Post No. 150: I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was, Part 2

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WARNING: THIS POST HAS CONTENT THAT MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!

THIS POST IS A CONTINUATION OF THE BLOG POST TITLED, "I AM NO LONGER BEING AN ACTIVIST IN THE SAME WAY THAT I WAS" (WHICH CAN BE SEEN IN THE PREVIOUS POST NO. 149). AND IT HAS ALL OF THE UPDATES WRITTEN FROM 2026 TO THE PRESENT

I Am No Longer Being An Activist
In The Same Way That I Was, Part 2

Due to being stressed out—and until further notice—I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in the same way that I was before, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes the same way that I was in the past. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS.) And so, I am consciously choosing to not engage in any 'activism,' however, I am still planning to exercise my 'civic duty' by voting in upcoming elections.

Now, to clarify something: I cannot edit my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which can be found on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog—for an unknown reason—as of May 11th, 2026. So, any editing that I have tried to do on this blog post, after May 11th, for some reason won't save...

…Although, on June 20th, 2026, I thought to relocate all of the 2026 updates from my original blog post, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," to my newer "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was, Part 2." You see, I had created this 'Part 2' blog post as a backup post, because there was a period of time when the original blog post kept being unpublished by Blogger for being too 'spammy'—I am guessing because of all the hyperlinks that I was providing for news articles that I was referring to my readers!

Anyway, that relocation of the 2026 updates seemed to have worked in getting the original blog post to be "editable" again, at least temporarily...

...But, then, later on that same day, I tried to add some additional text to the post and it would not save again! However, at least this time, instead of just saying that the "Update failed," it specifically stated, "The body is too large." Thus, I am assuming the 'unknown reason' that I stopped being able to edit the original post on May 11th was because I had—apparently—reached some sort of blog post size threshold!

So now, I am thinking of editing out most of the news updates, which I wrote on that original post, because those updates weren't nearly as pertinent to my "Online Activism" as was responding to the text message, email, and regular mail communications that I was receiving from various political, progressive and charitable organizations.

And, below, please find relevant quotes from a series of 'updates' that highlight the most important changes to my current activism, which are titled as follows:

▪ [A Quote From My] March 7th, 2017 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] November 5th, 2018 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] September 16th, 2021 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] November 10th, 2021 Update, Written On November 11th, 2021

▪ [A Quote From My] March 13th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] March 16th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] March 17th, 2022 Update, Which Also Discusses March 16th, 2022

▪ [A Quote From My] April 3rd, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] April 12th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued Further, Written On June 17th, 2022

▪ [A Quote From My] June 17th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022

▪ [A Quote From My] July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2023 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2023 Update—Continued

▪ [A Quote From My] November 6th, 2024 Update No. 1

▪ [A Series of Excerpts From My] April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 and

April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On April 17th, 2026) [My Writing About How I Restarted Donating To The USO (United Service Organizations) As Of April 2026], as well as

April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On April 19th, 2026), in addition to

April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On May 17th, 2026) [My Writing About How I Restarted Donating To The USO (United Service Organizations) As Of April 2026, Part 2], and finally,

April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 4, Written On June 15th, 2026, Which Also Discusses June 14th, 2026)

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[A Quote From My] March 7th, 2017 Update: "This update is a follow-up to my 'November 2nd, 2016 Update,' where I explained, in part, that I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in the same way that I was before, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes the same way that I was in the past. I wanted to clarify the fact that I do still donate to homeless folks where I live, as a way of giving 'alms to the poor.' And I also donate to charitable organizations that are fundraising through local stores at which I shop, as well as to charities that may be fundraising on the street. Besides that, I also sometimes donate to charities that send me 'free gifts enclosed' (such as calendars, greeting cards, key chains, etc.) when they are asking for a donation. Thus, I occasionally utilize one of those 'free gifts enclosed,' and so I send them a donation if I do!"

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[A Quote From My] November 5th, 2018 Update: "I wanted to explain to you the way that I have changed how I vote! And, in order to explain how I changed, please let me quote myself—specifically from my July 1st, 2012 post titled, 'For the Year 2012 — My Posting Sabbatical, Part 2,' which is published on my 'Small All White in the Forest' and 'Poet, Artist and Philosopher' blogs:

My Writing About How I Vote: When I vote, I typically consider the recommendations of various organizations, news publications, as well as election 'political mailers' and, then, I decide whose recommendations for, or against, each candidate or ballot measure make the most sense. Plus, I usually always vote for Democrats. And that's how democracy rolls in this house! –Paul Whiting (written October 28th, 2012 and revised November 8th, 2022)

Now, that quote still applies to how I vote; however, in 2018, I decided to not just read voter recommendations of 'various organizations, news publications, as well as election 'political mailers.'' Instead, I read news publications during the entire year. And, in that way, I can be a more informed voter, as well as a more informed citizen, throughout the year! And, thusly, when it comes to voting on Election Day, I have spent the entire year preparing to vote and have not been preparing only when it's time to vote. And, just to clarify, for some publications, I still only read their voter recommendation editions when I am preparing to vote."

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[A Quote From My] September 16th, 2021 Update: "I wanted to let you know that I have started subscribing to news organizations, which I can afford given my monthly spending budget (the reader should know that I am HIV-positive and that I have full-blown AIDS; plus, I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited), since I have a smart phone again, after years of only having a feature phone.

So, I subscribe to the news organizations whose news articles I read the most, based upon Google news searches that I do in order to keep up with the news! Thus, I scan the titles of the most popular articles and then I read the articles that I feel are the most relevant.

And I am reading news organizations' articles during the entire year, so that I can be a more informed voter, as well as a more informed citizen, which is how I am being an activist these days along with how I spend my money.

You see, I figured out that 'putting my money where my mouth is'—in terms of being a 'Conscious Consumer,' who is aware of how my spending habits affect the entire planet and all of its inhabitants—is the best way for me to be an activist, in addition to keeping up with the news and making sure that I vote!"

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[A Quote From My] November 10th, 2021 Update, Written On November 11th, 2021: "I signed up on Charity Navigator to make donations for holidays, special occasions, or current issues, to highly-rated charities..."

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[A Quote From My] March 13th, 2022 Update: "I have started donating to Democrats on a regular basis again, because I recently signed a petition regarding saving the United States Postal Service and then I made a political donation! And that's basically the first political petition that I have signed and/or political donation that I have made since around November of 2016.

You see, I am a 'Democratic Activist!' And I think that the Republicans know who I am—and they DO NOT like me—which is basically why I stopped signing political petitions and/or making political donations right before the November 2016 Election, when I created this 'I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was' post on my 'Poet, Artist and Philosopher' blog.

Thus, I was afraid that the Republicans might retaliate against me in some way, depending upon what type of activism I was engaged in, if they were in control of both Congress and the White House. And I also feared that once the Republicans won Congress and the White House that they would try to turn America into an oligarchy!

And, after the January 6th, 2021 Capitol Attack, my fears were confirmed. [Or, it was the January 6th, *1776* 'normal tourist group'; or, the insurrectionists that attacked the Capitol Complex—in order to stop the certification of Joe Biden's win—were really 'Antifa' protestors; or, they were Black Lives Matter protestors; or, they were paid actors and actresses; or, in all actuality, they were incited by ('Gasp!') the FBI. Regardless, however, it was clearly 'a false flag operation' designed to make President Donald J. Trump 'look bad'—like he needs any assistance doing that!]

Therefore, I am trying to stay informed about what is happening in politics again, especially due to the upcoming 2022 Midterm Elections. So, I am trying to help Democrats win, because I am greatly concerned about the Republicans retaking both the House and Senate of Congress, and eventually retaking the White House, since Republicans are acting like Radical Christian Terrorists!"

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[A Quote From My] March 16th, 2022 Update: "I made charitable donations today, March 16th, 2022, to multiple charitable organizations via Charity Navigator for the 'Crisis in Ukraine' after I watched three videos on YouTube titled, 'Zelenskyy: Peace Talks Between Ukraine And Russia 'Sound More Realistic'' and 'Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivers virtual address to the U.S. Congress — 3/16/22,' in addition to 'Ukrainian President Zelenskyy Calls For Assistance In Virtual Address to Congress.' For, I am greatly concerned about this act of war against Ukraine!"

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[A Quote From My] March 17th, 2022 Update, Which Also Discusses March 16th, 2022: "I made a donation today, March 17th, 2022, as well as yesterday, March 16th, 2022, to the USO (United Service Organizations). You see, I received a text message yesterday, March 16th, 2022, from the USO, which stated the following:

USO: Sorry to interrupt, but as war unfolds in Ukraine, thousands of U.S. troops are deployed in Eastern Europe to support NATO allies.

We still need 76?2+ more Americans to sign our card by midnight to thank them for their sacrifices -- and your name is missing. Will you sign now?***

And so, I filled out that survey yesterday, March 16th, 2022, and then I made a one-time donation to the USO via Charity Navigator as part of the charitable donations that I made yesterday for the 'Crisis in Ukraine,' which I explained in my 'March 16th, 2022 Update.'

And then today, March 17th, 2022, I received an email from the USO with the subject line, 'TAKE THE QUIZ: How many military terms do you know?', which stated the following:

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR MILITARY LINGO?
TAKE THE QUIZ »***

Paul: From the National Guard to the Marines, each branch of our military uses different phrases to quickly pass important information to their fellow service members.

We know you're a dedicated patriot, so this quiz is perfect for you. Have some fun testing yourself on how well you understand the jargon our troops are using every day!

Take our 60-second quiz to test your knowledge of all kinds of military words and phrases.

TAKE THE QUIZ »***

Good luck!

The USO

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

And so, after I took the quiz, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website. Plus, I also included a monthly donation in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel..."

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[A Quote From My] April 3rd, 2022 Update: "I keep changing the way that I donate to Democratic political organizations based upon three basic factors: Factor Number One, I am trying to stay within some kind of 'monthly donating budget' of how much I can give within each month (the reader should know that I am HIV-positive and that I have full-blown AIDS; plus, I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited); Factor Number Two, I am trying to donate as often as I can manage for each Democratic organization from which I am receiving emails and/or text messages (since I decided to start getting emails and/or text messages from the Democrats in order to keep up with all of the updates for the 2022 Midterm Elections); and Factor Number Three, I am donating on a monthly basis to the USO (United Service Organizations), which starts this month, April 2022, and so I am also including those donations in my 'monthly donating budget.' Therefore, I am hopefully helping the Democrats to win this November in order to prevent Republicans from controlling both Congress and the White House, because I fear that the Republicans will try to turn America into an oligarchy!"

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[A Quote From My] April 12th, 2022 Update: "I am donating to Democratic political organizations—while still trying to stay within a 'monthly donating budget'—so I am basically making one donation per organization per day from which I am receiving emails and/or text messages each day..."

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[A Quote From My] April 17th, 2022 Update: "...This update is a follow-up to my 'March 17th, 2022 Update, Which Also Discusses March 16th, 2022,' where I explained, in part, that I made a donation on March 17th, 2022, to the USO (United Service Organizations) on the USO.org website. And with that one-time donation, I included a recurring monthly donation in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel. Thus, that recurring monthly donation started today, April 17th, 2022..."

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[A Quote From My] April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued: "I have started making recurring monthly donations today, April 17th, 2022, to Democratic political organizations. And my plan is to let these recurring donations on the 17th of each month be the donations that I make for that day of each month, since I am making one donation per Democratic political organization per day from which I am receiving emails and/or text messages each day—while I am still trying to stay within a 'monthly donating budget'—which is all that I can afford given my monthly spending budget..."

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[A Quote From My] April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued Further, Written On June 17th, 2022: "I explained on my 'April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued' that I started making recurring monthly donations on April 17th, 2022, to Democratic political organizations via ActBlue.com**; however, I deleted my ActBlue account on June 11th, 2022.

You see, I think that my ActBlue account was compromised because, on June 8th, 2022, I attempted to make a $1.15 donation to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), plus I included an $0.11 tip for ActBlue, but when the payment processed, it was for $1,000.11! And that is why I deleted my ActBlue account on June 11th, 2022. Please see my 'June 11th, 2022 Update,' which can be found below for a detailed explanation.

**[I deleted my ActBlue account! Although, I am still processing payments through the ActBlue website (they seem to be the main donation processing website for most Democratic political organizations and many progressive organizations); however, since I deleted my ActBlue account I have noticed that there are more options for making contributions via ActBlue, but by utilizing different payment processors, such as Google Pay, PayPal and Venmo. Please see my 'June 11th, 2022 Update' for a detailed explanation.]..."

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[A Quote From My] June 17th, 2022 Update: "This update is a follow-up to my 'April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued Further, Written On June 17th, 2022,' where I explained that I deleted my ActBlue account on June 11th, 2022. ... So, I have restarted making recurring monthly donations today, June 17th, 2022, to Democratic political organizations. Therefore, my plan is to make regular donations to the various Democratic political organizations from which I am receiving emails and/or text messages each day—while I am still trying to stay within a 'monthly donating budget'—which is all that I can afford given my monthly spending budget..."

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[A Quote From My] July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022: "I have made approximately $[redacted] in total donations to Democratic political organizations and to various Democratic political campaigns from about March 2nd, 2022 through about July 5th, 2022.

And, as of July 7th, 2022, the total amount that I owe on my credit card is $[redacted], which is going to take me at least one year and eight months to pay off!

Plus, I am also making recurring donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations of $3.00 on the 17th of each month: and my plan is to continue donating those recurring donations indefinitely, since that is all that I can really afford to donate given my monthly spending budget...

...In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel...

...Thus, the total for the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations recurring donations, and for the USO recurring donation, is $46.00 per month (which used to be $41.00 per month, but I increased my monthly USO donation from $5.00 to $10.00 per month, so starting on August 17th, 2022 the total monthly donations are now $46.00 per month).

Therefore, I am continuing to make recurring monthly donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations...and to the USO; however, that is all I can afford to donate for the foreseeable future (with the exception of occasional one-time donations to the USO, plus various progressive organizations), given how much I went over my spending budget on political donations...

...And, as I mentioned above, the total amount that I owe on my credit card, as of July 7th, 2022, is $[redacted], which is going to take me at least one year and eight months to pay off as I have calculated, which I have estimated without any interest being calculated, and without any additional future charges, besides the above-mentioned monthly recurring donations.

So, this political donation information is why I wanted to update you with regard to my most recent donations to Democratic political organizations—as well as to Democratic political campaigns—and my planned recurring monthly donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations recurring donations, as well as to the USO.

And I am still making one-time donations to the USO—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. Plus, I am also still making one-time donations to various progressive organizations."

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[A Quote From My] July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022): "This update is a follow-up to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022' and it is kind of complicated!

You see, my monthly donations of $3.00 each to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations processed on July 17th, 2022...

...And then, today July 27th, 2022, I also made one-time donations to Democratic political campaigns of $3.00 each for the most competitive races (of which I am aware) regarding Democratic House of Representatives and Senate seats. In addition to that, I made one-time donations of $3.00 each to the most competitive races (of which I am aware) regarding Democratic gubernatorial—or governor's—seats. Plus, I made an additional one-time donation to my local Democratic Party of Oregon.

Now, here is where my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)' gets complicated: Earlier, I said that I was going to only 'make recurring monthly donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations...and to the USO...with the exception of occasional one-time donations to the USO, plus various progressive organizations,' which is what I have done, so far!

However, I decided that I needed to 'up my game' and to continue making donations to individual Democratic political campaigns, but I am planning to only donate to them once per month, on the 27th of each month, until election day. Thus, I am donating each month—and I am donating $3.00 per campaign, just like I am donating to each of the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations—and that way I am donating to help Democrats win in November, in a way that is affordable to me, for the 2022 Midterm Elections."

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[A Quote From My] April 17th, 2023 Update: "This update is a follow-up to my 'April 17th, 2022 Update,' where I explained, in part, the following:

'...This update is a follow-up to my 'March 17th, 2022 Update, Which Also Discusses March 16th, 2022,' where I explained, in part, that I made a donation on March 17th, 2022, to the USO (United Service Organizations) on the USO.org website. And with that one-time donation, I included a recurring monthly donation in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel. Thus, that recurring monthly donation started today, April 17th, 2022...'

Plus, this update is a follow-up to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022,' where I explained, in part, the following:

'...In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel:

01. USO: United Service Organizations recurring donation of $10.00 (which used to be $5.00 per month, but I increased it by an additional $5.00 per month; so starting on August 17th, 2022, the USO recurring donation is now $10.00 per month)...'

Therefore, today, April 17th, 2023, is the first full year that I have made a recurring monthly donation to the USO!

In addition to that, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message—in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.

By the way, did you know that the USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD)? The following description of the USO is from their 'About Us' webpage:

"The USO is not part of the federal government. A congressionally chartered, private organization, the USO relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities, and is powered by a family of volunteers to accomplish our mission of connection."

So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' as a member of the "USO Home Team" through a recurring monthly donation, as well as through one-time donations to the USO each month!"

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[A Quote From My] April 17th, 2023 Update—Continued: "This update is a follow-up to my 'April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued,' where I explained, in part, the following:

'I have started making recurring monthly donations today, April 17th, 2022, to Democratic political organizations...

...And so, here are the Democratic political organizations to which I am making these recurring monthly donations via ActBlue.com** (although, I did not include a tip for ActBlue on these donations, which I usually do, due to the fact that the 'tip box' did not appear, because I made these donations through ActBlue Express):

01. DCCC: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

02. DGA: Democratic Governors Association

03. DNC: Democratic National Committee

04. DSCC: Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee

05. NCDM: National Conference of Democratic Mayors

06. DLCC: Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee

07. DAGA: Democratic Attorneys General Association

08. DASS: Democratic Association of Secretaries of State

09. NDCO: National Democratic County Officials

10. DMO: Democratic Municipal Officials

11. NDRC: National Democratic Redistricting Committee

12. DPO: Democratic Party of Oregon...'

Plus, this update is a follow-up to my 'April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued Further, Written On June 17th, 2022,' where I explained, in part, the following:

'I explained on my 'April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued' that I started making recurring monthly donations on April 17th, 2022, to Democratic political organizations via ActBlue.com**; however, I deleted my ActBlue account on June 11th, 2022.

You see, I think that my ActBlue account was compromised because, on June 8th, 2022, I attempted to make a $1.15 donation to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), plus I included an $0.11 tip for ActBlue, but when the payment processed, it was for $1,000.11! And that is why I deleted my ActBlue account on June 11th, 2022. Please see my 'June 11th, 2022 Update' for a detailed explanation...'

Besides that, this update is a follow-up to my 'June 17th, 2022 Update,' where I explained, in part, the following:

'This update is a follow-up to my 'April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued Further, Written On June 17th, 2022,' where I explained that I deleted my ActBlue account on June 11th, 2022...

