyone involved in the Snowball Express. To everyone who contributed to the project, I offer a heartfelt "thank you." I wish I knew words powerful enough to convey the feeling of gratitude I have for everyone involved. I cannot imagine the manpower involved in making an event like this successful. I am truly in awe of everything that the Snowball team was able to accomplish.

I found myself attempting to thank those involved at the events and each time I ended up in tears. Normally, I have a much better control over my emotions, but the thought that so many strangers care so very much about the happiness of my children is overwhelming to me. Everyone was so friendly and made us feel very welcome in California. Mr. Kerr, I am quite impressed with you and the active role you took in every aspect of the weekend. Frankly, I am very impressed with everyone involved! You will never know the impact you have had on our lives.

One of the most moving experiences was the trip into Oakley HQ. This is the third time the American people have stood in the rain to offer their support to me and it has moved me to tears every time.

I'm so glad that so many children where able to attend, but, if I had had things my way, none of use would have had a reason to be there. Nothing can replace what we have lost, but the support of people like the Snowball Express team will carry us through.

I just wanted to say that my kids came back absolutely refreshed and able to face the Holidays (which can actually be quite a rough time). This Christmas has been one of the best ones since their Daddy died and I know that the Snowball Express played a big part in that. Thank you Michael and every one else that helped out!

Thank you so much for getting all of us together. We were among the first to arrive at Oakley headquarters, and I must say there wasn't a dry-eye on the bus because of all the beautiful people standing along the roadway welcoming us to your beautiful county.

Each of you took special care and PRIDE in greeting us. I have made friendships with people that will last a lifetime and that will ultimately change the course of my life's pathway. Thank you so much for making the IDEA of Snowball Express a REALITY!

Thank you for making this December more bearable for me and my kids. Thanks for the memories.

Thank you for such a wonderful weekend. My children and I enjoyed ourselves. It was a weekend that we needed. It has only been four months since my husband passed and we needed time away to enjoy ourselves. It was wonderful to be around people that understood how we were feeling. This event will be one of many cherished memories that we will have on the road to healing. I will never forget all that Snowball express has done for myself and my children.

I just wanted to say " WOW what a week-end." I have two children Lance and Paige. We truly enjoyed the week-end. Not only the activities but also being able to meet all the different families. Being able to be with other families who are going through some of the same things we are going through. I know it meant a lot to my children. This is the first opportunity they have had to be around children dealing with the same things. It was so good for them… Thank you so much...

How do I find the words to tell you exactly what this weekend meant to my son and I? I don't think there are really the words for it, but I will try.

The Snowball Express did more than just give my son an extra special first Christmas without Daddy this year. You provided me the opportunity to share a very special weekend with my son. Time I have not had since my husband was killed. I made incredible new friends that I am just so excited about. I felt like a kid in a candy store. Some parts were heart renching, the people lining the streets at the Oakley entreance, that was incredible!! The sky diver with the American flag, awsome! The little touches that were thought of were so touching. The gifts and time given to my family is something I will never forget.

My son Oliver loved it all. He loved the sky diver and American Flag. He is all about the flag right now. He loved all the goodies (what kid wouldn't), and he had so much fun seeing and being a part of it all. The shopping and rain was not his thing but he got to ride the carousel and well that made the rain all worth it. The discounts and gift cards were an added bonus to a great day.

Disneyland, well what can I say. Once again I had the time of my life and Oliver enjoyed it all. The rides were his favorite and then getting to pick out a gift from each was great! He even picked out a few for his little brother all on his own. He loved the characters. He loved the rides, he loved the food and he knew it was all in memory and honor of his Daddy, that made it even more special.

So, from the bottom of the our family's hearts, we thank you for an unforgettable trip! For the time of a lifetime and bonds that will never be broken! We look forward to participating next year and I would love to also help out!

With much gratitude, and a Very Merry Christmas to you all!

We would like to express our gratitude to everyone involved in the Snowball Express organization and all the other agencies that helped in making some very special memories happen for us.

You see, this is the third Christmas without our loved one. The timing of the event caused both of us some angst because it was two years ago on 21 December 2004 that we recieved the tragic news of our fallen loved one.

This trip gave us a chance to get away from work, school, well-meaning family and friends to just be together to remember Julian as he lived his life. You see he was full of life and loved children, stray animals and music but most of all he loved taking advantage of every minute. He and I had planned to attend Disneyland on his R&R during April of 2005 but that was not to be. Being able to finally make that trip gave both Joshua and I an opportunity to remember Julian with so much joy and love.

On the broader side, it gave us an opportunity to meet others we knew and some that we now call family. Being on that bus as it entered the Oakley compound was the most humbling experience - to see those children with the signs and flags waving for our loved ones was more than any family can ask for - for their loved one not to be forgotten.

This weekend provided so much to so many of us that I am sure the total reality of the event won't be realized for a while. To gather this many families that have undergone the loss of thier loved one to the War on Terrorism has made history. You have all marked the road for others to follow…there are no words, no gesture that I can think of - to express what this weekend meant to my son and I, much less the other families. Thank you for allowing us to "just be" for a weekend. Our hearts now have another memory to help fill the void left by Julian's death.

First of all to everyone, I thank you for making this wonderful opportunity available to the children of fallen soldiers. Everyone I told about our upcoming weekend trip were deeply moved and happy for us.

The Snowball Express Team has done a wonderful job planning this trip for myself and 12 year old daughter Lindsey. She is so excited and looking forward to this coming weekend. Her happiness helps to heal my broken heart from the loss of her father, a little bit at a time. All of you have made this possible for us. Your generosity is appreciated and a true gfit.

Thanks once again.

Remember: Dance to life around you!

