Just to update everyone, the website supporting our book project, The Fellowship of the Devastated, is up and running. We are now ready to solicit stories for our book.

(You can read the original story that was the seed for the book idea...and gave it its title...in the Our Voices section of Boomer Women Speak, under Loss.) It was written by Mary Wallace, who lost her son Matt in Iraq last year.

Here is an excerpt from the Press Release, which will be sent to media outlets nationwide within the next week.

"For Immediate Release September 20, 2007
FELLOWSHIP OF THE DEVASTATED
LAUNCHES NATIONWIDE SEARCH FOR PERSONAL ACCOUNTS
OF THE WAR ON TERROR

Phoenix, AZ – The Fellowship of the Devastated, a joint project by two families touched by the Global War on Terror, is looking for personal submissions for a self-help book. The book will be a compilation of stories from people who have either lost a loved one, or who have gone through the devastation of an injury as a result of their sacrifice for our Nation’s freedom. Personal stories detailing experience dealing with the effects of losing a loved one, dealing with injury or emotional distress, or sending a family member off to war are desired from mothers or fathers, brothers or sisters, sons or daughters, friends or co-workers, or anyone affected by the war.

The Fellowship of the Devastated (www.thefellowshipofthedevastated.com) was created to honor those who have sacrificed for us, and offer comfort, guidance and hope to those who will find themselves on this same journey. It is not meant to be a political statement. Essays that make a political statement of any kind will not be accepted. Any proceeds realized from The Fellowship of the Devastated will be donated to Fisher House (www.fisherhouse.org), an organization that provides temporary low cost housing to families of wounded and ill soldiers, and to the Matthew P. Wallace Foundation (www.cplmatthewwallace.com), which will provide scholarship funds to children of wounded and deceased soldiers.

Further information and submission guidelines may be found at www.thefellowshipofthedevastated.com

The Fellowship of the Devastated was created by Holly and Scott Richardson of Scottsdale, Arizona and Mary and Keith Wallace of Lexington Park, Maryland."

Please stop by the website, sign the guestbook, and forward this information to anyone you know that might be interested in contributing! Thanks!!!