...So, I have restarted making recurring monthly donations today, June 17th, 2022, to Democratic political organizations...

...And so, here are the Democratic political organizations to which I am making recurring monthly donations via ActBlue.com** [although, because I no longer have an ActBlue account—since I deleted it, due to the fact that I think the account was compromised—I am still donating through the ActBlue website (they seem to be the main donation processing website for most Democratic political organizations and many progressive organizations), but I am donating for some of these recurring donations through other payment processors, such as Google Pay]:

01. DCCC: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
02. DGA: Democratic Governors Association
03. DNC: Democratic National Committee
04. DSCC: Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
05. NCDM: National Conference of Democratic Mayors
06. DLCC: Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee
07. DAGA: Democratic Attorneys General Association
08. DASS: Democratic Association of Secretaries of State
09. NDCO: National Democratic County Officials
10. DMO: Democratic Municipal Officials
11. NDRC: National Democratic Redistricting Committee
12. DPO: Democratic Party of Oregon...'

In addition to that, this update is a follow-up to my 'July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022,' where I explained, in part, the following:

'...I am also making recurring donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations of $3.00 on the 17th of each month: and my plan is to continue donating those recurring donations indefinitely, since that is all that I can really afford to donate given my monthly spending budget. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so my income is quite limited.)

And so, here are the Democratic political organizations to which I am making recurring monthly donations via ActBlue.com**...:

01. DCCC: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee recurring donation of $3.00
02. DGA: Democratic Governors Association recurring donation of $3.00
03. DNC: Democratic National Committee recurring donation of $3.00
04. DSCC: Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee recurring donation of $3.00
05. NCDM: National Conference of Democratic Mayors recurring donation of $3.00
06. DLCC: Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee recurring donation of $3.00
07. DAGA: Democratic Attorneys General Association recurring donation of $3.00
08. DASS: Democratic Association of Secretaries of State recurring donation of $3.00
09. NDCO: National Democratic County Officials recurring donation of $3.00
10. DMO: Democratic Municipal Officials recurring donation of $3.00
11. NDRC: National Democratic Redistricting Committee recurring donation of $3.00
12. DPO: Democratic Party of Oregon recurring donation of $3.00

Total Democratic Organizations Monthly Recurring Donations: $36.00...'

**[I deleted my ActBlue account! Although, I am still processing payments through the ActBlue website, since they seem to be the main donation processing website for most Democratic political organizations and many progressive organizations. Please see my 'June 11th, 2022 Update' on my blog post "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which can be found on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog, for a detailed explanation.]

Thus, April 17th, 2023 is the anniversary of the first year that I have made recurring monthly donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations! Plus, this past year is the first time that I have donated to Democratic political organizations when it isn't an election year; however, I decided to change the way that I am donating to Democrats, so that I am helping their fundraising and coordinating operations throughout the year and not just during election years.

And I have just gotta say how incredibly nice it is to be able to make recurring monthly donations to Democratic political organizations—because the payments process automatically each month—and I don't have to do one extra thing in order to help fund the operations of the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating political organizations throughout the year!"

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[A Quote From My] November 6th, 2024 Update No. 1 [My Writing About No Longer Being An 'Online Activist' In Any Way, Shape Or Form]: "Due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election—and until further notice—I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in any way, shape or form, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, and no longer sending letters to my Representative and Senators in Congress, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes. Full stop! I am also unsubscribing from any of the emails that I used to receive from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations. In fact, I am even cancelling all of my monthly political donations to the main Democratic fundraising and coordinating organizations, as well as to the USO (United Service Organizations), in addition to cancelling all of my monthly news organization subscriptions, or news organization donations, because I am absolutely terrified of this second Trump administration. And I fully expect that democracy in America as we know it will be over! So, I am choosing to not engage in any 'activism' whatsoever—plus, I am not even sure that I will be exercising my 'civic duty' by voting in any upcoming elections because, as a (formerly) donating and a (potentially former) voting Democrat, I totally fear the retribution of President Donald J. Trump. Full stop!"

P.S.: It's July 31st, 2025, and I feel like I need to provide an addendum (that is, "an item of additional material added at the end of a book or document, typically in order to correct, clarify, or supplement something") to this November 6th, 2024 'update!'

You see, a couple of days ago, on July 29th, 2025, I copied the text of this update to use as my reason for unsubscribing from a particular political email that I received that same day!

And so, I actually bothered to read this update—in order to verify that it made sense for me to use as a response to the request on this political email's unsubscribe page which stated, "Please tell us why you are leaving"—during which I realized there was a typo (that is, 'a typographical error') in the text of the update, as I have highlighted below, with the correction in brackets:

"And I fully expect that democracy in America as we know [it] will be over!"

Thus, I accidentally left out the word "it" in the sentence above. Hence, I corrected said typo on July 29th, the verification of which can be seen reflected in the addition of the date "revised July 29th, 2025" after my name.

However, as I got to thinking about the fact that I had originally said I may not be voting in any upcoming elections, I realized that, in fact, I did vote in Portland Oregon's Multnomah County Special District Election on May 20th, 2025, just like I usually do! [I always vote in every election (even 'special elections') and I always vote Democrat, which is why I was worried about voting in any upcoming elections given President Trump's clear disdain for Democrats.]

Therefore, I decided to write this "P.S." today, July 31st, as a way to clarify that I am still voting in elections (even 'special elections'), it's just that I am no longer engaging in any 'Online Activism,' during Trump's Presidency, as I explained in great detail above. (I hope that makes sense!)

---------------------------------------------

[A Series of Excerpts From My] April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1: I received a text message today, April 16th, 2026, from the USO (United Service Organizations), which stated the following:

[Image of the 2026 USO T-shirt design.]

USO T-shirt alert: Paul, we're so excited to share that the exclusive 2026 USO T-shirts are here! As a thank you for being a top supporter, we're giving you early access before the T-shirts are available to the general public. So please, get yours now before they're gone! 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 $𝟮𝟵 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧-𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁 — 𝗼𝗿 $𝟱𝟮 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗧-𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘀?***

As the official uniform of military supporters, this exclusive USO T-shirt is one of the best ways to show your pride and support our nation's service members. Please, don't miss your chance to be among the first to get yours.

𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗨𝗦𝗢 𝗧-𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁:***

—The USO

And, after I read the text message above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage ...

... And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Wear your support for our troops — support they can see. Every donation helps support critical programs for our brave soldiers that keep them connected to home as they serve worldwide. This year's T-shirt also celebrates America's 250th birthday, so supplies won't last long!" ...

... In addition to that, I used to make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel. Besides that, I also formerly made one-time donations to the USO as often as I could manage whenever they requested a donation via email or text message. However, I am currently on an "Activist Sabbatical" due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election. ...

---------------------------------------------

[A Series of Excerpts From My] April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On April 17th, 2026) [My Writing About How I Restarted Donating To The USO (United Service Organizations) As Of April 2026]: Yesterday, April 16th, 2026, I wrote about receiving a text message from the USO (United Service Organizations) regarding the 2026 USO T-shirt design! And I explained that I made a one-time donation for said T-shirt, but I also clarified that I am not currently donating to the USO on a recurring monthly basis, like I used to do, due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election.

Now, today, I realized that I shouldn't really be withholding monthly donations just because Donald Trump is President, since the USO is providing really important support to Our Troops, who are putting themselves in harm's way in order to Protect Our Country and Defend Democracy!

So, what got me to thinking about restarting my recurring monthly donations to the USO is the fact that I received an email from the USO yesterday, after I opened the donation webpage from their original text message referenced in my 'April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1,' which can be found above, to get the correct phrasing from that donation webpage in order to represent said page as accurately as possible for the description that I provided in my 'April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1.' And, in doing so, I entered the information in each box, just like I was planning to make a donation! However, I was simply capturing the formatting of the USO's donation webpage text, so that I could replicate it.

Then—lo and behold—yesterday, April 16th, 2026, I received an email from the USO, with the subject line, "You are so close to providing help & support," which stated the following:

[Picture of "a soldier sitting against a fence, looking pensive while holding a small object in his hands. The background features trees and grass, indicating a calm outdoor setting."]

Don’t leave your impact unfinished

You can make a powerful impact for service members and their families.

By making a donation today

• You give our heroes a lifeline: The USO is the only nonprofit dedicated to keeping service members connected to loved ones and the comforts of home — from free Wi-Fi calls to connections home and holiday meals that remind them their sacrifice is valued.
• You make sure no one serves alone: No matter how far, remote or dangerous the deployment, the USO shows up — just like our service members show up for us. But 6 in 10 service members don’t even know the full range of programs available. Your support ensures they can find and use the help they deserve.
• You help power $230,000 of care every single day: It takes $230,000 a day to provide these life-changing programs. Your generosity makes it possible for every hero to feel the comfort of home no matter where duty takes them.

Every day the USO is on the frontlines with our service members. We couldn't do this critical work without generous friends like you.

For the People Who Serve,

– [Names redacted], USO

Complete your donation***

The USO is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and acknowledges that no goods or services were provided to you in return for your contribution. Donations to USO are tax deductible to the extent provided by law. ...

... And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, however—in order for me to clarify something—this is where I usually say in these kinds of updates, "the relevant text of which can be found below," but when I opened that page, I realized that I would simply be making another donation for the 2026 USO T-shirt!

Therefore, I decided to refer to my own previous blog post updates where I extol the virtues of making recurring monthly donations as part of the USO Home Team, the text of which can be found below:

So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' as a member of the "USO Home Team" through a recurring monthly donation, as well as through one-time donations to the USO each month!

And, after I read my own blog post update text, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage ...

... And to clarify another thing: I decided to increase what I donate to the USO on a monthly recurring basis to $20.00, since I used to donate $10.00 per month—which was increased from $5.00 per month—as explained below, from my 'April 17th, 2023 Update,' …

"...In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel:

01. USO: United Service Organizations recurring donation of $10.00 (which used to be $5.00 per month, but I increased it by an additional $5.00 per month; so starting on August 17th, 2022, the USO recurring donation is now $10.00 per month)..."

Then, after I made said donation, I received an email from the USO today, April 17th, 2026, with the subject line, "Welcome to the USO Home Team, Paul" ...

... Thus, I made a recurring donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can't do that without support from military supporters like you. Our heroes are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country." ...

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[A Series of Excerpts From My] April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On April 19th, 2026): Three days ago, on April 16th, 2026, I wrote about receiving a text message from the USO (United Service Organizations) regarding the 2026 USO T-shirt! And I explained that I made a one-time donation for said T-shirt, but I also clarified that I am not currently donating to the USO on a recurring monthly basis, like I used to do, due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election.

Then, on April 17th, 2026, I wrote about restarting my recurring monthly donations to the USO due to the fact that I received an email from the USO two days ago, on April 17th, 2026, because I realized that I shouldn't really be withholding monthly donations just because Donald Trump is President, since the USO is providing really important support to Our Troops, who are putting themselves in harm's way in order to Protect Our Country and Defend Democracy!

Then today, April 19th, 2026, I received an email from the USO, with the subject line, "Will your employer match your donation?", which stated the following:

[Graphic image showing a USO logo, then a "+" (plus sign), followed by a gift box emoji with the word "You" written under it, then another "+" (plus sign), followed by another gift box emoji with the words "Company Match" written under it, then the "=" (equals sign), followed by a much larger gift box emoji with the words "Double the impact" written under it.]

Hi Paul,

We’re so thankful for your recent donation!

Did you know that thousands of companies match donations made by their employees to organizations like the USO? Please visit our matching gift page to see if your company will match your gift and to access the forms, guidelines, and instructions that you need to complete your submission.

[  ] Step 1: See if I'm eligible! Click here***

We want to know when you’ve submitted your matching gift request! Once you’ve submitted, click the link below to let us know.

[  ] Step 2: I've submitted my matching gift request! Click here***

If your company doesn't offer a matching gift program or won't match your donation, click the link below to help us keep our records up to date.

[✓] I'm not eligible for a matching gift.***

For the People Who Serve,

[Name redacted], [name redacted] and [name redacted]

USO Matching Gift Team

Sent on behalf of United Service Organizations., Inc. ...

... And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Let us know why your gift is ineligible

Thank you for notifying us that your donation is not eligible to be matched by your company. To note this in our records, please select one of the reasons below. Your selection will not be saved until you click "Submit" below.

[  ] I'm retired.

[✓] I am self-employed, a government employee, or not currently working.

[  ] I'm self-employed.

[✓] I'm not currently working.

[Blogger's Note: The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so that is why I indicated that "I'm not currently working."]

[  ] I'm a stay-at-home parent.

[  ] I'm in the public sector.

[  ] I work for a nonprofit.

[  ] I work part-time.

[  ] My company doesn't offer a matching program.

[  ] I don't work for the company you sent info for.

[  ] My donation doesn't meet my company's matching gift program requirements.

[  ] I don't want to submit a match request for this gift.

[  ] I prefer not to say.

Submit

---------------------------------------------

Thank you for your response. We have updated our records.

Thus, I responded to the USO's request to see if my donation could be matched, by indicating that "I'm not currently working." ...

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[A Series of Excerpts From My] April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On May 17th, 2026) [My Writing About How I Restarted Donating To The USO (United Service Organizations) As Of April 2026, Part 2]: This update is a follow-up to my 'April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On April 17th, 2026)', wherein I explained, in part, that I made a donation on April 16th, 2026, to the USO (United Service Organizations) on the USO.org website regarding the 2026 USO T-shirt design!

Plus, I clarified that—even though I made a one-time donation for said T-shirt—I am not currently donating to the USO on a recurring monthly basis, like I used to do, due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election.

And I go on to explain that I shouldn't really be withholding monthly donations just because Donald Trump is President, since the USO is providing really important support to Our Troops, who are putting themselves in harm's way in order to Protect Our Country and Defend Democracy!

Therefore, I explained that I decided to restart my recurring monthly donations, as part of the USO Home Team, on April 17th, 2026!

And I also clarified that I decided to increase what I donate to the USO on a monthly recurring basis to $20.00, since I used to donate $10.00 per month, which was increased from $5.00 per month.

Thus, that first recurring monthly donation started today, May 17th, 2026! ...

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[A Series of Excerpts From My] April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 4, Written On June 15th, 2026, Which Also Discusses June 14th, 2026): This update is a follow-up to my 'April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1', wherein I wrote about receiving a text message on April 16th, 2026 from the USO (United Service Organizations) regarding the 2026 USO T-shirt design! And I explained that I made a one-time donation for said T-shirt on the USO.org website!

Well, just before midnight on June 14th, 2026, after checking my regular mail, I received the T-shirt—which I must say looks even better than the promotional image! And contained within the packaging for the T-shirt, there was an enclosed letter from the USO, dated May 30th, 2026, which stated the following:

★★★ USO ★★★
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE.™

USO ★ [Street Address and Suite No. redacted] ★ [City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

May 30, 2026

Dear Paul Whiting:

Thank you again for your support of the USO. Enclosed is your 16th Anniversary USO T-shirt, a special collector's edition honoring America's 250th birthday. We hope that each time you wear it, you will be reminded of the brave service members you help support and the sacrifices they make to serve our country.

Thanks to you, and other caring Americans, the USO is able to reach our men and women in uniform wherever they are stationed. You also help the wounded heroes traveling the difficult road from the battlefield to recovery.

Simply put, your gifts help our service members by:

• Paying for Wi-Fi, email access and phone calls home that allow them to stay in touch with their families and loved ones from anywhere in the world — for free.

• Delivering care packages filled with snacks, games and personal hygiene items that our military service members on patrol in remote locations simply wouldn't have otherwise.

• Opening new USO locations across the world and maintaining operations around the clock to give our brave service members serving the comfort of home.

You help the USO make life better for our Armed Forces and their families. However, as the USO faces the daunting task of making life better for all these troops, we need to ask if you can do even more. And if you can find it in your heart to send an additional donation today, you will send a message of hope and gratitude to all those we serve. Thank you again for your support of the USO and the U.S. military.

With heartfelt thanks and best wishes,

Your USO Team

P.S. In the event you are able to make an additional gift now on behalf of our American heroes, please use the attached donation form which has been personalized with your name, address and USO donor number. You may also visit uso.org/usosupporter.

https://give.uso.org/page/2604_tshirt_2a

P.P.S If you requested more than one T-shirt, your items may arrive in separate packages. Be sure to keep an eye out for additional shipments. If you do not receive all items within 6-8 weeks after your donation was made, please reach out to us at [email redacted] so we can assist you.

---------------------------------------------

★★★ USO ★★★
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE.™

USO DONATION FORM

(Please detach and return this form with your tax-deductible contribution in the envelope provided.)

The people of our U.S. military, and their families, need to know that America still stands behind them. Please accept this additional contribution on their behalf:

[  ] $35
[  ] $50
[  ] $100
[✓] Other $7.00

Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Make check payable to The USO. To donate using your credit card or to make your donation monthly, please use the other side of this form. Your gift is tax deductible as allowed by law. Thank you for your generosity.

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage ...

... And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Thanks to you, and other caring Americans, the USO is able to reach our men and women in uniform wherever they are stationed. You also help the wounded heroes traveling the difficult road from the battlefield to recovery. ... You help the USO make life better for our Armed Forces and their families. However, as the USO faces the daunting task of making life better for all these troops, we need to ask if you can do even more. And if you can find it in your heart to send an additional donation today, you will send a message of hope and gratitude to all those we serve."

Then, after I made said donation, I received an email from the USO today, June 15th, 2026, with the subject line, "Thank You for Your Donation to the USO" …

… In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via regular mail, email or text message. (I also donate for specific situations, such as receiving a USO T-shirt!) Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

---------------------------------------------

Above, please find relevant quotes from a series of 'updates' that highlight the most important changes to my current activism, which are titled as follows:

▪ [A Quote From My] March 7th, 2017 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] November 5th, 2018 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] September 16th, 2021 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] November 10th, 2021 Update, Written On November 11th, 2021

▪ [A Quote From My] March 13th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] March 16th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] March 17th, 2022 Update, Which Also Discusses March 16th, 2022

▪ [A Quote From My] April 3rd, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] April 12th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2022 Update—Continued Further, Written On June 17th, 2022

▪ [A Quote From My] June 17th, 2022 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022

▪ [A Quote From My] July 7th, 2022 Update, Written On July 11th, 2022 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On July 27th, 2022)

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2023 Update

▪ [A Quote From My] April 17th, 2023 Update—Continued

▪ [A Quote From My] November 6th, 2024 Update No. 1

▪ [A Series of Excerpts From My] April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 and

April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On April 17th, 2026) [My Writing About How I Restarted Donating To The USO (United Service Organizations) As Of April 2026], as well as

April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On April 19th, 2026), in addition to

April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On May 17th, 2026) [My Writing About How I Restarted Donating To The USO (United Service Organizations) As Of April 2026, Part 2], and finally,

April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 4, Written On June 15th, 2026, Which Also Discusses June 14th, 2026)

This prose (with some poetry) was only published on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog.

