Operation Grateful Heart is an organization established by Gov. Riley to ensure that all Armed Forces members serving overseas, and their families receive recognition, tangible support and neighborly care.

We as a community need to stand behind our service men and women. We need your support!

For more information you may contact Charles Carr at the Blount County Oneonta Chamber of Commerce, 205-274-2153. Dalton Wester at the Veterans Affairs Office 205-274-2287, and Amy Rhudy at the Blount County Memorial Museum, 205-625-6905. Operation Grateful Heart Blount County thanks everyone who has helped our troops and their families in any way.

Who can Participate: Operation Grateful Heart is not limited to State Agencies; all Alabamians are encouraged to participate. Communities can assist deployed service members and their families through neighborly acts, visits, assisting with home maintenance, or child care. Private and public agencies can use their resources to provide practical outreach. Examples include offering discounts on good and services. reduced or free admission to recreational activities/tuition waivers, youth programs, adopt-a-family, potlucks, briefings and meetings. For more information follow these links: www.ngb.army.mil/features/supportourtroops or www.alguard.state.al.us/

Operation Grateful Heart Blount County was organized in October 2004 and we are still going strong. OGH-BC consist of people from several different organizations all over the county. The Chamber of Commerce, Historical Society, Veterans Affair Officer,VFW & Ladies Auxiliary 5624 Snead, DAV, Curator of Museum and veterans from all over. We have had people come and go over the years but the main core of people are still there today and are the ones that helped organize OGH-BC. The List is as follows: Charles Carr, Blount County Chamber of Commerce, Dalton Westor, Veteran Affairs Service Officer, Ed and Bev Herd, Ed is a Korean War Veteran and member of The American Legion, and he and Bev are members of the Blount County Historical Society, Ruby Bryant, President of VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 5624 of Snead, Amy Rhudy, Curator of Blount County Memorial Museum, John Trantham, Vietnam Veteran. These are the people that were there in the beginning and are still there now. We meet in the Blount County Memorial Museum at 12:00 Noon on Wednesday's. We are open to the public and would be happy to have you join us. Hope to see you there!

If you have any comments or would like to donate your time or money, please contact the Blount County Oneonta Chamber of Commerce at 205-274-9091, or any of the other volunteers listed in the text above. Everyone is welcome and all gifts are appreciated.