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Since I was a very small child, I’ve always known that all dreams really do come true. As an adult, over and over again, I have seen outside negativity try to creep into the hearts of the innocent, and though it sometimes succeeds, it is up to all of us to outshine the shadows and shine light on the magic that is everywhere in the world. One of the individuals who continues to make the world a happier place even years after his death is Walt Disney, and I give credit for my positive mindset in part to the many family trips I was fortunate enough to take to Walt Disney World. Last week, in-between rehearsals and shows, Courtney and I had the opportunity to visit the happiest place on earth together, the Magic Kingdom! We also experienced wonderment at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure on our trip, especially at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. So many exciting moments happened in just a few days of magic, and you can watch a short video with some of the highlights of our trip here: Letters From Home had the opportunity last year to perform at the Tivoli Theatre with several of the original Mouseketeers from Disney’s Mickey Mouse Club: Bobby, Sherry, Tommy, Sharon and Cubby. They were a lively bunch and it was an amazing experience to get to perform with them!  Courtney and I with Disney's original Mousekeeters- Bobby, Sharon, Tommy, Sherri and Cubby at dinner after the show One of the amazing veterans we met during our travels is Guy Spagnoli, who served in Vietnam. We first met Guy when he came to see the Bombshell Duo / Mouseketeer show at the Tivoli Theatre, and we got to see him again at the Patriot show at the McHenry VFW later that year. Through social media and the internet, we have had the opportunity to stay in touch ever since. I was personally very excited to find out that Guy has had a lifelong fascination with Disney. Since his time in Vietnam, he has struggled with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). He finds peace in the fantasy lifestyle of Disney, and with the help of just a little bit of pixie dust, Disney has helped him tremendously, as well as thousands of other individuals with internal struggles. His story was so amazing, that Guy was featured in a documentary with the title of Disney’s famous quote “Keep Moving Forward”. You can read more about how you can see the film or get involved at http://www.keepmovingforwarddoc.com.  The movie poster for the documentary Keep Moving Forward Even Walt himself had many internal struggles, but with the mindset of “Keep Moving Forward”, he proved to the world that “If you can dream it you can do it”. No matter what happens in your life, don’t ever stop dreaming, and be sure to keep your heart happy. It truly is your choice. -Erinn xoxoxoxo
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The parking lots might have been filled with snow and ice, but all hearts were definitely warm in Duluth, Minnesota inside at the “Rotary March for Veterans” this week.  Nelson and Erinn with Julie who put the event together An amazing woman named Julie and a team of Rotarians put on an incredible event that was focused on helping educate our communities about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and how it affects our Veterans and their loved ones. It is estimated that 8 percent of Americans (that’s 24.4 million people) have PTSD at any given time. To give you a better idea of how many that is, it would equal the entire population of Texas. It has been known by many names in the past, such as “shell shock” during the years of World War I and “combat fatigue” after World War II, and involves having disturbing thoughts and feelings related to their experience that last long after their service has ended. They may relive the event through flashbacks or nightmares; they may feel sadness, fear or anger; and they may feel detached or estranged from other people. Those with PTSD may avoid situations or people that remind them of the traumatic event, and they may have strong negative reactions to something as ordinary as a loud noise or an accidental touch.  Erinn and Julie on the air promoting the event the morning of the show Since I personally do not suffer from PTSD, I can’t imagine how challenging it must be not only to deal with it daily, but to be brave enough to share your stories so others can heal through listening and knowing they are not alone. There were several who shared their stories the night of the event. One of the speakers was Mike Waldron, who served in the Marine Corps, obtained a business degree and went on to manage U.S. Courthouses and Federal Buildings. Roughly 5 years after combat Mike fell into severe symptoms of PTSD. His anxiety and panic attacks, night terrors, isolation, and depression lasted for half a decade until he stumbled upon a return path to hope and happiness through particular physical activities and socialization. He dove into research to learn why this worked for him, and why it’s so effective with military members and combat veterans. Mike returned to college at Purdue University to grow his skills in entrepreneurship so he could help other suffering veterans find their path to hope and happiness. In 2015 Mike left behind his career to launch 23rd Veteran, under which he lead the development of a reconditioning playbook that is intentionally and effectively retraining brains to create strong social relationships, reduce the negative effects of common “triggers”, and increase happiness in our veterans and civilians. You can read more about Mike’s organization at www.23rdveteran.org  With Mike Waldron and his sweet service dog after the show Another incredible speaker at the event was Josh Montgomery, a retired Captain from the U.S. Army who was medically retired after 14 ½ years of service where he was deployed to Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He has struggled with PTSD since 2004 when he came back from my first deployment from Iraq, and tried to hide it for years. When he returned from Afghanistan in 2012, the nightmares and flashbacks were so intense he knew it was time to get help, now he helps SO many others with PTSD through sharing his story and through his website at www.YourSixIsCovered.com. There were also some incredibly sweet canines at the event as well! PetsLoyal2Vets is a community based organization connecting US Military Veterans with trained emotional support and service dogs to veterans at no cost. It is beautiful to see how these animals love on the veterans and give them so much! To learn more about their organization you can see their website at www.petsloyal2vets.org. Both Josh and Mike had their sweet companions with them and it was truly beautiful to see the relationship they had between each other.  With Josh Montgomery and his amazing service dog after the performance. The evening was so educational, eye-opening, and just a good fun time for all. The rotary did an amazing job raising money for area veterans, focused on helping them adjust, cope, and heal after returning home from active duty. The love and care shown for others is yet another reminder that there is still so much good in this beautiful world. –Erinn xoxox
2018 is bringing many new things for Letters From Home… but one of the most exciting things to me is our latest show, “We Gotta Get Out Of This Place: a tribute to Vietnam Veterans”. There will be several different versions of this show with different performers, but this week I had the privilege of singing and tap dancing with my good friend Courtney Groves, who is the second half of Letters From Home’s “America’s Bomshell Duo”. Click here to watch our adventures in rehearsal! As we all know, for years, Vietnam Veterans never received the “Welcome Home” that they deserved…. We truly hope that this show is a small way to say thank you for all they endured. –Erinn xoxox
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