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Poet, Artist and Philosopher)
"I am the poet who thinks that he knows it!"

THIS POST IS A CONTINUATION OF THE BLOG POST TITLED, "I AM NO LONGER BEING AN ACTIVIST IN THE SAME WAY THAT I WAS" (WHICH CAN BE SEEN IN THE PREVIOUS POST NO. 149, WITH A HYPERLINK PROVIDED BELOW). AND IT HAS ALL OF THE UPDATES WRITTEN FROM 2026 TO THE PRESENT:

https://poetartistandphilosopher.blogspot.com/2016/11/i-am-no-longer-being-activist.html

-------------------------------------------------------------------

My Philosophical Notes:

The reason that I wrote this prose can be summed up with the following statement: "Due to being stressed out—and until further notice—I am no longer being an 'Online Activist' in the same way that I was before, which includes no longer signing petitions from political, social, environmental and charitable organizations, as well as no longer making donations to political, social, environmental and charitable causes the same way that I was in the past. (The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS.) And so, I am consciously choosing to not engage in any 'activism,' however, I am still planning to exercise my 'civic duty' by voting in upcoming elections."

Now, to clarify something: I cannot edit my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which can be found on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog—for an unknown reason—as of May 11th, 2026. So, any editing that I have tried to do on this blog post, after May 11th, for some reason won't save...

…Although, on June 20th, 2026, I thought to relocate all of the 2026 updates from my original blog post, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," to my newer "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was, Part 2." You see, I had created this 'Part 2' blog post as a backup post, because there was a period of time when the original blog post kept being unpublished by Blogger for being too 'spammy'—I am guessing because of all the hyperlinks that I was providing for news articles that I was referring to my readers!

Anyway, that relocation of the 2026 updates seemed to have worked in getting the original blog post to be "editable" again, at least temporarily...

...But, then, later on that same day, I tried to add some additional text to the post and it would not save again! However, at least this time, instead of just saying that the "Update failed," it specifically stated, "The body is too large." Thus, I am assuming the 'unknown reason' that I stopped being able to edit the original post on May 11th was because I had—apparently—reached some sort of blog post size threshold!

So now, I am thinking of editing out most of the news updates, which I wrote on that original post, because those updates weren't nearly as pertinent to my "Online Activism" as was responding to the text message, email, and regular mail communications that I was receiving from various political, progressive and charitable organizations.

This prose was only published on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog.

This prose was written in Portland, Oregon.

-Paulee

THIS POST IS A CONTINUATION OF THE BLOG POST TITLED, "I AM NO LONGER BEING AN ACTIVIST IN THE SAME WAY THAT I WAS" (WHICH CAN BE SEEN IN THE PREVIOUS POST NO. 149, WITH A HYPERLINK PROVIDED BELOW). AND IT HAS ALL OF THE UPDATES WRITTEN FROM 2026 TO THE PRESENT:

https://poetartistandphilosopher.blogspot.com/2016/11/i-am-no-longer-being-activist.html

-------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------

YEAR 2026 UPDATES FOR APRIL:

-------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------

For my "April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An overview to the 'update' can be found below:

April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1: I received a text message today, April 16th, 2026, from the USO (United Service Organizations), which stated the following:

[Image of the 2026 USO T-shirt design.]

USO T-shirt alert: Paul, we're so excited to share that the exclusive 2026 USO T-shirts are here! As a thank you for being a top supporter, we're giving you early access before the T-shirts are available to the general public. So please, get yours now before they're gone! 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 $𝟮𝟵 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧-𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁 — 𝗼𝗿 $𝟱𝟮 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗧-𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘀?***

As the official uniform of military supporters, this exclusive USO T-shirt is one of the best ways to show your pride and support our nation's service members. Please, don't miss your chance to be among the first to get yours.

𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗨𝗦𝗢 𝗧-𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝘁:***

—The USO

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

And, after I read the text message above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Help support our troops — and claim your 2026 USO T-shirt today!

Wear your support for our troops — support they can see. Every donation helps support critical programs for our brave soldiers that keep them connected to home as they serve worldwide. This year's T-shirt also celebrates America's 250th birthday, so supplies won't last long! Please donate $29 for one or $52 for two collector's edition 2026 USO T-shirts before they're gone. ...

... And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Wear your support for our troops — support they can see. Every donation helps support critical programs for our brave soldiers that keep them connected to home as they serve worldwide. This year's T-shirt also celebrates America's 250th birthday, so supplies won't last long!"

In addition to that, I used to make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel. Besides that, I also formerly made one-time donations to the USO as often as I could manage whenever they requested a donation via email or text message. However, I am currently on an "Activist Sabbatical" due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election. Please see my 'November 6th, 2024 Update No. 1' (that also appears as 'My Writing About No Longer Being An 'Online Activist' In Any Way, Shape Or Form'), which can be found on this blog post for a complete explanation of this "Activism Sabbatical," so to speak, that I am currently taking. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html
---------------------------------------------
For my "April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On April 17th, 2026) [My Writing About How I Restarted Donating To The USO (United Service Organizations) As Of April 2026]"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On April 17th, 2026) [My Writing About How I Restarted Donating To The USO (United Service Organizations) As Of April 2026]: Yesterday, April 16th, 2026, I wrote about receiving a text message from the USO (United Service Organizations) regarding the 2026 USO T-shirt! And I explained that I made a one-time donation for said T-shirt, but I also clarified that I am not currently donating to the USO on a recurring monthly basis, like I used to do, due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election.

Now, today, I realized that I shouldn't really be withholding monthly donations just because Donald Trump is President, since the USO is providing really important support to Our Troops, who are putting themselves in harm's way in order to Protect Our Country and Defend Democracy!

So, what got me to thinking about restarting my recurring monthly donations to the USO is the fact that I received an email from the USO yesterday, after I opened the donation webpage from their original text message referenced in my 'April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1,' which can be found above, to get the correct phrasing from that donation webpage in order to represent said page as accurately as possible for the description that I provided in my 'April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1.' And, in doing so, I entered the information in each box, just like I was planning to make a donation! However, I was simply capturing the formatting of the USO's donation webpage text, so that I could replicate it.

Then—lo and behold—yesterday, April 16th, 2026, I received an email from the USO, with the subject line, "You are so close to providing help & support," which stated the following:

[Picture of "a soldier sitting against a fence, looking pensive while holding a small object in his hands. The background features trees and grass, indicating a calm outdoor setting."]

Don’t leave your impact unfinished

You can make a powerful impact for service members and their families.

By making a donation today

• You give our heroes a lifeline: The USO is the only nonprofit dedicated to keeping service members connected to loved ones and the comforts of home — from free Wi-Fi calls to connections home and holiday meals that remind them their sacrifice is valued.
• You make sure no one serves alone: No matter how far, remote or dangerous the deployment, the USO shows up — just like our service members show up for us. But 6 in 10 service members don’t even know the full range of programs available. Your support ensures they can find and use the help they deserve.
• You help power $230,000 of care every single day: It takes $230,000 a day to provide these life-changing programs. Your generosity makes it possible for every hero to feel the comfort of home no matter where duty takes them.

Every day the USO is on the frontlines with our service members. We couldn't do this critical work without generous friends like you.

For the People Who Serve,

– [Names redacted], USO

Complete your donation***

The USO is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and acknowledges that no goods or services were provided to you in return for your contribution. Donations to USO are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, however—in order for me to clarify something—this is where I usually say in these kinds of updates, "the relevant text of which can be found below," but when I opened that page, I realized that I would simply be making another donation for the 2026 USO T-shirt!

Therefore, I decided to refer to my own previous blog post updates where I extol the virtues of making recurring monthly donations as part of the USO Home Team, the text of which can be found below:

So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' as a member of the "USO Home Team" through a recurring monthly donation, as well as through one-time donations to the USO each month!

And, after I read my own blog post updates text, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, which can be found below:

Donate to support our service members

Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can't do that without support from military supporters like you. Our heroes are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country. So please, donate now.

By donating, you agree to allow the USO to use your gift, combined with others, in a matching gift fund.

Secure donation

[  ] Give once
[✓] ❤ Monthly

[  ] $100
[  ] $55
[  ] $25
[✓] $20
[  ] $10
[  ] $5

Upgrade to quarterly donations

Would you consider switching your $20 monthly gift to a quarterly support? Your quarterly commitment helps us plan ahead and make an even greater impact every season.

[  ] ❤ Upgrade to $60/quarter
[  ] Upgrade to $57/quarter
[✓] Keep my $20 monthly donation

Enter your details

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email address: [redacted]
Phone number (optional): [redacted]
Donate as an organization: N/A

Double your impact

Many employers have a donation matching program that will double or triple the value of your donation. Just enter the name of your employer, and we'll see if your impact can be amplified!

Your company (optional): N/A

Enter your address

Street address: [redacted]
Apartment/suite/floor: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]

You donate $20 USD/month

[  ] Cover transaction costs

Donate

And to clarify another thing: I decided to increase what I donate to the USO on a monthly recurring basis to $20.00, since I used to donate $10.00 per month—which was increased from $5.00 per month—as explained below, from my 'April 17th, 2023 Update,' which can be found on this blog:

"...In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel:

01. USO: United Service Organizations recurring donation of $10.00 (which used to be $5.00 per month, but I increased it by an additional $5.00 per month; so starting on August 17th, 2022, the USO recurring donation is now $10.00 per month)..."

Then, after I made said donation, I received an email from the USO today, April 17th, 2026, with the subject line, "Welcome to the USO Home Team, Paul", which stated the following:

[Graphic image of "a red heart on a blue watercolor background."]

Thank you for becoming a recurring supporter

Thank you Paul!

Thank you for your monthly recurring gift of $20.00 USD.

Your Recurring ID is: [redacted]

On behalf of all of us at USO, we want to express our heartfelt appreciation to you for your recent recurring donation and your support. Our mission depends on the support and compassion of donors like you.

– Your friends at the USO.

Thus, I made a recurring monthly donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can't do that without support from military supporters like you. Our heroes are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country." ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On April 17th, 2026)":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html
---------------------------------------------
For my "April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On April 19th, 2026)"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On April 19th, 2026): Three days ago, on April 16th, 2026, I wrote about receiving a text message from the USO (United Service Organizations) regarding the 2026 USO T-shirt! And I explained that I made a one-time donation for said T-shirt, but I also clarified that I am not currently donating to the USO on a recurring monthly basis, like I used to do, due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election.

Then, on April 17th, 2026, I wrote about restarting my recurring monthly donations to the USO due to the fact that I received an email from the USO two days ago, on April 17th, 2026, because I realized that I shouldn't really be withholding monthly donations just because Donald Trump is President, since the USO is providing really important support to Our Troops, who are putting themselves in harm's way in order to Protect Our Country and Defend Democracy!

Then today, April 19th, 2026, I received an email from the USO, with the subject line, "Will your employer match your donation?", which stated the following:

[Graphic image showing a USO logo, then a "+" (plus sign), followed by a gift box emoji with the word "You" written under it, then another "+" (plus sign), followed by another gift box emoji with the words "Company Match" written under it, then the "=" (equals sign), followed by a much larger gift box emoji with the words "Double the impact" written under it.]

Hi Paul,

We’re so thankful for your recent donation!

Did you know that thousands of companies match donations made by their employees to organizations like the USO? Please visit our matching gift page to see if your company will match your gift and to access the forms, guidelines, and instructions that you need to complete your submission.

[  ] Step 1: See if I'm eligible! Click here***

We want to know when you’ve submitted your matching gift request! Once you’ve submitted, click the link below to let us know.

[  ] Step 2: I've submitted my matching gift request! Click here***

If your company doesn't offer a matching gift program or won't match your donation, click the link below to help us keep our records up to date.

[✓] I'm not eligible for a matching gift.***

For the People Who Serve,

[Name redacted], [name redacted] and [name redacted]

USO Matching Gift Team

Sent on behalf of United Service Organizations., Inc.

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

And, after I read the email above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Let us know why your gift is ineligible

Thank you for notifying us that your donation is not eligible to be matched by your company. To note this in our records, please select one of the reasons below. Your selection will not be saved until you click "Submit" below.

[  ] I'm retired.

[✓] I am self-employed, a government employee, or not currently working.

[  ] I'm self-employed.

[✓] I'm not currently working.

[Blogger's Note: The reader should know that I am HIV-positive with full-blown AIDS. And I am on Social Security Disability Insurance, or SSDI, so that is why I indicated that "I'm not currently working."]

[  ] I'm a stay-at-home parent.

[  ] I'm in the public sector.

[  ] I work for a nonprofit.

[  ] I work part-time.

[  ] My company doesn't offer a matching program.

[  ] I don't work for the company you sent info for.

[  ] My donation doesn't meet my company's matching gift program requirements.

[  ] I don't want to submit a match request for this gift.

[  ] I prefer not to say.

Submit

---------------------------------------------

Thank you for your response. We have updated our records.

Thus, I responded to the USO's request to see if my donation could be matched, by indicating that "I'm not currently working." ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 2, Written On April 19th, 2026)":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html
---------------------------------------------
For my "April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On May 17th, 2026) [My Writing About How I Restarted Donating To The USO (United Service Organizations) As Of April 2026, Part 2]"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An overview to the 'update' can be found below:

April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On May 17th, 2026) [My Writing About How I Restarted Donating To The USO (United Service Organizations) As Of April 2026, Part 2]: This update is a follow-up to my 'April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 1, Written On April 17th, 2026)', wherein I explained, in part, that I made a donation on April 16th, 2026, to the USO (United Service Organizations) on the USO.org website regarding the 2026 USO T-shirt design!

Plus, I clarified that—even though I made a one-time donation for said T-shirt—I am not currently donating to the USO on a recurring monthly basis, like I used to do, due to Donald Trump winning the 2024 Presidential Election.

And I go on to explain that I shouldn't really be withholding monthly donations just because Donald Trump is President, since the USO is providing really important support to Our Troops, who are putting themselves in harm's way in order to Protect Our Country and Defend Democracy!

Therefore, I explained that I decided to restart my recurring monthly donations, as part of the USO Home Team, on April 17th, 2026!

And I also clarified that I decided to increase what I donate to the USO on a monthly recurring basis to $20.00, since I used to donate $10.00 per month, which was increased from $5.00 per month.

Thus, that first recurring monthly donation started today, May 17th, 2026!

You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via regular mail, email or text message. (I also donate for particular calendar observances, such as Armed Forces Day, or Armed Forces Month!) Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

... P.S.: It's May 18th, 2026 and early this morning, after checking my regular mail, I received a postcard from the USO, which stated the following:

★★★ USO ★★★ Home ⋆ Team

Thank you for joining the USO Home Team! Your ongoing commitment is deeply appreciated. Your generosity ensures that we can continue providing vital support to our service members and their families.

For the people who serve,

[Name redacted]

Welcome to the USO Home Team, Paul!

And so, I wanted to share this postcard with you, my readers, as part of this update regarding my USO Home Team recurring monthly donations! ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On May 17th, 2026)":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html
---------------------------------------------
For my "April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 4, Written On June 15th, 2026, Which Also Discusses June 14th, 2026)"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 4, Written On June 15th, 2026, Which Also Discusses June 14th, 2026): This update is a follow-up to my 'April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1', wherein I wrote about receiving a text message on April 16th, 2026 from the USO (United Service Organizations) regarding the 2026 USO T-shirt design! And I explained that I made a one-time donation for said T-shirt on the USO.org website!

Well, just before midnight on June 14th, 2026, after checking my regular mail, I received the T-shirt—which I must say looks even better than the promotional image! And contained within the packaging for the T-shirt, there was an enclosed letter from the USO, dated May 30th, 2026, which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

★★★ USO ★★★
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE.™

USO ★ [Street Address and Suite No. redacted] ★ [City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

May 30, 2026

Dear Paul Whiting:

Thank you again for your support of the USO. Enclosed is your 16th Anniversary USO T-shirt, a special collector's edition honoring America's 250th birthday. We hope that each time you wear it, you will be reminded of the brave service members you help support and the sacrifices they make to serve our country.

Thanks to you, and other caring Americans, the USO is able to reach our men and women in uniform wherever they are stationed. You also help the wounded heroes traveling the difficult road from the battlefield to recovery.

Simply put, your gifts help our service members by:

• Paying for Wi-Fi, email access and phone calls home that allow them to stay in touch with their families and loved ones from anywhere in the world — for free.

• Delivering care packages filled with snacks, games and personal hygiene items that our military service members on patrol in remote locations simply wouldn't have otherwise.

• Opening new USO locations across the world and maintaining operations around the clock to give our brave service members serving the comfort of home.

You help the USO make life better for our Armed Forces and their families. However, as the USO faces the daunting task of making life better for all these troops, we need to ask if you can do even more. And if you can find it in your heart to send an additional donation today, you will send a message of hope and gratitude to all those we serve. Thank you again for your support of the USO and the U.S. military.

With heartfelt thanks and best wishes,

Your USO Team

P.S. In the event you are able to make an additional gift now on behalf of our American heroes, please use the attached donation form which has been personalized with your name, address and USO donor number. You may also visit uso.org/usosupporter.

https://give.uso.org/page/2604_tshirt_2a

P.P.S If you requested more than one T-shirt, your items may arrive in separate packages. Be sure to keep an eye out for additional shipments. If you do not receive all items within 6-8 weeks after your donation was made, please reach out to us at [email redacted] so we can assist you.

---------------------------------------------

★★★ USO ★★★
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE.™

USO DONATION FORM

(Please detach and return this form with your tax-deductible contribution in the envelope provided.)

The people of our U.S. military, and their families, need to know that America still stands behind them. Please accept this additional contribution on their behalf:

[  ] $35
[  ] $50
[  ] $100
[✓] Other $7.00

Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Make check payable to The USO. To donate using your credit card or to make your donation monthly, please use the other side of this form. Your gift is tax deductible as allowed by law. Thank you for your generosity.

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Help support our troops and claim your 2026 USO T-shirt today!

Wear your support for our troops — support they can see. Every donation helps support critical programs for our brave soldiers that keep them connected to home as they serve worldwide. This year's T-shirt also celebrates America's 250th birthday, so supplies won't last long! Please donate $29 for one or $52 for two collector's edition 2026 USO T-shirts before they're gone.

Your donation will be used where it is needed most.

