Arizona Republic - AZCentral.com Article on The Home Sweet Home Campaign and "Schools That Care" Contest

Arizona Republic - AZCentral.com Article on
The Home Sweet Home Campaign and "Schools That Care"
Contest

Superstition Springs Elementary student Sage McDaniel drew a huge heart and incorporated within it the Stars and Stripes. Then she drew two rows of people alongside the heart and wrote the words, "Helping our soldiers and their families."

It was one of the two winning designs for a fundraising T-shirt that a new national campaign called Home Sweet Home will use to help war veterans avoid foreclosure.

On Friday, 7-year-old Sage of Queen Creek and sixth-grader Peyton Myers of Mesa received plaques during an assembly at the school, which is located in Mesa but is part of the Gilbert Public Schools District.

"I was trying to save their families so they could be home safe. I think it took me a long time to draw the heart," said Sage, who has already sold 18 T-shirts (priced at $13 each) to her extended family.

Peyton's design features five hands with fingers in a V formation, together forming a star.

"I was trying to show peace around the world for generations," Peyton said.

As of May 15, the Home Sweet Home Campaign has raised $750. The goal is to raise $1 million.

The campaign was inspired by Tim Little, a Queen Creek Army reservist who battled psychological trauma and brain injury after his return home from Iraq, and had financial problems that almost cost him his home.

Beth Ann VanHoose, also of Queen Creek, created a campaign to help others in Little's situation. She plans to donate the funds to the Kentucky-based non-profit USA Cares, which supports wounded war veterans.

VanHoose wants to raise awareness of the financial, physical and emotional needs of soldiers when they return home from the war.

"These injuries are the ones we cannot see, but are very real and are affecting thousands of our soldiers who have served in the Iraq war. For months, Tim and his wife (Nicole) struggled through the red tape of the VA system (Veterans Affairs) to get help," VanHoose said.

USA Cares came to Little's help.

Among the competition's judges was Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

To read more about Ryan Fitzpatrick and the event click here AZCentral.com
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