Governor M. Jodi Rell and the Connecticut National Guard have announced this year's special effort - Operation E.L.F. - to help Connecticut servicemembers and their families during the holiday season.

"The holidays are usually a time for festive family get-togethers and celebrations. This year, many military families will spend the holidays worrying about and missing their loved ones who are on active duty," said
Governor Rell. "Many of our Connecticut servicemembers, in turn, are worried about their families back home.

"We're grateful for the courageous service of our men and women in uniform serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and here in the United States. One meaningful way we can say thank you is to make sure that the families that they have left behind are given any help they need," Governor Rell said. 

Donations can be sent to:
Connecticut National Guard Foundation, Inc.
360 Broad Street, Box 53
Hartford, CT 06105-3795 

Five-hundred Connecticut Army National Guard soldiers currently mobilized and deployed in Southwest Asia (Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan). 

The 500 deployed troops have left behind 650 dependent family members, including 248 minor-age children. Many of these families have struggled emotionally - and financially - during the active duty assignments of their loved ones. 

This year's Operation E.L.F. will primarily be focused on helping family members. 

For the families, donations of new, unwrapped toys for all age groups, both sexes, are being sought. Also being solicited are grocery gift cards which
may be used to buy holiday dinners and phone cards which may be used to call their deployed loved ones. Donations of fuel oil, Christmas trees, snow
removal services are encouraged. Financial contributions may also be made to the Connecticut National Guard Foundation, Inc.

Many of the toys that are collected will be distributed to deployed families during a special holiday dinner which is scheduled for mid-December. Other
toys will be held by families to be placed under trees on Christmas morning.


Grocery gift cards and pre-paid phone cards will be used throughout the holidays and beyond for families in need. Many military families face
financial pressures because activated soldiers have seen the elimination or reduction of their civilian job paychecks. 

"It will be a difficult holiday season for many Connecticut families. But we can make a heartfelt difference and we can bring the warmth of holiday
season to our military families by participating in Operation E.L.F. Please, help us remember our soldiers and their families. Help us lift spirits and send a message of love, hope and peace for 2005," said Rell.

Operation E.L.F., which stands for Embracing Lonely Families, was established in 2003 by then Lieutenant Governor M. Jodi Rell as a sincere gesture of support to our military families who were separated during the holiday season due to deployment, and also potentially suffering tremendous
financial hardship as a result of their call to active duty. Operation E.L.F. also provided the generous citizens of our great State an opportunity
to "do something" to show their support of our men and women in uniform and their families who are also called to serve during mobilization. 

In six short weeks, Operation E.L.F. generated thousands of new, unwrapped toys, gift cards for grocery and department stores, seasonal services and
nearly $50,000 in monetary contributions to the Connecticut National Guard Foundation, Inc. As a result, 1,200 military families in Connecticut received holiday gifts and warm wishes at a time when they were lonely,
afraid and financially unable to provide for their children as much as they would like to have. 

"Our sincere thanks to Governor Rell and the generous people of Connecticut for making Operation E.L.F. an overwhelming success," said Maj. Gen. William
A. Cugno, Adjutant General and Commander of the Connecticut National Guard.


Through Operation E.L.F. there are other programs to help out a Connecticut servicemember. New, unwrapped toys for newborns through eighteen year-old
young adults are needed. Toys may be dropped off at any armory or National Guard facility in Connecticut, Monday through Friday between the hours of
9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Beginning Friday, November 26th, toys may be dropped off at the Hartford Armory, from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday
through Friday, through Friday, December 17th.

You can support a soldier by supporting their family with the donation of a gift card to a local grocery or department store, gas station or pharmacy.
These cards can be given to families so that they can choose what they need most. Cards of any denomination are most welcomed and appreciated.

Gift cards may be delivered to any one of our drop-off locations or, if you prefer, they can be mailed to:

Connecticut National Guard
Office of Family Programs
360 Broad Street
Hartford, CT 06105 
Tel: 860-493-2745