Secure donation

[  ] $29
[  ] $52
[  ] $100
[  ] $250
[  ] $500
[  ] $1,000
[✓] $7.00

Select your thank-you gift

[✓] Donate without thank-you gift

[  ] 1 T-shirt
For $29+ one-time
View details

[  ] 2 T-shirts
For $52+ one-time
View details

Enter your details

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email address: [redacted]
Phone number (optional): [redacted]
Donate as an organization: N/A

Enter your address

Street address: [redacted]
Apartment/suite/floor: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]

You donate $7 USD

[  ] Cover transaction costs

Donate

And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Thanks to you, and other caring Americans, the USO is able to reach our men and women in uniform wherever they are stationed. You also help the wounded heroes traveling the difficult road from the battlefield to recovery. ... You help the USO make life better for our Armed Forces and their families. However, as the USO faces the daunting task of making life better for all these troops, we need to ask if you can do even more. And if you can find it in your heart to send an additional donation today, you will send a message of hope and gratitude to all those we serve."

Then, after I made said donation, I received an email from the USO today, June 15th, 2026, with the subject line, "Thank You for Your Donation to the USO", which stated the following:

★★★ USO ★★★

[Picture of "a soldier kneeling to embrace a child in an airport setting, conveying a message of reunion and support, with the USO logo on the left."]

Thank you for your generous $7.00 USD donation!

Dear Paul Whiting,

Thank you for your generous tax-deductible gift in support of the USO.

Your gift honors the service and sacrifice our troops make for us every day and will provide comfort and support to them and their families.

As a reminder, your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowable by federal law. And if there is a premium associated with your donation, please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

If you have any questions or would like to contact the USO, please call [phone number redacted].

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via regular mail, email or text message. (I also donate for specific situations, such as receiving a USO T-shirt!) Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 4, Written On June 15th, 2026, Which Also Discusses June 14th, 2026)":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

-------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------

YEAR 2026 UPDATES FOR MAY:

-------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------

For my "May 1st, 2026 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses April 2026 And April 27th, 2026"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An extended introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

May 1st, 2026 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses April 2026 And April 27th, 2026: May is Military Appreciation Month! And I recently received two communications from the USO (United Service Organizations).

And the first communication, which I received sometime in April 2026—that I believe was around the middle of the month, but before April 16th—was a mailer from the USO, which stated the following:

[I used to scan and copy text of the documents from these types of mailers using Google Lens! However—for some reason—I can't do that anymore and I am not sure why! I even tried to scan the documents and then turn them into a PDF file, so that I could copy and paste the text, but that didn't work either. So, I had to hand-type all of the text on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents, so I tracked how long this took me to hand-type and it was about an hour and a half. Then I re-read, and edited, the typed text of said documents in order to make sure that I include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

★★★ USO ★★★
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE.™

Dear Mr. Whiting,

Somewhere right now — half a world away from home — a young American is standing watch in a harsh, unforgiving place so that you and I can sleep safely in our beds tonight.

This is someone's son. Someone's daughter. Someone's spouse. Someone's best friend.

And they are serving far from home.

Recently, I met one of those young Americans while visiting the USO Center at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, Africa — one of the most austere forward operating bases in the world. The heat is relentless. The days are long. The isolation is crushing.

He looked me in the eye and said something I'll never forget:

"Sir, I honestly don't know if I would have made it through this deployment without the USO."

He wasn't talking about food or Wi-Fi — though those matter. He was taking about feeling human again.

About stepping into a place that felt normal. Safe. Familiar.

A place where he could call home.

A place where, for a little while, he could breathe.

That place was the USO.

For 85 years, the USO has had a singular mission: to strengthen the well-being of the people serving in America's military and their families.

And today — more than ever — that mission matters.

Our men and women in uniform are deployed to remote, dangerous corners of the world — often with little notice, limited communication with loved ones and enormous stress on their shoulders. Fewer than 1% of Americans serve in uniform. Yet they defend 100% of us.

The USO is the only nonprofit tasked with being there — wherever they serve — providing a true home away from home.

At forward operating bases like Camp Lemonnier, at airfields, aboard ships and in combat zones, the USO delivers something no one else does:

A welcoming place to rest and recharge.

A reminder of home, dignity and humanity.

A moment of connection in the middle of sacrifice.

There are thousands of stories like the one that young Soldier shared with me. Thousands of moments where the USO made the difference between despair and resilience — between giving up and pressing on.

But we can only be there because of you.

The USO receives no guaranteed government funding for these critical services. We are a nonprofit, and our ability to show up for America's sons and daughters depends entirely on the generosity of citizens who believe in their service. Citizens like you.

Today, I'm asking citizens like you — heart to heart — to stand with them.

Your gift will help ensure that no service member deployed overseas ever feels forgotten. That no young American serving far from home ever doubts that their country cares.

They are willing to give everything for us.

Please give what you can today so the USO can continue giving them something priceless: a place that feels like home when home is impossibly far away.

For the People Who Serve,

[Name redacted]
Lieutenant General, U.S. Army, Retired
[Title redacted], USO

P.S. When you support the USO, you are directly supporting the men and women who defend our freedom — often in the toughest places on earth. Your generosity matters more than you know.

P.P.S. I came across these photos from the field and wanted to share them with you. I know you care as deeply as I do that no service member feels forgotten. Because of you, we can be there for them.

[Three enclosed postcard-sized photos of military personnel at USO facilities, which I displayed as part of my Military Appreciation Month and Armed Forces Day decorations in my apartment.]

---------------------------------------------

★★★ USO ★★★
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE.™

GIVE THEM A HOME AWAY FROM HOME

[✓] Yes, [name redacted]! I will support America's military and their families with a tax-deductible gift in the amount of:

[  ] $10
[  ] $15
[  ] $20
[  ] $25
[  ] $30
[✓] My best gift of $7.00

Mr. Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Please make your check payable to: The USO. Use reverse side to donate by credit card and to ensure receipt of your gift acknowledgement.

"QR code message": Please scan the QR code or visit uso.org to donate online. Thank you.

https://give.uso.org/page/2506_evergreen

And, after I read the letter above, I scanned the QR code to open the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Donate to support our service members

Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can't do that without support from military supporters like you. Our heroes are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country. So please, donate now.

By donating, you agree to allow the USO to use your gift, combined with others, in a matching gift fund.

Secure donation

[✓] Give once
[  ] ❤ Monthly

[  ] $1,000
[  ] $500
[  ] $250
[  ] $75
[  ] $45
[  ] $30
[✓] $7

Become a monthly supporter

Would you consider becoming one of our valued monthly supporters by converting your $7 contribution into a monthly donation.

Ongoing monthly donations allow us to better focus in our mission.

[  ] ❤ Donate $7/month
[✓] Keep my one-time $7 gift

Enter your details

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email address: [redacted]
Phone number (optional): [redacted]
Donate as an organization: N/A

Double your impact

Many employers have a donation matching program that will double or triple the value of your donation. Just enter the name of your employer, and we'll see if your impact can be amplified!

Your company (optional): N/A

Enter your address

Street address: [redacted]
Apartment/suite/floor: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]

You donate $7 USD

[  ] Cover transaction costs

Donate

And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can't do that without support from military supporters like you. Our heroes are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country."

Then, after I made said donation, I received an email from the USO today, May 1st, 2026, with the subject line, "Thank You for Your Donation to the USO", which stated the following:

★★★ USO ★★★

[Picture of "a soldier kneeling to embrace a child in an airport setting, conveying a message of reunion and support, with the USO logo on the left."]

Thank you for your generous $7.00 USD donation!

Dear Paul Whiting,

Thank you for your generous tax-deductible gift in support of the USO.

Donation Amount: $7.00 USD

Donation ID: [redacted]

Donation Date: May 1, 2026

Email: [redacted]

Your gift honors the service and sacrifice our troops make for us every day and will provide comfort and support to them and their families.

As a reminder, your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowable by federal law. And if there is a premium associated with your donation, please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

If you have any questions or would like to contact the USO, please call [phone number redacted].

-Your friends at the USO

And the second communication, which I received on, April 27th, was another mailer from the USO, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read as follows:

YOUR GIFT, OUR THANKS

Enclosed: A gift for you and an opportunity to thank our service members

And the mailer above stated the following:

[I used to scan and copy text of the documents from these types of mailers using Google Lens! However—for some reason—I can't do that anymore and I am not sure why! I even tried to scan the documents and then turn them into a PDF file, so that I could copy and paste the text, but that didn't work either. So, I had to hand-type all of the text on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents, so I tracked how long this took me to hand-type and it was about an hour and twenty minutes. Then I re-read, and edited, the typed text of said documents in order to make sure that I include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

★★★ USO ★★★
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE.™

[Name redacted], Lieutenant General, U.S. Army, Retired
[Title redacted], USO
____________________________________________________
USO ★ [Street Address and Suite No. redacted] ★ [City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Dear Mr. Whiting,

The American flag isn't just something we honor . . .

. . . sometimes it's the only piece of home our service members carry into places where the ground shakes, the air burns and the deafening silence can mean danger.

Some of those brave Americans come from Portland.

They're the sons and daughters who once ran through your parks, stood under your stadium lights and placed their hand over their chest to honor what the flag represents in your schools.

Today, that same flag flies above them on remote bases as they lace up dusty boots, brace against harsh terrain and miss everything of home — the laughter around the dinner table . . . the warmth of familiar voices . . . the moments they'll never get back.

What pushes them forward is knowing the people who raised them, cheered for them and believed in them are standing behind them with unwavering pride.

That's why I'm asking you to take two meaningful actions today.

First, sign the enclosed thank you card.

When you return it, your message will be displayed at USO Centers across the globe — places where a service member far from home might glance up, see your words beside the American flag and feel that surge of recognition: Someone back home remembers me. Someone cares.

Second: If you're able, please send a gift of $10, $15, $20 or an amount that feels right for you.

Your support keeps the USO where we must be — right beside our troops, wherever they're serving. You see, the USO is the only nonprofit who goes where active-duty go — no matter where they may be.

As a small token of our appreciation for taking these actions, I've enclosed some patriotic American flag name address labels. They are designed to reflect the pride and gratitude Americans like you share for those who serve. They aren't just labels — they are a reminder of the values our service members defend every day.

So is your generosity. It helps deliver the support our troops rely on:

• Free phone calls home, so a service member can hear the voice they miss the most.

• Welcoming USO Centers, where they can rest, recharge or simply feel human again amid the demands of duty.

• Care packages and essential supplies, offering reminders of home in places where those things don't exist.

• Support for wounded and injured service members and their families, from the front lines through recovery.

When you send your card and your generous gift today, you're doing far more than expressing gratitude. You are strengthening the daily life of the brave men and women who defend our nation — and showing them that the American people remain steadfast in our support.

Please return your gift and your card as soon as possible. Your message will be proudly displayed in USO Centers worldwide — Centers you help build and sustain for our heroes.

Because of you, a deployed service member can walk into a USO Center, pick up a phone and hear home.

That moment . . . that connection . . . exists because of you.

On behalf of all those who serve, thank you for standing with our troops and their families.

For the People Who Serve,

[Name redacted]
Lieutenant General, U.S. Army, Retired
[Title redacted], USO

P.S. With a gift of $20 or more, you may request an American-made flag or a limited-edition USO baseball hat created especially to honor America's 250th anniversary. These items are reserved for loyal friends like you who choose to stand closest to our heroes

Make a faster impact at uso.org/supportnow

---------------------------------------------

★★★ USO ★★★
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE.™

I want to show our heroes how much America cares.

Please use my thank-you card to tell our brave service members I value their service and sacrifice. Keep them strong with my donation of:

[  ] $10
[  ] $15
[✓] $20
[  ] My best gift of $_______

THANK YOU. To donate using your credit card, please use the reverse side of this form. Or, enclose your check payable to: The USO

[  ] Make my gift monthly (See back of form.)

Mr. Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

CHOOSE YOUR FREE GIFT WITH A DONATION TO THE USO

LH [✓] Please send me a free limited-edition USO hat for my gift of $20 or more.

FP [  ] Please send me a free flag for my gift of $20 or more.

DP [  ] You may keep my free gift, and use my full donation to benefit our troops.

---------------------------------------------

[An additional insert that shows an image of the USO's America 250 Years baseball hat on the left and a USO American flag on the right, with the following text:]

As we mark 250 years of our great nation, we're inspired to show our patriotism.

With your gift of $20.00 or more, you can receive a FREE limited-edition USO baseball hat or a FREE American-made U.S. flag honoring America's 250 anniversary as a thank you for supporting our military heroes and their families.

For delivery, please allow 6-8 weeks from receipt of your contribution. While supplies last.

Deadline: May 31, 2026

---------------------------------------------

[Text from one side of the enclosed thank you card:]

THANKS

—★★★—

We Can Celebrate Our Freedom

Because Of You

★★★ USO ★★★

FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE.™

[Text from the other side of the enclosed thank you card:]

Please know that wherever you are,

What you are doing for America is greatly appreciated.

All of us here at home are with you in spirit.

Your courage keeps us safe.

Your sacrafices keep us free.

May you stay safe and come home soon.

With Thanks From

This Grateful American

Paul Whiting     Signed 05/01/2026

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Donate to support our service members

Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can't do that without support from military supporters like you. Our heroes are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country. So please, donate now.

By donating, you agree to allow the USO to use your gift, combined with others, in a matching gift fund.

Secure donation

[✓] Give once
[  ] ❤ Monthly

[  ] $1,000
[  ] $500
[  ] $250
[  ] $75
[  ] $45
[  ] $30
[✓] $20

Become a monthly supporter

Would you consider becoming one of our valued monthly supporters by converting your $20 contribution into a monthly donation.

Ongoing monthly donations allow us to better focus in our mission.

[  ] ❤ Donate $10/month
[  ] Donate $5/month
[✓] Keep my one-time $20 gift

Enter your details

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email address: [redacted]
Phone number (optional): [redacted]
Donate as an organization: N/A

Double your impact

Many employers have a donation matching program that will double or triple the value of your donation. Just enter the name of your employer, and we'll see if your impact can be amplified!

Your company (optional): N/A

Enter your address

Street address: [redacted]
Apartment/suite/floor: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]

You donate $20 USD

[  ] Cover transaction costs

Donate

And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can't do that without support from military supporters like you. Our heroes are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country."

Then, after I made said donation, I received another email from the USO today, May 1st, 2026, with the subject line, "Thank You for Your Donation to the USO", which stated the following:

★★★ USO ★★★

[Picture of "a soldier kneeling to embrace a child in an airport setting, conveying a message of reunion and support, with the USO logo on the left."]

Thank you for your generous $20.00 USD donation!

Dear Paul Whiting,

Thank you for your generous tax-deductible gift in support of the USO.

Donation Amount: $20.00 USD

Donation ID: [redacted]

Donation Date: May 1, 2026

Email: [redacted]

Your gift honors the service and sacrifice our troops make for us every day and will provide comfort and support to them and their families.

As a reminder, your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowable by federal law. And if there is a premium associated with your donation, please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

If you have any questions or would like to contact the USO, please call [phone number redacted].

-Your friends at the USO

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via regular mail, email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "May 1st, 2026 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses April 2026 And April 27th, 2026":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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For my "May 8th, 2026 Update No. 1, Written On May 9th, 2026"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An overview to the 'update' can be found below:

May 8th, 2026 Update No. 1, Written On May 9th, 2026: National Military Spouse Appreciation Day is the Friday before Mother's Day! So, it was observed yesterday, May 8th, 2026, and that is when I made a donation to the USO (United Service Organizations) in honor of all the military spouses!

Now, I first found out that National Military Spouse Appreciation Day is held on the Friday before Mother's Day through one of the many newsletters that I receive on a daily basis. This particular newsletter, from May 6th, 2026, highlighted an article titled, "Dear Military Spouse: Here's Why We Appreciate You." And I was reading said newsletter on May 7th, 2026, as a part of the previous day's newsletters, as noted from the applicable portion of my Google Calendar entry for that day, in which I track how much cellular data I am using per day in order to stay within the monthly allotted amount for my cell phone's data plan:

05/07/2026...

...10.37 GB at 6:57 p.m.: Started reading Wednesday, May 6th newsletters (1 of 38), which included watching YouTube Premium videos.
0.00 GB of data usage (10.37 - 10.37 = 0.00)

10.73 GB at 11:21 p.m.: Finished reading Wednesday, May 6th newsletters (38 of 38).
0.36 GB of data usage (10.73 - 10.37 = 0.36)
1.11 GB of total data used (0.36 + 0.75 = 1.11)...

To clarify something, though: I actually didn't read the above-mentioned article from that newsletter, since I mostly read the titles of the articles in these newsletters in order to get the basic gist of what's going on in the news. (Although, I do sometimes look up Google A.I. summaries of these articles to get a more complete picture, without using a lot of cellular data through reading articles on news organizations' websites.) And when I read that article title, I thought to myself something like, "it must be the time of year for military spouse appreciation day!"

So, I did a Google search and found out that—yes—National Military Spouse Appreciation Day is on the Friday before Mother's Day each year!

Thus, I created a yearly (annual) Google Calendar entry to remind myself of this very important patriotic observation, which looks something like this:

(Repeat this!) Nat'l Military Spouse Appreciation Day (Observed on the Friday before Mother's Day.)
Friday, May 8

Then, I kind of stopped thinking about this important patriotic observation, because I had already taken the time to create multiple calendar entries, ten years into the future from this year, which is what I typically do for observations like this one, where they occur at slightly different times of the year.

However, yesterday evening, May 8th, I was all settled down after having completed that day's reading of newsletters and, at around 11:30 p.m., it dawned on me that I technically still had time to make a donation to the USO before midnight, as noted from the applicable portion of my Google Calendar entry for that day:

05/08/2026...

...11.53 GB at 11:34 p.m.: Started donating to the USO for National Military Spouse Appreciation Day.
0.00 GB of data usage (11.53 - 11.53 = 0.00)

11.61 GB at 11:41 p.m.: Finished donating to the USO for National Military Spouse Appreciation Day.
0.08 GB of data usage (11.61 - 11.53 = 0.08)
0.82 GB of total data used (0.08 + 0.74 = 0.82)...

Therefore, I did a Google search for "the USO National Military Spouse Appreciation Day" and found an applicable result having to do with donating for Military Appreciation Month, which is observed during the month of May, as follows:

Sponsored result

give.uso.org
https://give.uso.org/page/2605_MAM_2x

USO - Military Appreciation Month - Urgent: 2X Match Live Now
Support Our Brave Heroes This Military Appreciation Month. Donate Today.
Free USO TShirt Alert • Your Gift ls Matched 2X • 2X Match For Service Members • USO Wishbook

And, after I read the search results above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Your gift has 2X the impact for Military Appreciation Month

May is Military Appreciation Month — a time to recognize the extraordinary sacrifices our service members make every day to keep us safe. As our nation approaches its 250th birthday, we're reminded that America's strength has always depended on the courage of those who serve.

