It's Our Turn Now!: Recent News

Jackson & Moses 2011

We just received an updated edition of "The Hero's Trail" by best selling author T.A. Barron. One of the inspirational stories included is about Jackson Button, co-founder of Dream of a Better World, and his on-going work with Our Own Home in Jinja, Uganda.

Dream Team members Hannah Button and Lindsay Grimshaw in the news with their animal rescue work this summer with Sali Gear.

AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON.COM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – December 5, 2014

CONTACT: Hannah or Jackson Button

615-438-7888

Dream of a Better World

OurTurnBlog@gmail.com

www.DreamOfaBetterWorld.org

RSVP by noon Sat, Dec. 6 for installation/gate access with Ana Allen, TAMC Public Affairs, 221-2872 or ana.m.allen2.civ@mail.mil

Operation Holiday Heroes 2014!

Santa’s elves strike again, bringing hundreds of goodies & gifts to Tripler’s Fisher House!

Hawaii non-profit founded by kids, Dream of a Better World, to bring presents and much needed holiday happiness to our military heroes this Christmas season.

Who: Community members, Hannah and Jackson Button (ages 14 and 16), and their helpers will be making Christmas brighter for 19 families of sick, injured or wounded soldiers and veterans.

What: For the third year in a row, these pint-sized Santa’s helpers will be delivering a caravan of over 100 wrapped Christmas gifts and goodies to the residents of Fisher House Hawaii, at Tripler Hospital.

When: Sunday, December 7th at 11:00 a.m. Media invited from 11 a.m.-12p.m.

Where: Tripler Fisher House.

Why: Hannah and Jackson, students at Island Pacific Academy (IPA) in Kapolei, have spearheaded what they like to call: “Operation Holiday Heroes,” collecting donations, games and other gifts to recognize the special sacrifices that our military families make for our country. They have earned, collected and donated over $15,000 worth of gifts and support to Fisher House since 2011.

Hannah and her siblings are no strangers to lending a helping hand, having started a non-profit seven years ago, after their mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. “We learned what it was like to really need help, and help came from everywhere,” says Hannah. Since then, their non-profit, “Dream of a Better World,” has raised over $200,000 to help kids and families locally and around the world. One of their favorites over the last three years has been bringing holiday cheer to the sick & injured residents of Tripler’s Fisher House. Says Anita Clingerman, Manager of Tripler Fisher House: “It’s especially difficult that most of our residents are far away from family and home during the holidays. Hannah and the Dream of a Better World kids really lift our spirits, just when we need it most. And, they are another great reminder that people still care about our military families.”

Two and a half years ago, Hannah experienced for the first time an emotional scene that plays out regularly with our military families. She was at school sitting with her classmate, Riley. A soldier quietly entered the classroom and tapped her gently on the back. As Riley turned around, she screamed with excitement to see her dad home from a year of deployment in Afghanistan. Tears rolled down Riley’s face, and soon Hannah found herself in a puddle of tears as well. “I am so lucky to have friends like Riley, whose families are willing to sacrifice in so many ways to keep our country safe,” Hannah explained to her own family, after getting home that day.

That moment inspired “Operation Holiday Heroes.” In the last two and a half years, the Button Kids and Dream of a Better World have collected, wrapped and delivered gifts to our nation’s military families for Valentine’s Day, Easter, the 4^th of July and Christmas. Hannah also worked tirelessly this past year as she and Dream of a Better World were volunteers and sponsors for this year’s “Heroes & Remembrance Run” across Ford Island Bridge.

Hannah and Jackson, along with their older sister, Carly, have written a cookbook to raise money in support of our Troops. The book is called: “Special Delivery” and is available at Amazon.com and through www.DreamOfaBetterWorld.org. All proceeds of their “Support Our Troops Edition” go to Operation Holiday Heroes. Or, you can find out more about Dream of a Better World’s recent project efforts by scrolling through their blog at: http://www.OurTurnNow.blogspot.com.

Fisher House Hawaii is one of 58 locations worldwide supporting America’s military in their time of need. Annually, the Fisher House program serves more than 17,000 families, and have made available over four million days of lodging to family members since the program originated in 1990. Fisher Houses are funded by public donations and operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs on behalf of the Army, Navy and Air Force. No family pays to stay at any Fisher House. You can donate to Tripler Fisher House on-line at www.DreamOfaBetterWorld.org or mail donations to: Tripler Fisher Houses, 317 Krukowski Rd., Honolulu, HI 96819.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – December 13, 2013

CONTACT: Hannah Button

615-438-7888

info@DreamOfaBetterWorld.org

Operation Holiday Heroes 2013!

Two Hawaii schools bring joy this holiday season by raising money for Tripler Fisher House, a “home away from home” for U.S. military families in their time of need.

Island Pacific Academy and Trinity Lutheran School joined forces to bring presents and much needed holiday happiness to our military heroes this Christmas season.

This Monday, December 16^th at 4:00 PM, Hannah Button, an eighth grader at Trinity Lutheran School near Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, and her helpers will be making Christmas brighter for 19 families of sick, injured or wounded soldiers and veterans. These pint-sized Santa’s helpers will be delivering two van loads of over 80 wrapped Christmas gifts and goodies to the residents of Fisher House Hawaii, at Tripler Hospital. Hannah and her classmates at Trinity Lutheran School joined forces this year with Hannah’s neighbor, Morgan Stephens, an 11^th grader at Island Pacific Academy (IPA). Both Trinity and IPA’s “Support Our Troops Club” have been collecting money, games and other gifts to recognize the special sacrifices that our military families make for our country.

Hannah and her siblings are no strangers to lending a helping hand, having started a non-profit five years ago, after their mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. “We learned what it was like to really need help, and help came from everywhere,” says Hannah. Since then, their non-profit, “Dream of a Better World,” has raised nearly $150,000 for kids and families locally and around the world.

A year and a half ago, Hannah experienced for the first time an emotional scene that plays out regularly with our military families. She was sitting with her classmate, Riley, at Trinity Lutheran School in Wahiawa. A soldier quietly entered the classroom and tapped one of Hannah’s friends on the back. As Riley turned around, she screamed with excitement to see her dad home from a year of deployment in Afghanistan. Tears rolled down Riley’s face, and soon Hannah found herself in a puddle of tears as well. “I am so lucky to have friends like Riley, whose families are willing to sacrifice in so many ways to keep our country safe,” Hannah explained to her own family, after getting home that day.

That moment inspired, what Hannah calls, “Operation Holiday Heroes.” In the last year and a half, she has collected, wrapped and delivered gifts to our nation’s military families for Christmas 2012, and this year’s Valentine’s Day, Fourth of July and, now, Christmas 2013. Hannah also worked tirelessly this past year as she and Dream of a Better World were volunteers and sponsors for this year’s “Heroes & Remembrance Run” across Ford Island Bridge.

Island Pacific Academy - Support Our Troops Club’s holds a gift-wrapping party for “Operation Holiday Heroes 2013!” (Back row left to right: Tara Norton, Victoria Nishii, Dayne Ramos, Federico Delgadillo. Front left to right: Sarah Etinas, Ceslie Uno, Kim Uehisa, Courtney Schmidt, Yijin Liu, Jessie Yanavok, Morgan Stephens)