A Musical Gesture of Support for Canadian Troops

As Halifax resident Todd Thompson listened to the radio on a recent drive home from work, he was struck by the news of Afghanistan's ongoing struggles. Determined to do his part, Mr. Thompson, marketing director for Musicstop, a music store chain in the Maritimes, came up with a plan to ship 2,600 Delta Blues harmonicas to the Canadian Forces stationed in Kandahar. This initiative, known as the Gift of Music campaign, allowed customers to sign oversized greeting cards for the troops while making a $1 donation, which would be directed to the 42 military family resource centres across the country and abroad.

Key Takeaways:

• 2,600 Delta Blues harmonicas were shipped to the Canadian Forces for distribution to troops in Kandahar.
• Musicstop's Gift of Music campaign allowed customers to sign oversized greeting cards for the troops while making a $1 donation.
• The donations will be directed to the 42 military family resource centres across the country and abroad to support soldiers' relatives.
• Customers have been donating in the thousands, with some cards being covered over and requiring additional printouts.
• Beth Corey, a military family resource centre director, welcomed the donations as a show of appreciation and support from the community.
• Financial donations are preferred over physical donations due to logistical challenges, allowing for easier allocation to where it's most needed.

Statistics:

• 2,600 harmonicas were shipped to the Canadian Forces.
• Over $1,000 was raised through customer donations since the campaign began on November 20.
• The Defence Department operates 42 military family resource centres across the country and abroad.
• 44 Canadian soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since 2002.

Sources:

• "Harmonicas Headed to Canadian Troops" by Tony Reinhart, not specified date (note: this article estimates the publication date to be around late 2004, given the circumstances)
• Musicstop's marketing director, Todd Thompson