Right now, your gift will go 2X as far to strengthen the programs our troops rely on — honoring 250 years of service.

Honor them today with a special Military Appreciation Month donation.

A generous group of donors is matching all gifts to the USO up to a total of $25,000, through May 31, 2026. Your donation will be used where it is needed most.

Secure donation

[✓] Give once
[  ] ❤ Monthly

[  ] $35
[  ] $50
[  ] $100
[  ] $250
[  ] $500
[  ] $1,000
[✓] $5

Become a monthly supporter

Would you consider becoming one of our valued monthly supporters by converting your $5 contribution into a monthly donation?

Ongoing monthly donations allow us to better focus in our mission.

[  ] ❤ Donate $5/month
[✓] Keep my one-time $5 gift

Enter your details

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email address: [redacted]
Phone number (optional): [redacted]
Donate as an organization: N/A

Enter your address

Street address: [redacted]
Apartment/suite/floor: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]

You donate $5 USD

[  ] Cover transaction costs

Donate

And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "May is Military Appreciation Month — a time to recognize the extraordinary sacrifices our service members make every day to keep us safe. As our nation approaches its 250th birthday, we're reminded that America's strength has always depended on the courage of those who serve."

Then, after I made said donation, I received an email from the USO yesterday, May 8th, 2026, with the subject line, "Thank You for Your Donation to the USO", which stated the following:

From: USO info@uso.org
To: Paul Whiting • [email redacted]
Date: May 8, 2026, 11:41 PM

★★★ USO ★★★

[Picture of "a soldier kneeling to embrace a child in an airport setting, conveying a message of reunion and support, with the USO logo on the left."]

Thank you for your generous $5.00 USD donation!

Dear Paul Whiting,

Thank you for your generous tax-deductible gift in support of the USO.

Your gift honors the service and sacrifice our troops make for us every day and will provide comfort and support to them and their families.

As a reminder, your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowable by federal law. And if there is a premium associated with your donation, please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

If you have any questions or would like to contact the USO, please call [phone number redacted].

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via regular mail, email or text message. (I also donate for particular calendar observances, such as National Military Spouse Appreciation Day!) Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "May 8th, 2026 Update No. 1, Written On May 9th, 2026":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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For my "May 10th, 2026 Update No. 1"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An overview to the 'update' can be found below:

May 10th, 2026 Update No. 1: Happy Mother's Day, everyone! In celebration of Mother's Day, I did a Google search for "the USO Mother's Day" and found the following USO (United Service Organizations) search result regarding Mother's Day:

United Service Organizations https://action. uso.org»

Sign the card: Thank the mothers moms serving our... USO This Mother's Day, the USO is thanking moms in the military for their service and sacrifice. Sign the card to military moms! Read more

https://action.uso.org/1804_MD

And, after I read the search results above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

★★★ USO ★★★

50,000 signatures needed to hit our goal!

→→→→→19,860

This Mother’s Day, the USO is thanking moms in the military for their service and sacrifice. Sign the card to military moms!

Thank you for all you do for our country, and happy Mother’s Day!

Sincerely,

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Email: [redacted]

SIGN THE CARD

---------------------------------------------

Thanks for signing the card! Will you take a few minutes to complete a quick survey about supporting all of our nation's heroes?

The USO supports America's men and women in uniform at more than 200 locations around the world, including on the front lines in places like Djibouti and Afghanistan. How important is it to you that Americans continue supporting our deployed service members?

[✓] Extremely important
[  ] Very important
[  ] Somewhat important
[  ] Not at all important

The USO is more than concerts and airport lounges. Which of the ways we support our military men and women do you believe are valuable? Check all that apply.

[✓] Providing connections to family, home and country during deployments. [✓] Helping military personnel and their families transition back into civilian life. [✓] Supporting military families whose loved ones are deployed.
[✓] Providing support and rehabilitation for wounded, ill and injured service members.
[✓] Delivering special gifts and cheer to our heroes through programs like USO2GO.

Thousands of service men and women are currently deployed overseas, including in combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. Have you or a family member or friend ever served in the U.S. military?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No

How important do you think it is to support our nation's heroes and help them stay connected to family back home during deployment?

[✓] Extremely important
[  ] Important
[  ] Somewhat important
[  ] Not at all important

A Navy lieutenant commander recently told us that USO Care Packages are a "constant reminder to those of us out 'in the sandbox' that we are not forgotten and folks back home actually care."

Now, as we work to deliver our brave service members a touch of home, we need to ask for your support.

It takes a lot of time, coordination and money to get our care packages to more than 200,000 service members who are away from their families, sacrificing so much defending our freedoms. The USO is not a government agency we rely on the generosity and patriotism of citizens like you.

But right now, time is running out before our midnight deadline, and we need your support. Help us make sure that we have the resources to support our troops. Will you please donate by MIDNIGHT tonight to send a little bit of home to our service members and show them how thankful you are?

[  ] Yes, I'll donate $35 or more. Send me a T- shirt!
[✓] Yes, I'll donate but don't want a T-shirt!
[  ] No, I don't want to donate to support our service members today.

---------------------------------------------

Donate to support our service members

Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can't do that without support from military supporters like you. Our heroes are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country. So please, donate now.

By donating, you agree to allow the USO to use your gift, combined with others, in a matching gift fund.

Secure donation

[✓] Give once
[  ] ❤ Monthly

[  ] $1,000
[  ] $500
[  ] $250
[  ] $75
[  ] $45
[  ] $30
[✓] $10

Become a monthly supporter

Would you consider becoming one of our valued monthly supporters by converting your $10 contribution into a monthly donation.

Ongoing monthly donations allow us to better focus in our mission.

[  ] ❤ Donate $10/month
[✓] Keep my one-time $10 gift

Enter your details

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email address: [redacted]
Phone number (optional): [redacted]
Donate as an organization: N/A

Double your impact

Many employers have a donation matching program that will double or triple the value of your donation. Just enter the name of your employer, and we'll see if your impact can be amplified!

Your company (optional): N/A

Enter your address

Street address: [redacted]
Apartment/suite/floor: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]

You donate $10 USD

[  ] Cover transaction costs

Donate

And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "This Mother’s Day, the USO is thanking moms in the military for their service and sacrifice. ... Thank you for all you do for our country, and happy Mother’s Day!"

Then, after I made said donation, I received an email from the USO today, May 10th, 2026, with the subject line, "Thank You for Your Donation to the USO", which stated the following:

★★★ USO ★★★

[Picture of "a soldier kneeling to embrace a child in an airport setting, conveying a message of reunion and support, with the USO logo on the left."]

Thank you for your generous $10.00 USD donation!

Dear Paul Whiting,

Thank you for your generous tax-deductible gift in support of the USO.

Donation Amount: $10.00 USD

Donation ID: [redacted]

Donation Date: May 10, 2026

Email: [redacted]

Your gift honors the service and sacrifice our troops make for us every day and will provide comfort and support to them and their families.

As a reminder, your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowable by federal law. And if there is a premium associated with your donation, please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

If you have any questions or would like to contact the USO, please call [phone number redacted].

-Your friends at the USO

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via regular mail, email or text message. (I also donate for particular calendar observances, such as Mother's Day!) Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

... P.S.: By the way, I wanted to highlight the fact that the very first Mother's Day in America was observed on May 10th, 1908! So, that's 118 years ago this Mother's Day!

Mother's Day (United States) from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia—which is funded primarily through donations from millions of individuals around the world, including this blogger (I make a totally affordable one-time donation if they are requesting donations when I am on their website):

"Mother's Day is an annual holiday celebrated in the United States and, since 1914, in Canada on the second Sunday in May. Mother's Day recognizes mothers, motherhood and maternal bonds in general, as well as their positive contributions to their families and society. It was established by Anna Jarvis, with the first Mother's Day celebrated through a service of worship at St. Andrew's Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia, on May 10, 1908.[2] Popular observances include holiday card and gift giving, churchgoing often accompanied by the distribution of carnations, and family dinners.[1] In the United States, Mother's Day complements similar celebrations honoring family members, such as Father's Day, Siblings Day and Grandparents Day. ..."

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother%27s_Day_(United_States)

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "May 10th, 2026 Update No. 1":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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For my "May 16th, 2026 Update No. 1"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

May 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 [My Writing About Armed Forces Day (for 2026)]: Armed Forces Day is today, May 16th, 2026—since Armed Forces Day is the third Saturday in May each year—so, I went directly to the USO (United Service Organizations) website, where I noticed the following at the top of the webpage:

Your Message, Delivered

Around the world, service members face long days, distance from home and high-pressure environments. This Military Appreciation Month, send a message and the USO will deliver it where they serve.

USO SEND YOUR MESSAGE

And, after I read the website message above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

★★★ USO ★★★

Send a Message. We Deliver It Where They Are.

Around the world, service members face long days, distance from home and constant demands. This Military Appreciation Month, send a message of support. The USO delivers it directly to service members on bases, in centers and in deployed environments worldwide, making sure your words reach them in real moments, wherever they are.

Share your message:

[  ] I appreciate all the sacrifices you and your family make for our nation.

[  ] I'm grateful for what you do every day, stay strong!

[  ] Thank you for keeping our nation safe.

[  ] Never forget what you are doing is important, valued and appreciated.

[✓] Add Custom Message

Custom Message:

Dearest Military Personnel,

Happy Armed Forces Day!

The following poem is from my "Small All White in The Forest" blog:

Post No. 109: For Armed Forces Day — "The Soldiers Of The Cross"

"The Soldiers Of The Cross"

When everything is gone, which
you thought could never be taken;
And your morale—that you guarded
like a child—has up and left you;

And your world of certainty has
spiraled into an abyss of unknowns;
And you feel so alone, because no
one could possibly know your pain;

Remember, that you are never alone,
although you may be on your own! You
are positively surrounded by "Soldiers Of
The Cross," who are with you every day.

You have known them since boot camp,
or—perhaps—since this morning. They are
your fellow U.S. Military Personnel, who
are forever calling you to where duty is.

Your "Soldiers" come to you in more
ways than you can possibly imagine.
They come to remind you where your
duty does—and even does not—exist.

They come to confront you in your
fear and behold you in your courage.
For, it is only when a fear is faced
that courage is beheld in its place.

To your "Soldiers," you too are a "Soldier" and
are here to remind them, as well. For, you are
"The Soldiers Of The Cross" who have been
remembered—since you will never be forgotten!

And you have been called by duty as the way
to remember who you are. So, remember, you
are always in the presence of "The Soldiers
Of The Cross," because you are one, "Soldier."

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Small All White in The Forest)
"I am no barrier to its sun; the light and I are as one!"

https://smallallwhiteintheforest.blogspot.com/2010/05/for-armed-forces-day-soldiers-of-cross.html

With gratitude,

First Name
Paul

Last Name
Whiting

Email Address
[redacted]

Mobile Phone Number (Optional)
[redacted]

---------------------------------------------

Thank you for signing the card! Now, as we work to deliver our brave service members a touch of home, we're asking for your support.

It takes a lot of time, coordination and resources to get our care packages and other services to more than 200,000 service members who are away from their families and sacrificing so much to defend our freedoms. As a nonprofit, the USO relies on the generosity of military supporters like you.

Will you make a generous gift today to show our service members how much they are appreciated? We'll send you a free, limited edition USO T-shirt with your gift of $29 or more so you can show our military heroes and their families that you stand with them.

[  ] Yes, I'll donate $29 — send me a T-shirt!

[  ] Yes, I'll donate $52 — send me two T-shirts!

[✓] Yes, I'll donate, but I don't want a T-shirt!

[  ] No, I don't want to donate today.

---------------------------------------------

Help support our troops and claim your 2026 USO T-shirt today!

Wear your support for our troops — support they can see. Every donation helps support critical programs for our brave soldiers that keep them connected to home as they serve worldwide. This year's T-shirt also celebrates America's 250th birthday, so supplies won't last long! Please donate $29 for one or $52 for two collector's edition 2026 USO T-shirts before they're gone.

Your donation will be used where it is needed most.

Secure donation

[  ] $200
[✓] $100
[  ] $55
[  ] $50
[  ] $30
[  ] $25

Select your thank-you gift

[✓] Donate without thank-you gift

[  ] 1 T-shirt
For $29+ one-time
View details

[  ] 2 T-shirts
For $52+ one-time
View details

Enter your details

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email address: [redacted]
Phone number (optional): [redacted]
Donate as an organization: N/A

Enter your address

Street address: [redacted]
Apartment/suite/floor: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]

You donate $100 USD

[  ] Cover transaction costs

Donate

And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Around the world, service members face long days, distance from home and constant demands. This Military Appreciation Month, send a message of support. The USO delivers it directly to service members on bases, in centers and in deployed environments worldwide, making sure your words reach them in real moments, wherever they are."

Then, after I made said donation, I received an email from the USO today, May 16th, 2026, with the subject line, "Thank You for Your Donation to the USO", which stated the following:

★★★ USO ★★★

[Picture of "a soldier kneeling to embrace a child in an airport setting, conveying a message of reunion and support, with the USO logo on the left."]

Thank you for your generous $100.00 USD donation!

Dear Paul Whiting,

Thank you for your generous tax-deductible gift in support of the USO.

Your gift honors the service and sacrifice our troops make for us every day and will provide comfort and support to them and their families.

As a reminder, your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowable by federal law. And if there is a premium associated with your donation, please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

If you have any questions or would like to contact the USO, please call [phone number redacted].

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via regular mail, email or text message. (I also donate for particular calendar observances, such as Armed Forces Day!) Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "May 16th, 2026 Update No. 1":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html
---------------------------------------------
For my "May 16th, 2026 Update No. 2"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

May 16th, 2026 Update No. 2 [My Writing About Celebrating Armed Forces Day As A New Tradition For Honoring The Service And Sacrifices Of U.S. Military Personnel (for 2026)]: I have started a new tradition as a way to pay tribute to U.S. Military Personnel in honor of Armed Forces Day!

Instead of having a celebration on Memorial Day—because that holiday is really designed for grieving, and/or mourning, and/or paying respect to those who have died while serving in the U.S. Military—I think that the celebration to honor the service and sacrifices of U.S. Military Personnel should really be on Armed Forces Day.

Thus, I plan to have a holiday dinner on Armed Forces Day, and I also plan to listen to patriotic music, as a way to celebrate the many freedoms that we enjoy in the United States of America thanks to the service and sacrifices that are made, each and every day, by U.S. Military Personnel!

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "May 16th, 2026 Update No. 2":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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For my "May 17th, 2026 Update No. 1, Written On May 20th, 2026)"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

May 17th, 2026 Update No. 1, Written On May 20th, 2026: This is an unusual update about a donation that I made to the USO (United Service Organizations) on May 17th, 2026! You see, a specific chain of events occurred to facilitate this donation, as I have explained below:

First of all, early in the morning on May 17th, 2026, I saw an advertisement on a website for a matched donation to the USO, which stated the following:

IMMEDIATE NEED
Right now, your gift will be doubled to rush urgent support to our troops.
★★★ USO ★★★
MATCH MY GIFT***

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

So, I opened the corresponding USO donation webpage, because I was originally planning to use this matched donation page for my planned upcoming USO donation for Memorial Day.

Second of all, later on that same morning, I noticed that my recurring monthly donation to the USO, which I started on April 17th, 2026, had not processed yet. And because I was accustomed to the USO's recurring monthly donations processing the day before the 17th, usually sometime in the late evening—which is when those donations used to process, during the previous period of time that I donated monthly to the USO—I thought that there was perhaps some sort of issue with this donation not having processed by the morning of the 17th!

Therefore, I was concerned that this new recurring monthly donation was not going to process that day—maybe, I thought, due to the fact that the 17th was a Sunday—and so I decided to make this matched donation in the amount of $20.00, which is the amount of the recurring monthly donation, as well as being the amount that I had budgeted for my Memorial Day donation to the USO.

Thus, as already mentioned, after I read the advertisement above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

2X MATCH UNLOCKED:
Support troops responding in the Middle East and serving around the world.

Our service members are operating under rapidly changing conditions across the Middle East and beyond. Plans are shifting, and many are deploying with little notice.

Through it all, the USO is on the ground providing connection and critical support so our heroes know they are never alone. And right now, your donation will go TWICE as far to ensure we can be there for them whenever and wherever they need us.

Our troops are counting on you to be part of this important work. Please rush your MATCHED donation now.

Secure donation

[✓] Give once
[  ] ❤ Monthly

[  ] $200
[  ] $100
[  ] $55
[  ] $50
[  ] $30
[  ] $25
[✓] $20

Become a monthly supporter

Would you consider becoming one of our valued monthly supporters by converting your $20 contribution into a monthly donation.

Ongoing monthly donations allow us to better focus in our mission.

[  ] ❤ Donate $10/month
[  ] Donate $5/month
[✓] Keep my one-time $20 gift

Enter your details

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email address: [redacted]
Phone number (optional): [redacted]

Double your impact

Many employers have a donation matching program that will double or triple the value of your donation. Just enter the name of your employer, and we'll see if your impact can be amplified!

Your company (optional): N/A

Enter your address

Street address: [redacted]
Apartment/suite/floor: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]

You donate $20 USD

[  ] Cover transaction costs

Donate

And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Our service members are operating under rapidly changing conditions across the Middle East and beyond. Plans are shifting, and many are deploying with little notice. Through it all, the USO is on the ground providing connection and critical support so our heroes know they are never alone. And right now, your donation will go TWICE as far to ensure we can be there for them whenever and wherever they need us. Our troops are counting on you to be part of this important work."

Then, after I made said donation, I received an email from the USO on May 17th, 2026, with the subject line, "Thank You for Your Donation to the USO", which stated the following:

★★★ USO ★★★

[Picture of "a soldier kneeling to embrace a child in an airport setting, conveying a message of reunion and support, with the USO logo on the left."]

Thank you for your generous $20.00 USD donation!

Dear Paul Whiting,

Thank you for your generous tax-deductible gift in support of the USO.

Donation Amount: $20.00 USD

Donation ID: [redacted]

Donation Date: May 17, 2026

Email: [redacted]

Your gift honors the service and sacrifice our troops make for us every day and will provide comfort and support to them and their families.

As a reminder, your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowable by federal law. And if there is a premium associated with your donation, please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

If you have any questions or would like to contact the USO, please call [phone number redacted].

-Your friends at the USO

Third of all, on the afternoon of the 17th, the recurring monthly donation processed! So, I wrote a separate update for that donation. Please see my 'April 16th, 2026 Update No. 1 (Follow-Up No. 3, Written On May 17th, 2026)' that also appears as 'My Writing About How I Restarted Donating To The USO (United Service Organizations) As Of April 2026, Part 2,' which can be found on this blog.

