Elizabeth Taylor and Stepson Team Up With Operation Gratitude to Bring Holiday Joy to Thousands of Overseas Troops

Elizabeth Taylor and Stepson Team Up With Operation Gratitude to Bring Holiday Joy to Thousands of Overseas Troops

Inspirational Icon to Pen Holiday Note for Custom Gift Package Shipped to 200,000th Operation Gratitude Recipient on December 16th

VAN NUYS, Calif., Dec. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Academy Award winning actress Elizabeth Taylor, long recognized for her commitment to philanthropy, has joined forces with Operation Gratitude to help bring some holiday cheer to thousands of overseas troops.

In just over three years, Operation Gratitude, an all-volunteer national non-profit organization, has mailed thousands of care packages and letters of support to U.S. military personnel serving in hostile regions overseas. This holiday season, the organization will be sending holiday packages to an estimated 50,000 deployed troops, as well as commemorating a special milestone: the mailing of their 200,000th care package. Operation Gratitude expects to hit this milestone moment during the 11:00 AM to 12:00 noon hour Saturday, December 16th at the Van Nuys, Calif., National Guard Armory, where volunteers will be assembling and shipping the 200,000th care package, as well as several thousand additional holiday care packages.

Dame Elizabeth has written a letter to the troops that will be included in these holiday gift packages, as well as a special greeting for the milestone 200,000th package recipient. Ten thousand packages, as well as the 200,000th package will contain, among other things, the DVD series on NASCAR history, "American Stock: The Golden Era of NASCAR" that was produced by Dame Elizabeth's stepson, John W. Warner IV. The 4-volume collectible series, which is dedicated to the men and women of the American Armed Forces and the WWII heroes who pioneered the sport, is packaged in a vintage-inspired film can along with a 31-page album of rare period photos. Senator John Warner (R- VA), who narrates the series and is Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has signed the canister for the 200,000th care package recipient.

"Being far away from home and loved ones is particularly difficult during the Holidays," says Operation Gratitude founder Carolyn Blashek. "Our care packages serve a vital role in lifting spirits and morale. As Elizabeth Taylor has been an inspirational icon to millions of her fans over many generations, we are honored that she and her stepson are participating in our 2006 Holiday Drive in this very meaningful way."

Dame Elizabeth was inspired to get involved in Operation Gratitude's Fourth Annual Holiday Drive after learning of a particularly painful letter her stepson received from a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan telling how the DVD series brought a fallen comrade much joy in his final days (http://www.americanstock.us/UserFiles/Image/press/aletter2.htm). Together they were inspired to make the holidays a little bit brighter for our overseas troops -- Dame Elizabeth by writing holiday letters to the troops, and her stepson, a former professional racecar driver and filmmaker, by donating ten thousand of his collectible DVD sets.

"I am so pleased to lend my support to Operation Gratitude and John W. Warner IV in bringing holiday gifts to the men and women of the Military. This is a particularly poignant season because we have so many families who are separated. What ever your position on the war, you must join in sending love and prayers to these heroes who are in harms way," says Dame Elizabeth.

A NASCAR fan herself, Dame Elizabeth has many fond memories of campaigning at NASCAR tracks with Senator Warner, to whom she was married in the 1970s.

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Source: American Stock

CONTACT: Jennifer Bebon, +1-203-256-0907, or jenniferbebon@maxcompr.com,
or Cynthia Baumann, +1-203-451-5586, or chbaumann@optonline.net, both of MAX
Communications, for American Stock; or Carolyn Blashek of Operation Gratitude,
+1-818-789-0123, or cblashek@aol.com

Web site: http://www.americanstock.us/

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