My name is Austin I am 11 years old and me and my brother and my 2 sisters and my mom were at the Snowball event. Mom said she was going to write you a thank you but I told her I would do it when we got home Christmas night.

First let me tell you the whole weekend was the bomb! Me and my brother had a blast at Oakley, Tony Hawk rocked and those other dudes were awesome! My sisters loved Disneyland. My mom loved it all. I won't forget mom's face when she saw all the people standing on the road. She cried. The lady next to her cried and all the other mommas cried too, but I know they were good tears. That was the first time in a long time that Momma was happy again.

The coolest thing about the whole weekend was that everyone there got it. No one felt sorry for me, no one said anything bad about the war or anything like that. And I met another kid whose dad died and he got it. He knew what it was like to see mom cry and not know what to do. It was just really cool to be with other kids who didn't feel sorry for me.

Thanks again, Austin and the Maiorana family

WHAT AN OVERWHELMINGLY AWESOME WEEKEND!!! Words cannot begin to convey the feelings I have about you and your team of ANGEL volunteers and sponsors!! Not only did you allow us to experience a wonderful California adventure, but you gave us an opportunity to bond with so many others in our situation, under PLEASANT circumstances! The people that we met and stories that we shared with one another made our hardship a little easier. Now, the girls and I can forever have a HAPPY memory associated with the loss of my husband, their father, SFC Gary L. Collins.

Please send a special thanks to Oakley and all the persons involved in making that day possible. Just the drive up to the facility, with the hundreds of people standing in the cold and rain, waving American flags, holding signs of gratitude, screaming "thank you", saluting and even crying, would have been enough for me as it made my heart want to burst!!! But, all the exhibits, gifts, food and people definitely made an impression on the rest of my group!!

Disneyland, well........it was DISNEYLAND! What more needs to be said, right?

And, last but not least, a very special thanks to Alfredo at the Westin!! He and his crew made us feel so at home!! It was so nice to see his smiling face, bright and early every morning......even when we left for home at 6:30am!! And, he was there every evening to welcome us back......I guess he must have lived there for the weekend!!

The WHOLE thing was tremendous and made us feel so loved and appreciated. It may not seem like a lot, but as the "limelight" of our loved ones sacrifices fade, and we fade into the background of everyday civilian life, we struggle to make sense of it all and go on with our lives. It is so tough.......and then people like you come along and give us a glimmer of hope for our future!! We will never forget what SNOWBALL EXPRESS has given us and we will forever be apart of your FAMILY!!
Thank you and God Bless you and EVERYONE involved in this gracious, loving, memorable event in our lives!

I can't even imagine the time and energy it took to put this together. You all amaze me! Thank you so much for all of your hard work!! I hope you have an understanding of what this truly did for all of the families.......our new lives are full of pain and tears and you replaced that with fun and smiles for those days we were there. Not a small feat!

My husband died almost four years ago. It felt like the world had moved on. Letting my children see their father honored and remembered, after all this time, is priceless. Letting them see the other kids, to know they are not alone, also priceless!

I can't thank you enough. Thank you!

My two daughters and I just arrived back to upstate NY and couldn't wait to get a 'thank you' to you for the most perfect weekend! I can not begin to tell you how much healing this trip did for us. I think driving up to Oakley HQ seeing all of those beautiful volunteers waving the American Flag did our hearts good. I don't think there was a dry eye on the bus. I don't think I will ever forget how I felt knowing so many Americans care. You have inspired me to try (maybe on a lot smaller level!) to start doing something in my community. You are truly great people and I feel so blessed for this opportunity. Thank you, Thank you!

There was one moment that really summed it all up for me. My son, Nathan, and I were standing in line for a ride at Disney. We saw several other 'Snowballers' there in the same line. None of them were familiar to me, so I didn't think that Nathan would have any reaction to the other children. However, for just a moment, I could see that he locked eyes with a little girl about his age; and there was a smile of 'understanding' that crossed both their faces. They didn't say anything to each other...but what came from that was such a warmth. THAT'S exactly why I want Nathan to participate in events like this -- to know that he's NOT the only child his age in the same situation. The children who attended were open and honest with each other and had the emotional freedom to just smile that all-understanding smile -- and know that was enough. What an awesome thing!!

I want to personally thank each and every volunteer who helped make this the best event ever.

My children and I enjoyed every minute of it. The Crystal Cathedral was spectacular, the Oakley event was tremendous, and the Irvine Spectrum Center was over the top.

Disneyland, of course, was the greatest place to be.

Many Kudos to TAPS, Snowball Express, Rotary Clubs, Oakley, and Disneyland for such an unbelievable weekend.

My children had lots of fun this weekend but, more then all that .They got to connect with children in there same situation. They learned there not alone, there are more children out there that have lost their dad or mom... You fulfilled a dream of my husband's; he wanted to take the kids to Disneyland. Although he wasn't with us there, we carried him with us in spirit in our hearts.

Thank you again so much for all you've done.

I just wanted to thank everyone who was involved in making my children have a wonderful Christmas and making them feel so important. My children had such a wonderful time and I think that all of the widows were able to express the way they were feeling and all be in the same vote. The support we had from everyone was just wonderful.

My son was just in shock to see that all the children that were there all had lost a parent too. He had opened up and had many questions. Because of the Snowball Express, the children and the widows were connected together and nobody felt sorry for anyone because we are all going through it together. It rained during our trip and I believe it was our HERO'S from up above looking down on us and crying in happiness to see everyone enjoying themselves. Thank YOU so much to all of the volunteers and vendors, companys and anyone who donated time or money. WE ALL APPRICIATE IT DEEPLY. THANKS!!!