Fourth of all, the reason that I am writing this update today, May 20th, 2026, is due to the fact that I was originally planning to write about this matched donation on May 25th, 2026, since I was going to utilize this May 17th, 2026 donation as my Memorial Day 2026 donation to the USO. However, I decided to make another, separate donation specifically for Memorial Day.

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via regular mail, email or text message. (I also donate for particular circumstances, such as advertisements for matched donations!) Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "May 17th, 2026 Update No. 1, Written On May 20th, 2026)":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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May 19th, 2026 Update No. 1: I voted today, May 19th, 2026, in Oregon's Primary Election! –Paul Whiting (May 19th, 2026)

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May 25th, 2026 Update No. 1: Have a Memorable Memorial Day, everyone. This update is a follow-up to my 'May 26th, 2025 Update No. 1,' which stated, in part, the following:

May 26th, 2025 Update No. 1: For Memorial Day 2025, I decided to create playlists on YouTube Music in order to tell everyone in the United States of America about my new saying, "Have A Memorable Memorial Day" for such a solemn holiday as Memorial Day...

...And so, in honor of all those who died while serving in the United States Military, I created the following two playlists on YouTube Music in order to say, "Have A Memorable Memorial Day," everyone:

"'Have A Memorable Memorial Day, Part 1' by Various Artists: Somber Patriotic Music" (on YouTube):

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5ASnKWDRID3rbd3KbNDH56ZhVR6yGDFo&si=w-RrGtk0z8qyChOO

"'Have A Memorable Memorial Day, Part 2' by Various Artists: Somber Patriotic Music" (on YouTube):

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5ASnKWDRID0UKIenmgul5kC_IaZ53dPN&si=IJDrhoKCL2sTAu35

And for 2026—which America's 250th Birthday/Anniversary—I add the following new playlist to the above two playlists:

"'Have A Memorable Memorial Day, Part 3' by Various Artists: Country Patriotic Music" (on YouTube):

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5ASnKWDRID11OSDlxsLkX7sqimeW5_uE&si=l_2rztA0idrQt1Ap

Admittedly, however, this new "'Have A Memorable Memorial Day, Part 3' by Various Artists: Country Patriotic Music" playlist is mostly songs that are more upbeat than the previous two playlists for Memorial Day, which were designed by me to be much more solemn patriotic music.

You see, I was trying to find some really great country songs about Memorial Day—the kind that truly honor the sacrifices made by those who died while serving in the U.S. military—which is why I decided to create this playlist in the first place. Though, there really weren't any of those kinds of songs on these particular playlist albums.

Plus, some of the songs on these albums seemed a lot more like "jazz," or "blues," or even "Dixieland," than "country." So, I selected the only songs that really appealed to me from these specific albums that I found on YouTube Music for this new playlist.

However, I decided to keep this new playlist because I really wanted to "tip my hat," so to speak, to all the song writers of country music, who I feel create some of the best new music, which is what I was hoping to find on these albums!

And, even though I originally created this new "'Have A Memorable Memorial Day, Part 3' by Various Artists: Country Patriotic Music" playlist on Memorial Day, Monday May 25th, I actually started listening to this new playlist on Tuesday, May 26th.

Thus, I first started by listening to the "'Have A Memorable Memorial Day, Part 1' by Various Artists: Somber Patriotic Music" playlist on Monday May 25th, followed that same day by "'Have A Memorable Memorial Day, Part 2' by Various Artists: Somber Patriotic Music" playlist, which carried over until Tuesday, May 26th.

Then, as mentioned above, I started listening to "'Have A Memorable Memorial Day, Part 3' by Various Artists: Country Patriotic Music" on Tuesday, May 26th and finished on Wednesday, May 27th.

Therefore, this new playlist of more upbeat music, I actually started listening to the day after Memorial Day—which I feel is a solemn holiday, like a memorial service—so then I could continue listening to typically more upbeat "marching band-stye" Memorial Day albums until the end of May.

And here is the description from all three of those playlists:

For Memorial Day, I decided to create this playlist in order to tell everyone in the United States of America about my new saying, "Have A Memorable Memorial Day" for such a solemn holiday as Memorial Day.

Thus, here is "My Writing About A New Saying 'Have A Memorable Memorial Day' For Such A Solemn Holiday As Memorial Day":

On Memorial Day, rather than saying "Happy Memorial Day," I choose instead to say, "Have A Memorable Memorial Day," or I simply say, "Memorable Memorial Day." For, Memorial Day is a day of remembrance—just like a memorial service—and is truly about honoring the men and women who died while serving in the United States Military. –Paul Whiting (written May 27th, 2013, revised May 30th, 2022, revised May 31st, 2022, revised May 29th, 2023 and revised May 27th, 2024)

Plus, here is a poem that I wrote on May 30th, 2021, for Memorial Day on May 31st, 2021, which is titled, 'A Memorable Memorial Day,' and that is also titled, 'A Solemn Patriotic Poem,' as can be seen below:

A Memorable Memorial Day (A Patriotic Poem)

He taps into his memorabilia;
She taps into her photo albums;
They tap into their memories;
A day that taps into the
sacrifices that were made by
souls who have given their lives...

...I tap into my courage;
I tap into my patriotism;
I tap into my humility;
And I tap into a somber,
a solemnly respectful, and
"A Memorable Memorial Day."

–Paul Whiting (written May 30th, 2021 for Memorial Day on May 31st, 2021, revised June 12th, 2022, revised June 13th, 2022 and revised May 14th, 2023)

Besides that, I made two donations to the USO for Memorial Day 2026 (please see my 'May 25th, 2026 Update No. 2, Written On May 25th, 2026 And May 26th, 2026, Which Also Discusses May 18th, 2026 And May 19th, 2026,' which can be found below).

Additionally, for Memorial Day 2026—as usual—I participated in the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) national moment of silence, which is thanking us "for joining IAVA as we #GoSilent this Memorial Day at 3PM to honor American heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service and dedication to our nation." That is why I decided to #GoSilent with IAVA at 3:00 PM local time in order to help draw "special attention to the at least 13 U.S. service members killed in the most recent conflict with Iran. Our troops have been sent into harm’s way without clear public understanding of the scope, duration, or end goal of the mission. While these men and women faced that uncertainty, they did not hesitate to uphold the oath they swore to defend this nation. Even as many at home struggle to make sense of this new chapter of war, these service members never wavered. They gave everything in service to this country, and this Memorial Day, we #GoSilent to honor their sacrifice, remember their names, and ensure their service is never forgotten." And I also made a donation to IAVA in order to show my support for IAVA's #GoSilent Campaign and for our U.S. Veterans (please see my 'May 25th, 2026 Update No. 3, Written On May 26th, 2026', which can be found below).

https://iava.org/events/gosilent

Furthermore, I made a donation to Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) as part of my Memorial Day observations (please see my 'May 25th, 2026 Update No. 4, Written On May 27th, 2026, Which Also Discusses May 2026,' which can be found below), as well as a donation to Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) for Memorial Day (please see my 'May 25th, 2026 Update No. 5, Written On May 27th, 2026,' which can be found below).

–Paul Whiting (written May 25th, 2026, revised May 26th, 2026 and revised May 27th, 2026)

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For my "May 25th, 2026 Update No. 2, Written On May 25th, 2026 And May 26th, 2026, Which Also Discusses May 18th, 2026 And May 19th, 2026"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An extensive introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

May 25th, 2026 Update No. 2, Written On May 25th, 2026 And May 26th, 2026, Which Also Discusses May 18th, 2026 And May 19th, 2026: Have a Memorable Memorial Day, everyone. I recently received two communications from the USO (United Service Organizations).

And the first communication, which I received on May 18th, 2026, was a mailer from the USO, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read as follows:

2X THE MORALE-BOOSTING SUPPORT
★ GIFTS BY JUNE 30 WILL BE MATCHED ★

And an additional 'back teaser message' shows an image of a USO American flag on the left and the USO's America 250 Years baseball hat on the right, with the following text:

FREE GIFT for Your Donation to Support Our Military Heroes.

Please scan the QR code or visit uso.org/memorialday to donate online.

uso.org/memorialday

And the mailer above stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

★★★ USO ★★★
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE.™

[Business name redacted logo]

Dear Mr. Whiting,

The air is heavy and hot ... not from the charcoal and cookouts filling neighborhoods this Memorial Day, but from a place where a U.S. service member watches a horizon where danger rarely announces itself.

Their "holiday weekend" is spent at a cramped outpost with the weight of body armor and the constant thump of helicopters overhead.

While we gather in backyards, they brace for the unthinkable and the unexpected: a sudden alarm and a mission that cannot wait.

On days like Memorial Day, when America pauses to remember, service members are living the very reality we honor — carrying the burden of our freedom on proud, yet tired, shoulders that never truly get to rest.

After 35 years in the Army and now as CEO of the USO, I know firsthand what that sacrifice costs, and how much it means to our troops to know they are not forgotten once the headlines fade.

That's why, as Memorial Day approaches, I'm inviting you to stand with these brave men and women through the USO Salute.

This year, your gift of $10, $15 or $20 will be doubled — but only through June 30, thanks to a generous $70,000 match from [business name redacted].

Mr. Whiting, your support means more than you may realize. Your matched gift today will help provide the essential programs and services that offer connection and encouragement to our troops — especially during the toughest deployments.

Your generosity sustains more than 250 USO locations worldwide — places where service members can get a snack, call home or simply feel the support of a grateful nation. And for those stationed where a USO Center can't exist, you help us deliver a connection to home and the essentials in the most remote — and often dangerous — locations.

One of the most meaningful lifelines you make possible is the simple ability to communicate with loved ones. Through your [...end of this page...]

(over, please)

---------------------------------------------

[START OF SIDEBAR]

Help provide EVEN more:

Phone Calls Home
Bring the comforting voice of family to service members standing watch on the frontlines.

____________________________________________________

USO2GO Packages
Deliver familiar comforts to our troops - snacks, movies and essentials that remind them of home.

____________________________________________________

Tech to Connect
Equip a USO tech space so our military heroes can stay closely connected to the families they love.

[END OF SIDEBAR]

---------------------------------------------

[...start of the next page...] support, the USO provides free phone calls and internet access in hundreds of locations worldwide.

Meeting these needs — and all the others we provide for America's military community — requires a significant commitment, one that costs more than $230,000 every day. As you know, the USO is not a government agency; we rely on the kindness of patriotic Americans like you.

Will you help us honor the service and sacrifice of our heroes this Memorial Day?

Your support today — matched by [business name redacted] — ensures we can continue to be there for those who defend our freedom. Your gift sends a powerful USO Salute that the American people stand behind them.

Thank you for your steadfast support of our service members and their families. Because of you, the sacrifices of our fallen heroes — and the courage of those who continue to serve — will never be forgotten.

Our heroes count on America. And I hope we can count on you today.

For the People Who Serve,

[Name redacted]
Lieutenant General, U.S. Army, Retired
[Title redacted], USO

P.S. With a gift of $20 or more, I'd be honored to send you a USO baseball hat celebrating America's 250th anniversary or an American-made U.S. flag — a small token reserved for our most loyal friends of the USO. Plus, every gift made by June 30 will be matched by [business name redacted], up to $70,000.

P.P.S. And if you feel called to make an even deeper impact, I'd be grateful to welcome you into the USO Home Team — a group of supporters whose steady monthly commitment shows our troops, day after day, that they are never forgotten.

---------------------------------------------

[Side one of an additional insert with the following text:]

DOUBLE THE VALUE OF YOUR GIFT!

Your gift between now and June 30 will go TWICE as far thanks to our partner [business name redacted].

Your matched gift will ensure more:

• Phone calls to loved ones
• USO2GO packages with familiar items from home
• Long distance bedtime stories for children to hear their parent's voice no matter how far away they are stationed
• Community-building programs for military heroes and their families
... and so much more!

Give Today and Receive a FREE GIFT as a Proud Supporter of Our Troops

Choose Your Free Gift:
Flag OR Limited-Edition Hat Celebrating America's 250th Anniversary

[Image of a USO American flag on the left and the USO's America 250 Years baseball hat on the right.]

For delivery, please allow 6-8 weeks from receipt of your contribution while supplies last.

"QR code message": Show your appreciation immediately.

Scan here to give a gift:

https://give.uso.org/page/2605_FLOWERS

---------------------------------------------

[Side two of an additional insert with the following text:]

★ LETTERS OF THANKS FROM THOSE WE SERVE ★

"It means a lot to have the support of the USO out here."

—Captain,
Deployed to Eastern Europe
U.S. Air Force

"It can get tough during a deployment, to say the least, and having a place to step away from duty, even briefly, makes a big difference."

—SPC
U.S. Army

"I always look for the USO. I know I can always count on getting the resources or help I need."

—Petty Officer 2nd Class
U.S. Navy

---------------------------------------------

★★★ USO ★★★
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE.™

YOUR GIFT WILL BE MATCHED TO SUPPORT OUR TROOPS

✓ YES, I want to give today because my gift will go TWICE as far to provide vital support services for service members and their families. Please accept my gift of:

[  ] $10 becomes ... $20
[  ] $15 becomes ... $30
[  ] $20 becomes ... $40
✓ $17.00 Any amount you give today can have TWICE the value.

Mr. Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Please enclose your check payable to: The USO. To donate using your credit card, please use the reverse side of this form. Your gift is tax deductible as allowed by law. Thank you for your generosity.

FP [  ] Please send me a free 3-by-5 foot American flag for my gift of $20 or more.

LH [  ] Please send me a free limited-edition USO baseball hat for my gift of $20 or more.

[  ] Yes, I would like my support to go even further by joining the USO Home Team with a monthly gift. (Please use reverse side of this form.)

DF [✓] No need to send me a gift. Please use my full donation to benefit our service members.

"QR code message": Please scan the QR code or visit uso.org/memorialday to donate online.

https://give.uso.org/page/2605_FLOWERS

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Match your gift and support America's service members today!

The USO is there to provide our service members with the critical resources they both need and deserve. Will you rush your gift and have it DOUBLED to support America's military heroes? Please donate today to support our Armed Forces as they make incredible sacrifices for our country.

[Business name redacted] is matching all gifts to the USO, dollar for dollar, up to a total of $70,000, through June 30, 2026.

Secure donation

[✓] Give once
[  ] ❤ Monthly

[  ] $200
[  ] $100
[  ] $55
[  ] $50
[  ] $30
[  ] $25
[✓] $17

Become a monthly supporter

Would you consider becoming one of our valued monthly supporters by converting your $17 contribution into a monthly donation.

Ongoing monthly donations allow us to better focus in our mission.

[  ] ❤ Donate $10/month
[  ] Donate $5/month
[✓] Keep my one-time $17 gift

Enter your details

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email address: [redacted]
Phone number (optional): [redacted]
Donate as an organization: N/A

Double your impact

Many employers have a donation matching program that will double or triple the value of your donation. Just enter the name of your employer, and we'll see if your impact can be amplified!

Your company (optional): N/A

Enter your address

Street address: [redacted]
Apartment/suite/floor: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]

You donate $17 USD

[  ] Cover transaction costs

Donate

And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "The USO is there to provide our service members with the critical resources they both need and deserve. Please donate today to support our Armed Forces as they make incredible sacrifices for our country."

Then, after I made said donation, I received another email from the USO today, May 25th, 2026, with the subject line, "Thank You for Your Donation to the USO", which stated the following:

★★★ USO ★★★

[Picture of "a soldier kneeling to embrace a child in an airport setting, conveying a message of reunion and support, with the USO logo on the left."]

Thank you for your generous $17.00 USD donation!

Dear Paul Whiting,

Thank you for your generous tax-deductible gift in support of the USO.

Donation Amount: $17.00 USD

Donation ID: [redacted]

Donation Date: May 25, 2026

Email: [redacted]

Your gift honors the service and sacrifice our troops make for us every day and will provide comfort and support to them and their families.

As a reminder, your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowable by federal law. And if there is a premium associated with your donation, please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

If you have any questions or would like to contact the USO, please call [phone number redacted].

-Your friends at the USO

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via regular mail, email or text message. (I also donate for particular calendar observances, such as Memorial Day.) Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.

By the way, did you know that the USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD)? The following description of the USO is from their 'About Us' webpage:

"The USO is not part of the federal government. A congressionally chartered, private organization, the USO relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities, and is powered by a family of volunteers to accomplish our mission of connection."

So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' as a member of the "USO Home Team" through a recurring monthly donation, as well as through one-time donations to the USO!

And the second communication, which I received on, May 19th, 2026, was a text message from the USO, which stated the following:

Memorial Day is almost here, a time we remember that freedom is never free. As we plan time with family, our troops continue to serve. Add your name to the USO's Memorial Day card today and help us reach our goal of 250,000 signatures of support. Please sign here:***

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

And, after I read the text message above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

★★★ USO ★★★

Honor our service members this Memorial Day

Memorial Day exists to honor and remember the service members who paid the ultimate price in defense of freedom.

Join thousands of patriotic Americans in signing the USO's Memorial Day card to honor our fallen and recognize those who still serve today.

This Memorial Day, we honor our fallen heroes and we express our deepest gratitude to the men and women who still serve our country today. Thank you for your bravery and sacrifice

With gratitude,

First Name*
Paul

Last Name*
Whiting

Email Address*
[redacted]

Mobile Phone Number (Optional)
[redacted]

By providing your cell phone number, you agree to the Mobile Messaging Terms for recurring autodialed donation messages from USO to the phone number you provide & to the Privacy Policy. Msg&data rates may apply.

SIGN THE CARD

---------------------------------------------

Thanks for signing the card! Will you take a few minutes to complete a quick survey about supporting all of our nation's heroes?

Our service members endure harsh conditions to keep folks like us safe. How important is it to you to support our service members deployed far from home?
[✓] Extremely important
[  ] Very important
[  ] Somewhat important
[  ] Not at all important

The USO gives our service members the support they need to keep their spirits up, from phone calls home to A-list entertainment. Do you think it's important to keep service members' morale high by letting them know patriotic Americans back home stand with them?
[✓] Yes
[  ] No

Hundreds of thousands of service members are currently deployed overseas, putting themselves in harm's way in dangerous combat zones around the world. Have you or a family member or friend ever served in the military?
[✓] Yes
[  ] No

Our service members make incredible sacrifices to keep us safe, missing special moments like the first day of school or a baby's first steps while deployed far from home. How important do you think it is to help our service members stay connected to family back home during deployment?
[✓] Extremely important
[  ] Very important
[  ] Somewhat important
[  ] Not at all important

---------------------------------------------

Thank you for taking the survey!

Now, as we work to deliver our brave service members a touch of home, we need to ask for your support.

It takes a lot of time, coordination and funds to get our care packages and other services to the hundreds of thousands of service members who are away from their families, continuing a 250-year legacy of defending our nation. The USO is not a government agency; we are a nonprofit, and we rely on the generosity of military supporters like you.

