Barbara Simonis, a REALTOR® of 25 years in Black River Falls, founded the organization Friends & Family of Hometown Heroes in 2003. Her mission began with sending care packages overseas to her son serving in Iraq at the time, and nearly a decade later, Simonis still sends monthly shipments to U.S. soldiers stationed overseas. She shops for and mails the items each month, and she works right out of her dining room.
Recipients are any soldiers serving overseas with a connection to the Jackson County area. Monthly shipments fluctuate in which she may send only two or three care packages, and other months, she ships up to 20. At the time of deployment for the Black River Falls National Guard in December 2004 to December 2005, Simonis shipped hundreds of boxes.
“The soldiers and their families are very appreciative for the thought,” said Simonis. “Getting that package makes their day! Hearing from people back home means a lot when they are so far away from their families and friends.”
The annual Friends & Family of Hometown Heroes fundraiser, the Annual Veterans Memorial Day Golf Fundraiser, takes place every Memorial Day weekend at Skyline Golf Course in Black River Falls. Nearly 40 teams participate in the fundraiser, and golfers are treated to a meal and participate in raffles and a silent auction. Now in its fifth year, the Annual Veterans Memorial Day Golf Fundraiser generates enough funds to cover a year’s worth of costs of care package items as well as shipping. The 2011 fundraiser was so successful that Simonis was able to also donate extra money to a local soldier who lost his home from a fire.
Other fundraisers for Friends & Family of Hometown Heroes have included Black River Falls and West Salem school districts hosting a student “penny war,” patriotic pin sales, and a Pizza Hut match program.
Simonis enjoys participating in other volunteer work and fundraisers in her area, such as Project Christmas and the Annual Thanksgiving Meal. In her free time, she enjoys concerts and spending time with her grandchildren.
Would you like to send a package to a soldier overseas who has a tie to Jackson County and the surrounding area? You can visit the Friends & Family of Hometown Heroes Facebook page and Barbara Simonis on Facebook. Simonis can be reached via e-mail at bsimonis@coldwellbanker.com or by phone at 715-299-5404. Golf sign-ups for the Memorial Day golf outing begin in April.
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