For a limited time, your gift will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $25,000, thanks to [business name redacted]. When you make a gift of $29 or more, you'll also receive a USO T-shirt as a symbol of your support for our troops. Will you please make a generous matched donation today and send a little bit of home to deployed troops around the world?

EMAIL: [name redacted]
DONATED TODAY: NO
SUGGESTED DONATION: $52

[  ] Yes, I'll donate $29 — send me a T-shirt!

[  ] Yes, I'll donate $52 — send me two T-shirts!

[✓] Yes, I'll donate, but I don't want a T-shirt!

[  ] No, I don't want to donate today.

---------------------------------------------

Donate to support our service members

Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can't do that without support from military supporters like you. Our heroes are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country. So please, donate now.

By donating, you agree to allow the USO to use your gift, combined with others, in a matching gift fund.

Secure donation

[✓] Give once
[  ] ❤ Monthly

[  ] $1,000
[  ] $500
[  ] $250
[  ] $75
[  ] $45
[  ] $30
[✓] $20

Become a monthly supporter

Would you consider becoming one of our valued monthly supporters by converting your $20 contribution into a monthly donation.

Ongoing monthly donations allow us to better focus in our mission.

[  ] ❤ Donate $10/month
[  ] Donate $5/month
[✓] Keep my one-time $20 gift

Enter your details

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email address: [redacted]
Phone number (optional): [redacted]
Donate as an organization: N/A

Double your impact

Many employers have a donation matching program that will double or triple the value of your donation. Just enter the name of your employer, and we'll see if your impact can be amplified!

Your company (optional): N/A

Enter your address

Street address: [redacted]
Apartment/suite/floor: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]

You donate $20 USD

[  ] Cover transaction costs

Donate

And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can't do that without support from military supporters like you. Our heroes are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country."

Then, after I made said donation, I received another email from the USO today, May 1st, 2026, with the subject line, "Thank You for Your Donation to the USO", which stated the following:

★★★ USO ★★★

[Picture of "a soldier kneeling to embrace a child in an airport setting, conveying a message of reunion and support, with the USO logo on the left."]

Thank you for your generous $20.00 USD donation!

Dear Paul Whiting,

Thank you for your generous tax-deductible gift in support of the USO.

Donation Amount: $20.00 USD

Donation ID: [redacted]

Donation Date: May 25, 2026

Email: [redacted]

Your gift honors the service and sacrifice our troops make for us every day and will provide comfort and support to them and their families.

As a reminder, your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowable by federal law. And if there is a premium associated with your donation, please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

If you have any questions or would like to contact the USO, please call [phone number redacted].

-Your friends at the USO

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via regular mail, email or text message. (I also donate for particular calendar observances, such as Memorial Day.) Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "May 25th, 2026 Update No. 2, Written On May 25th, 2026 And May 26th, 2026, Which Also Discusses May 18th, 2026 And May 19th, 2026":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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May 25th, 2026 Update No. 3, Written On May 26th, 2026 [My Writing About IAVA's National Moment Of Silence, A.K.A. "The #GoSilent Campaign" (for 2026)]:

For Memorial Day 2026, I participated in the IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America) national moment of silence, which is thanking us "for joining IAVA as we #GoSilent this Memorial Day at 3PM to honor American heroes who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service and dedication to our nation." That is why I decided to #GoSilent with IAVA at 3:00 PM local time in order to help draw "special attention to the at least 13 U.S. service members killed in the most recent conflict with Iran. Our troops have been sent into harm’s way without clear public understanding of the scope, duration, or end goal of the mission. While these men and women faced that uncertainty, they did not hesitate to uphold the oath they swore to defend this nation. Even as many at home struggle to make sense of this new chapter of war, these service members never wavered. They gave everything in service to this country, and this Memorial Day, we #GoSilent to honor their sacrifice, remember their names, and ensure their service is never forgotten." And I also made a donation to IAVA in order to show my support for IAVA's #GoSilent Campaign and for our U.S. Veterans. –Paul Whiting (written May 26th, 2026, revised May 27th, 2026 and revised May 28th, 2026)

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May 25th, 2026 Update No. 4, Written On May 27th, 2026, Which Also Discusses May 2026: Have a Memorable Memorial Day, everyone. I received a mailer from the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) sometime during the month of May 2026, which stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

The Armed Services YMCA

Dear Mr. Whiting,

Skyrocketing costs of housing, groceries and child care — and high unemployment rates among spouses — have left 1 in 4 brave active-duty service members and their families struggling to afford enough to eat.

Our heroes are on the front lines, willing to put their lives on the line. They shouldn't have to worry about feeding their children. Since 1861, support from friends like you has helped the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) provide service members and their families with the assistance they need.

You've given to support our troops before. They need you now more than ever. Please.

And right now, thanks to [business name redacted], your gift of $15, $25 or even $50 or more will be DOUBLED* to deliver food, low- or no-cost child care, employment assistance and more.

Serving those who serve,

[Name redacted], Vice Admiral, USN (Ret)
[Title redacted] and [title redacted]

All gifts matched 2X!

---------------------------------------------

Your gift supports our troops and their families!

[✓] YES! Please match my gift to support military families.

[  ] $15 →DOUBLES TO→ $30
[  ] $25 →DOUBLES TO→ $50
[  ] $35 →DOUBLES TO→ $70
[  ] $50 →DOUBLES TO→ $100
[✓] My best gift of $10.00 DOUBLES.

Paul Whiting
[Apt. No. redacted]
[Street Address redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Please enclose your check made payable to Armed Services YMCA or see reverse to give by credit card.

[  ] Make my gift monthly.

Make your gift online: asymca.org/May26

https://give.asymca.org/campaign/770422/donate

Armed Services YMCA
Keeping our military heroes & their families strong.

---------------------------------------------

Since the Civil War, the Armed Services YMCA has been serving our troops and strengthening military families with the generosity of our donors.

1861 —• Civil War (ASYMCA services begin)

President Lincoln wrote that the "benevolent undertaking for the benefit of the soldiers, was "proper and praiseworthy."

1917 —• U.S. enters WWI

1941 —• Pearl Harbor propels U.S. into WWII

1950 —• Korean War

Serving soldiers during the Korean War and continuing through the Vietnam Conflict.

1955 —• Vietnam begins

1991 —• Desert Storm

2001 —• 9/11 spurs Global War on Terror

2020 —• Global Pandemic

Over 2 million lbs. of food distributed: 4,000 children of essential workers in child care.

2026 —• Your Support

Serves thousands of military service members and families at nearly 100 military installations country.

---------------------------------------------

Without YOU, the ASYMCA would not be able to support our military community with:

MILITARY SUPPORT PROGRAMS
Programs exclusively tailored to meet the needs of military members and their families serving throughout the United States.

HOLIDAY ASSISTANCE
The ASYMCA provides programs to help brighten the holidays and strengthen family connections to bolster fortitude in families struggling with the challenges of military life.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT
The Armed Services YMCA offers early education and development opportunities for toddlers, camps and resiliency programs for school-age children and family bonding opportunities for all ages.

Please visit asymca.org to learn more.

THANK YOU for helping to strengthen our military families!

---------------------------------------------

[The following is the text of a notecard enclosed with the letter above.]

Dear Friend

Food insecurity is a reality for military families. The Armed Services YMCA is here to help, but we can't help all the families that need us without you!

Thank you for supporting the ASYMCA and for sending your most generous gift today.

[Name redacted]
Vice Admiral USN (Ret)
[Title redacted] and [Title redacted]

---------------------------------------------

[The following is the text of an additional insert enclosed with the letter above.]

★★★ URGENT ★★★ URGENT ★★★ URGENT ★★★

Emergency Support for Our Troops and Their Families

U.S. service members are deployed in the Middle East and across the globe on dangerous missions.

This is a critical moment to stand with those who give so much for our freedom.

Please don't wait. Rush your gift today to stand by our brave service members and the loved ones counting on them. IT WILL BE MATCHED UP TO $150,000 FOR TWICE THE IMPACT!

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

ARMED SERVICES YMCA
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

Give Military Families the Support They Deserve

The need is urgent: food insecurity, frequent relocations, worries about the cost of living and the stress of separation during deployments weigh heavily on young service members, their spouses and their children. Your support empowers the Armed Service YMCA to meet these challenges with services that strengthen military families and reduce financial strains.

YOUR GIFT FUELS RELIEF. You'll fill food pantries, fund child care and provide critical assistance, ensuring no military family is left behind.

Make an Impact Today!

[✓] Give once
[  ] Monthly ❤

Choose an amount to donate one-time

[✓] $10
[  ] $25 SUGGESTED
[  ] $50
[  ] $100
[  ] $200
[  ] $300

$10.00 USD

[  ] Dedicate my donation

Donate

Armed Services YMCA is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization, and your donation is tax deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Please keep your receipt as your official record. We'll email it to you upon successful completion of your donation.

---------------------------------------------

$10.00 / One-time

Finish & donate

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting

[  ] Hide my name from the public.
[  ] Hide my donation from the public.
[  ] Donate as an organization

Email for receipt: [redacted]

[✓] It's OK to contact me in the future.

Address: [redacted]
Address 2 (optional)
Zip code: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Country: [redacted]

Donate now

And so, I made a one-time donation to the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) on May 25th, 2026, since "skyrocketing costs of housing, groceries and child care — and high unemployment rates among spouses — have left 1 in 4 brave active-duty service members and their families struggling to afford enough to eat." That is why I contributed to ASYMCA as part of my Memorial Day donations, because "thanks to [business name redacted], [my] gift of [$10] will be DOUBLED to deliver food, low- or no-cost child care, employment assistance and more." –Paul Whiting (May 27th, 2026)

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May 25th, 2026 Update No. 5, Written On May 27th, 2026: Have a Memorable Memorial Day, everyone. I received a text message on May 25th, 2026 from Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), which stated the following:

FINAL HOURS: Hi Paul, it's Team WWP. We're texting to ask for your help before Memorial Day ends. Warriors who lost friends in service are struggling today. Hours remain to provide 2X the free, life-changing help. Please GIVE BY MIDNIGHT to have your gift matched up to $100K. >>>***

***[I used to include hyperlinks contained within the email messages, or the text messages, to which I am referring in these "Activism Updates"; however, I could not figure out how to include the aforementioned hyperlinks, regarding some relevant action that I had taken—such as signing a petition, sending a letter or message to my representative(s) in Congress, signing a USO 'Thank You' card, and/or making a donation—without including my personal information.]

And, after I read the text message above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT

Donate Now

This Memorial Day, honor our nation's heroes with a gift that goes twice as far.

America turns 250 this year. We can never repay the generations of heroes who gave their lives for the freedom we enjoy today. But we can honor them by providing free, life-changing help to the wounded warriors who are still with US.

Thanks to a generous matching gift from [business name redacted], your Memorial Day donation will be doubled up to $100,000.

Please don't miss your chance to honor and empower wounded warriors with 2X the impact.

• Your gift of $100 doubles to $200
• Your gift of $75 doubles to $150
• Your gift of $50 doubles to $100

[WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT AMERICA 250 LOGO]

Choose A Gift

[✓] One-Time Gift
[  ] Monthly Gift

You'll make the most impact for our wounded warriors when you support them with a monthly gift. As a monthly donor of $19 or more, you will receive a Wounded Warrior Project® fleece blanket.

[  ] $250
[  ] $150
[  ] $75
[  ] $100
[  ] $50
[✓] $10

[  ] Make this a gift in honor or memory of an individual.

Your Information

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Address Line 1: [redacted]
Address Line 2 (Not Required): [redacted]
Country [redacted]
ZIP Code [redacted]
City [redacted]
State [redacted]
Phone Number (Not Required) [redacted]
Email Address [redacted]

[✓] Yes, I would like to receive communications from WWP with updates on warriors and programs.

[  ] This donation is on behalf of a company.

[  ] Yes, I would like to cover the 3% processing fee.

Donate $10.00

And so, I made a one-time donation to Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) on May 25th, 2026, since "[they're] texting to ask for [my] help before Memorial Day ends," because "warriors who lost friends in service are struggling today." And "hours remain to provide 2X the free, life-changing help." That is why I "[GAVE] BY MIDNIGHT to have [my] gift matched up to $100K." –Paul Whiting (May 27th, 2026)

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-------------------------------------------------------------------

YEAR 2026 UPDATES FOR JUNE:

-------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------

For my "June 14th, 2026 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 3rd, 2026"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

June 14th, 2026 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 3rd, 2026: Happy Flag Day, everyone! I received a mailer from the USO (United Service Organizations) on June 3rd, 2026, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read as follows:

2X THE MORALE-BOOSTING SUPPORT
★ GIFTS BY JULY 15 WILL BE MATCHED ★

Hurry — Offer Ends Soon!

And an additional 'back teaser message' shows an image of a USO American flag on the left and the USO's America 250 Years baseball hat on the right, with the following text:

FREE GIFT for Your Donation to Support Our Military Heroes.

Please scan the QR code or visit uso.org/summersupport to donate online.

https://give.uso.org/page/2606_flowers2

And the mailer above stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

Dear Mr. Whiting,

I'm reaching out again because this moment is too important ...

In my previous letter, I shared that [business name redacted] is matching all donations up to $70,000 for our troops. That opportunity ends July 15th, and we are running out of time to deliver the vital support our service members need.

Right now, thousands of men and women are serving in isolated, stressful and often dangerous conditions ... to protect you and me. And many won't be home for our nation's 250th birthday. They'll be standing watch instead ... exhausted yet unwavering in their commitment.

Your last gift on 10/30/24 of $7 made a meaningful difference for those serving far from home. Today, your renewed support will have double the impact and go even further thanks to our matching gift offer.

[Blogger's Note: The above referenced "gift on 10/30/24 of $7" was the last donation that I made to the USO in October 2024, as explained in my 'October 30th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses October 26th, 2024.' Please see my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which can be found on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog, as well as my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "October 30th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses October 26th, 2024"]

One soldier recently confided: "The USO is the only place that reminds me someone back home hasn't forgotten about us." That line stays with me.

It's why I'm writing to you again, more urgently than before because the USO is the only nonprofit supporting our active duty troops no matter where they are called to serve and protect.

Because without your immediate help, we will leave matching dollars unused — and that means fewer connections to home and fewer reminders that these brave Americans matter.

Please don't let this moment slip by. Your gift today will be DOUBLED and let a service member downrange know that their service and sacrifice are fully recognized on the home front[.]

I'm asking you sincerely ... and urgently ... to act with a gift today.

For the People Who Serve,

[Name redacted]
Lieutenant General, U.S. Army, Retired
[Title redacted], USO

TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO HAVE YOUR GIFT MATCHED. Give to help fund programs like these (and more):

USO2GO
Deliver comforts of home.

Phone Calls Home
Bring the voice of a loved one to service members on the front lines.

Tech to Connect
Equip a USO Tech room to connect military heroes to their families.

Your generous gift may not be matched if we reach the maximum match amount before receiving it, in which case, your important contribution will be used where it is needed most to strengthen the well-being of the people serving in America's military and their families.

---------------------------------------------

[Side one of an additional insert with the following text:]

DOUBLE THE VALUE OF YOUR GIFT!

Your gift between now and July 15 will go TWICE as far thanks to our partner [business name redacted].

Your matched gift will ensure more:

• Phone calls to loved ones
• USO2GO packages with familiar items from home
• Long distance bedtime stories for children to hear their parent's voice no matter how far away they are stationed
• Community-building programs for military heroes and their families
... and so much more!

Give Today and Receive a FREE GIFT as a Proud Supporter of Our Troops

Choose Your Free Gift:
Flag OR Limited-Edition Hat Celebrating America's 250th Anniversary

[Image of a USO American flag on the left and the USO's America 250 Years baseball hat on the right.]

For delivery, please allow 6-8 weeks from receipt of your contribution while supplies last.

"QR code message": Show your appreciation immediately.

Scan here to give a gift:

https://give.uso.org/page/2606_flowers2

---------------------------------------------

[Side two of an additional insert with the following text:]

★ LETTERS OF THANKS FROM THOSE WE SERVE ★

"It means a lot to have the support of the USO out here."

—Captain,
Deployed to Eastern Europe
U.S. Air Force

"It can get tough during a deployment, to say the least, and having a place to step away from duty, even briefly, makes a big difference."

—SPC
U.S. Army

"I always look for the USO. I know I can always count on getting the resources or help I need."

—Petty Officer 2nd Class
U.S. Navy

---------------------------------------------

★★★ USO ★★★
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE.™

URGENT: LAST CHANCE TO GIVE AND GET MATCHED

✓ Yes, Match my gift today so that it will go TWICE as far to provide vital support services for service members and their families. Please accept my gift of:

[  ] $10 becomes ... $20
[  ] $15 becomes ... $30
[  ] $20 becomes ... $40
✓ $10.00 Any amount you give today can have TWICE the impact.

Mr. Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

Please enclose your check payable to: The USO. To donate using your credit card, please use the reverse side of this form. Your gift is tax deductible as allowed by law. Thank you for your generosity.

FP [  ] Please send me a free 3-by-5 foot American flag for my gift of $20 or more.

LH [  ] Please send me a free limited-edition USO baseball hat celebrating America's 250th anniversary for my gift of $20 or more.

[  ] Yes, I would like my support to go even further by joining the USO Home Team with a monthly gift. (Please use reverse side of this form.)

DF [✓] No need to send me a gift. Please use my full donation to benefit our service members.

"QR code message": Please scan the QR code or visit uso.org/summersupport to donate online.

https://give.uso.org/page/2606_flowers2

And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Match your gift and support America's service members today!

The USO is there to provide our service members with the critical resources they both need and deserve. Will you rush your gift in honor of Memorial Day to support of America's military heroes? [Blogger's Note: And also in honor of Flag Day for my donation today, June 14th!] Please donate today to support our Armed Forces as they make incredible sacrifices for our country.

[Business name redacted] is matching all gifts to the USO, dollar for dollar, up to a total of $70,000, through June 30, 2026.

Secure donation

[✓] Give once
[  ] ❤ Monthly

[  ] $200
[  ] $100
[  ] $55
[  ] $50
[  ] $30
[  ] $25
[✓] $10

Become a monthly supporter

Would you consider becoming one of our valued monthly supporters by converting your $10 contribution into a monthly donation.

Ongoing monthly donations allow us to better focus in our mission.

[  ] ❤ Donate $10/month
[  ] Donate $5/month
[✓] Keep my one-time $10 gift

Enter your details

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email address: [redacted]
Phone number (optional): [redacted]
Donate as an organization: N/A

Enter your address

Street address: [redacted]
Apartment/suite/floor: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]

You donate $10 USD

[  ] Cover transaction costs

Donate

And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "The USO is there to provide our service members with the critical resources they both need and deserve. Please donate today to support our Armed Forces as they make incredible sacrifices for our country."

Then, after I made said donation, I received another email from the USO today, June 14th, 2026, with the subject line, "Thank You for Your Donation to the USO", which stated the following:

★★★ USO ★★★

[Picture of "a soldier kneeling to embrace a child in an airport setting, conveying a message of reunion and support, with the USO logo on the left."]

Thank you for your generous $10.00 USD donation!

Dear Paul Whiting,

Thank you for your generous tax-deductible gift in support of the USO.

Donation Amount: $10.00 USD

Donation ID: [redacted]

Donation Date: Jun 14, 2026

Email: [redacted]

Your gift honors the service and sacrifice our troops make for us every day and will provide comfort and support to them and their families.

As a reminder, your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowable by federal law. And if there is a premium associated with your donation, please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

If you have any questions or would like to contact the USO, please call [phone number redacted].

-Your friends at the USO

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via regular mail, email or text message. (I also donate for particular calendar observances, such as Flag Day!) Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "June 14th, 2026 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 3rd, 2026":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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For my "June 19th, 2026 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 10th, 2026"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An introduction to the 'update' can be found below:

June 19th, 2026 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 10th, 2026: In observance of Juneteenth, I made a donation to the USO (United Service Organizations) today, June 19th, 2026.

And I made this donation to the USO as a way to respond a matched donation mailer that I received from the USO on June 10th, 2026, with a 'front teaser message' on the envelope that read as follows:

MATCHING GIFT OPPORTUNITY ENCLOSED FOR: DEADLINE JULY 31, 2026

And an additional 'back teaser message' has the following text:

Your gift DOUBLES to support American heroes.

Please scan the QR code or visit uso.org/doyourpart to donate online.

https://give.uso.org/page/2506_evergreen

And the mailer above stated the following:

[I used to hand-type the text of the documents from these types of mailers on my smartphone; however, it takes a lot of time and energy in order to hand-type these kinds of documents: so, instead, I scanned and copied the documents using Google Lens! Then, I edited the copy of said documents to include all of the italicizing, bolding and/or underscoring where applicable.]

★★★ USO ★★★
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE.™

[Name redacted], Lieutenant General, U.S. Army, Retired
[Title redacted], USO

Your gift to support our service members will be doubled through the America's 250th Matching Gift Challenge when you give by July 31, 2026.

Dear Mr. Whiting,

There are moments from my 35 years in uniform that I can still remember as clearly as if they happened yesterday ...

... the unrelenting heat during deployment, the pride in serving my country and the weight of missing my family who was thousands of miles away.

Deployments stay with you.

And recently, the world has reminded us just how quickly they can happen ... because peace can be threatened in an instant, anywhere around the globe. That shift from calm to uncertainty happens in seconds.

That's why I'm reaching out to you today.

Mr. Whiting, your generous gift of $7 on 10/30/24 helped deliver comfort, connection and a reminder of home to service members and women serving far from their families — and I'm deeply grateful.

[Blogger's Note: The above referenced "gift of $7 on 10/30/24" was the last donation that I made to the USO in October 2024, as explained in my 'October 30th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses October 26th, 2024.' Please see my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which can be found on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog, as well as my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "October 30th, 2024 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses October 26th, 2024"]

Our service members are stepping into rapidly changing, high pressure situations, and your continued support, especially in this milestone year, matters more than ever.

A generous group of donors has created a special America's 250th Matching Gift Challenge: every gift made by July 31 will be doubled up to $50,000.

Your contribution in this historic year tells our heroes: "On America's 250th birthday, I am standing with you."

Mr. Whiting, your patriotic gift of $10 becomes $20.

Your gift of $15 becomes $30.

And your extraordinary gift of $20 becomes $40.

These matched gifts mean more calls home ... more connection ... and more reminders that a grateful nation values their service.

I remember one night early in my career ... when mail deliveries were delayed and morale was low. Someone from the USO arrived with a few thermoses of coffee and a stack of calling cards. It wasn't much by the world's standards, but at that moment, it felt like someone had handed us a piece of home.

I never forgot that feeling ... the relief of knowing we weren't alone.

That is the kind of moment you make possible.

And it's important to remember: the USO is the only nonprofit dedicated solely to supporting active-duty service members — wherever they are deployed, anywhere in the world. When our nation sends them forward, we go with them. No other organization does that.

Your generosity fills the long, quiet stretches between missions. It brings connection when isolation closes in. It reminds service members that a grateful nation is worth fighting for.

From remote outposts to major hubs where thousands of troops move through each week, your support allows the USO to be there when the pressure peaks and when a familiar voice on the other end of the line makes all the difference.

Courageous service members count on the USO every day.

And the USO counts on caring friends like you.

That's why your matched gift is needed ... right now.

Every dollar you give becomes two.

Every moment of comfort becomes twice as powerful.

Every connection you help create reaches twice as far.

Please don't wait. Our service members don't get to choose the timing of their deployments they deserve our thanks ... and they deserve our thanks.

Your most meaningful America's 250th Anniversary gift, sent today, will be matched dollar for dollar and do more for the heroes who stand guard for all of us.

For the People Who Serve,

[Name redacted]
Lieutenant General, U.S. Army, Retired
[Title redacted], USO

P.S. For 250 years, America's freedom has relied on brave service members far from home. Please rush your most generous gift today ... only donations received by July 31 will be doubled to support our heroes.

P.P.S. I'll be watching for your reply in the next week or two. Thank you sincerely for standing with our troops during this historic 250th anniversary celebration.

Make a faster impact at uso.org/doyourpart

https://give.uso.org/page/2506_evergreen

A generous group of donors is matching all donations to the USO through this Direct Mail campaign, dollar for dollar, up to a total of $50,000, through July 31, 2026. Your generous gift may not be matched if we reach the maximum match amount before receiving it, in which case, your important contribution will be used where it is needed most to strengthen the well-being of the people serving in America's military and their families.

---------------------------------------------

[An additional insert of a 'simulated check,' with the following text:]

This special "check" matches your last donation. Thank you again. Your gift today will DOUBLE when it's matched.

Pay to the Order of: The USO       $7.00
The Sum of: Seven and 00/100 Dollars

From: Mr. Paul Whiting
            [Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
            [City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

THIS SIMULATED CHECK IS NON-NEGOTIABLE

---------------------------------------------

DOUBLE MY DONATION FOR OUR HEROES

[✓] YES, I'll help our service members stay strong and connected with loved ones. Please match my gift of:

[  ] $10 BECOMES ... $20
[  ] $15 BECOMES ... $30
[  ] $20 BECOMES ... $40
✓ My best gift of $7.00 will be doubled!

Mr. Paul Whiting
[Street Address and Apt. No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]

"QR code message": Please scan the QR code or visit uso.org/doyourpart to donate online.

https://give.uso.org/page/2506_evergreen

Please enclose your check payable to: The USO. To donate using your credit card, please use the reverse side of this form. Your gift is tax deductible as allowed by law.

Thank you for your generosity.

★★★ USO ★★★
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE.™

[Street Address and Suite No. redacted]
[City, State and ZIP Code redacted]
And, after I read the letter above, I entered the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

Donate to support our service members

Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can't do that without support from military supporters like you. Our heroes are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country. So please, donate now.

By donating, you agree to allow the USO to use your gift, combined with others, in a matching gift fund. Your donation will be used where it is needed most.

Secure donation

[✓] Give once
[  ] ❤ Monthly

[  ] $400
[  ] $200
[  ] $70
[  ] $50
[  ] $30
[  ] $15
[✓] $7

Become a monthly supporter

Would you consider becoming one of our valued monthly supporters by converting your $7 contribution into a monthly donation.

Ongoing monthly donations allow us to better focus in our mission.

[  ] ❤ Donate $7/month
[✓] Keep my one-time $7 gift

Enter your details

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email address: [redacted]
Phone number (optional): [redacted]

Double your impact

Many employers have a donation matching program that will double or triple the value of your donation.

Just enter the name of your employer, and we'll see if your impact can be amplified!

Your company (optional): N/A

Enter your address

Street address: [redacted]
Apartment/suite/floor: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]

You donate $7 USD

[  ] Cover transaction costs

Donate

And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "Your gift to support our service members will be doubled through the America's 250th Matching Gift Challenge when you give by July 31, 2026."

Then, after I made said donation, I received an email from the USO today, June 19th, 2026, with the subject line, "Thank You for Your Donation to the USO", which stated the following:

★★★ USO ★★★

[Picture of "a soldier kneeling to embrace a child in an airport setting, conveying a message of reunion and support, with the USO logo on the left."]

Thank you for your generous $7.00 USD donation!

Dear Paul Whiting,

Thank you for your generous tax-deductible gift in support of the USO.

Donation Amount: $7.00 USD

Donation ID: [redacted]

Donation Date: Jun 19, 2026

Email: [redacted]

Your gift honors the service and sacrifice our troops make for us every day and will provide comfort and support to them and their families.

As a reminder, your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowable by federal law. And if there is a premium associated with your donation, please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

If you have any questions or would like to contact the USO, please call [phone number redacted].

-Your friends at the USO

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via regular mail, email or text message. (I also donate for particular calendar observances, such as Juneteenth!) Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...
Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "June 19th, 2026 Update No. 1, Which Also Discusses June 10th, 2026":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

-------------------------------------------------------------------

For my "June 21st, 2026 Update No. 1"—since this 'update' is a part of my ⋆USO⋆ donations—please see my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity," which can be found on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs. An overview to the 'update' can be found below:

June 21st, 2026 Update No. 1:

Happy Father's Day, everyone! In celebration of Father's Day, I did a Google search for "Father's Day card the USO" and found the following USO (United Service Organizations) search result regarding Father's Day:

United Service Organizations https://action.uso.org» 1906_FDAY_M

Celebrate Military Dads!

This Father's Day, help us honor dads who serve. Choose from our list, or write something from your heart. Select Message, I'm grateful to all military fathers! Read more

https://action.uso.org/1906_FDAY_M

And, after I read the search results above, I clicked on the hyperlink to the referenced webpage, the relevant text of which can be found below:

★★★ USO ★★★

12,000 signatures needed to hit our goal!

→→→→→4,810

This Father's Day, help us honor dads who serve. Choose from our list, or write something from your heart.

Select Message

Write Your Own Message:

A Happy Father's Day!
(Or, "With Arms Wide Open")

I Just Want To
Wish You "A Happy Father's Day!"...

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Small All White in the Forest)
"I am no barrier to its sun; the light and I are as one!"

https://smallallwhiteintheforest.blogspot.com/search/label/Father%27s%20Day

Sincerely,

First Name: Paul
Last Name: Whiting
Email: [redacted]

SIGN THE CARD

---------------------------------------------

Thanks for signing the card! Will you take a few minutes to complete a quick survey about supporting all of our nation's heroes?

From scorching deserts in Iraqi summers to frozen mountaintops in Afghan winters, our troops endure harsh conditions to keep folks like us safe. How important is it to you to support our service members deployed far from home?

[✓] Extremely important
[  ] Very important
[  ] Somewhat important
[  ] Not at all important

The USO gives our service members the support they need to keep their spirits up, from phone calls home to A-list entertainment. Do you think it's important to keep troops' morale high by letting them know patriotic Americans back home stand with them?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No

Hundreds of thousands of service members are currently deployed overseas, putting themselves in harm's way in dangerous combat zones like Iraq and Afghanistan. Have you or a family member or friend ever served in the military?

[✓] Yes
[  ] No

Our service members make incredible sacrifices to keep us safe, missing special moments like the first day of school or a baby's first steps while deployed far from home. How important do you think it is to help our troops stay connected to family back home during deployment?

[✓] Extremely important
[  ] Important
[  ] Somewhat important
[  ] Not at all important

A Navy lieutenant commander recently told us that USO Care Packages are a "constant reminder to those of us out 'in the sandbox' that we are not forgotten and folks back home actually care."

Now, as we work to deliver our brave service members a touch of home, we need to ask for your support.

It takes a lot of time, coordination and money to get our care packages to more than 175,000 service members who are away from their families, sacrificing so much defending our freedoms. The USO is not a government agency — we rely on the generosity and patriotism of citizens like you.

Help us make sure that we have the resources to support our troops. Will you please donate by MIDNIGHT tonight to send a little bit of home to our service members and show them how thankful you are?

[✓] Yes, I'll donate $25!*
[  ] Yes, I'll donate $50!
[  ] Yes, I'll donate $75!
[  ] No, I don't want to donate to support our service members today.

*[Blogger's Note: I selected this option—although I donated less than $25—because it's an option that got me to the donation webpage!]

---------------------------------------------

Donate to support our service members

Our service members keep our nation safe. And we work hard to keep them connected to home — but we can't do that without support from military supporters like you. Our heroes are counting on you to be a part of this important work for our country. So please, donate now.

By donating, you agree to allow the USO to use your gift, combined with others, in a matching gift fund. Your donation will be used where it is needed most.

Secure donation

[✓] Give once
[  ] ❤ Monthly

[  ] $350
[  ] $180
[  ] $90
[  ] $60
[  ] $35
[  ] $20
[✓] $10

Become a monthly supporter

Would you consider becoming one of our valued monthly supporters by converting your $10 contribution into a monthly donation.

Ongoing monthly donations allow us to better focus in our mission.

[  ] ❤ Donate $10/month
[  ] Donate $5/month
[✓] Keep my one-time $10 gift

Enter your details

First name: Paul
Last name: Whiting
Email address: [redacted]
Phone number (optional): [redacted]

Double your impact

Many employers have a donation matching program that will double or triple the value of your donation. Just enter the name of your employer, and we'll see if your impact can be amplified!

Your company (optional): N/A

Enter your address

Street address: [redacted]
Apartment/suite/floor: [redacted]
City: [redacted]
State: [redacted]
Zip code: [redacted]

You donate $10 USD

[  ] Cover transaction costs

Donate

And so, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to support the USO's following statement: "This Father's Day, help us honor dads who serve. Choose from our list, or write something from your heart." ...

...[And I Chose To] Write Your [My] Own Message:

A Happy Father's Day!
(Or, "With Arms Wide Open")

I Just Want To
Wish You "A Happy Father's Day!"...

-Paul Whiting
(a.k.a., Small All White in the Forest)
"I am no barrier to its sun; the light and I are as one!"

https://smallallwhiteintheforest.blogspot.com/search/label/Father%27s%20Day

Then, after I made said donation, I received an email from the USO today, June 21st, 2026, with the subject line, "Thank You for Your Donation to the USO", which stated the following:

★★★ USO ★★★

[Picture of "a soldier kneeling to embrace a child in an airport setting, conveying a message of reunion and support, with the USO logo on the left."]

Thank you for your generous $10.00 USD donation!

Dear Paul Whiting,

Thank you for your generous tax-deductible gift in support of the USO.

Donation Amount: $10.00 USD

Donation ID: [redacted]

Donation Date: Jun 21, 2026

Email: [redacted]

Your gift honors the service and sacrifice our troops make for us every day and will provide comfort and support to them and their families.

As a reminder, your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowable by federal law. And if there is a premium associated with your donation, please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

If you have any questions or would like to contact the USO, please call [phone number redacted].

-Your friends at the USO

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via regular mail, email or text message. (I also donate for particular calendar observances, such as Father's Day!) Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation. ...

... P.S.: By the way, I wanted to highlight the fact that the very first Father's Day in America was observed on June 19th, 1910! So, that's 116 years ago this Father's Day!

Father's Day (United States) from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia—which is funded primarily through donations from millions of individuals around the world, including this blogger (I make a totally affordable one-time donation if they are requesting donations when I am on their website):

"Father's Day is an annual holiday honoring people's fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society. It was first proposed by Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, in 1909. It is currently celebrated in the United States annually on the third Sunday in June.

History

Father's Day was inaugurated in the United States in the early 20th century to complement Mother's Day in celebrating fathers, fathering, and fatherhood.

Father's Day was founded in Spokane, Washington, at the YMCA in 1910 by Sonora Smart Dodd, who was born in Arkansas. Its first celebration was in the Spokane YMCA on June 19, 1910. Her father, the Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart, was a single parent who raised his six children there. After hearing a sermon about Anna Jarvis' Mother's Day at Central Methodist Episcopal Church in 1909, she told her pastor that fathers should have a similar holiday honoring them. Although she initially suggested June 5, her father's birthday, the pastors of the Spokane Ministerial Alliance did not have enough time to prepare their sermons, and the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday of June.

It did not have much success initially. In the 1920s, Dodd stopped promoting the celebration because she was studying at the Art Institute of Chicago, and it faded into relative obscurity, even in Spokane. In the 1930s, Dodd returned to Spokane and started promoting the celebration again, raising its awareness at a national level. She had the help of those trade groups that would benefit most from the holiday, for example the manufacturers of ties, tobacco pipes, and any traditional presents to fathers. Since 1938, she had the help of the Father's Day Council, founded by the New York Associated Men's Wear Retailers to consolidate and systematize the commercial promotion. Americans resisted the holiday at first, perceiving it as just an attempt by merchants to replicate the commercial success of Mother's Day, and newspapers frequently featured cynical and sarcastic attacks and jokes. But the trade groups did not give up: they kept promoting it and even incorporated the jokes into their adverts, and they eventually succeeded. By the mid-1980s, the Father's Council wrote that "(...) [Father's Day] has become a Second Christmas for all the men's gift-oriented industries."

A bill to accord national recognition of the holiday was introduced in Congress in 1913. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson went to Spokane to speak at a Father's Day celebration and wanted to make it official, but Congress resisted, fearing that it would become commercialized. US President Calvin Coolidge recommended in 1924 that the day be observed by the nation but stopped short of issuing a national proclamation. Two earlier attempts to formally recognize the holiday had been defeated by Congress. In 1957, Maine Senator Margaret Chase Smith wrote a proposal accusing Congress of ignoring fathers for 40 years while honoring mothers, thus "[singling] out just one of our two parents". In 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation honoring fathers, designating the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Six years later, the day was made a permanent national holiday when President Richard Nixon signed it into law on April 24, 1972. ..."

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father%27s_Day_(United_States)
Please see the hyperlinks below for the post, within which you can do a find-in-page search for the 'update' labeled, "June 21st, 2026 Update No. 1":

https://paulwhitingmath.blogspot.com/2015/05/my-point-of-view-on-charity.html

https://paulwhitingwriting.blogspot.com/2022/07/my-point-of-view-on-part-16-giving-to.html

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June 27th, 2026 Update No. 1: Today is PTSD Awareness Day, since PTSD Awareness Day is yearly (annually) on June 27th.

And I didn't know that June 27th is PTSD Awareness Day, until I received an email from the USO (United Service Organizations) four years ago on June 29th, 2022, with the subject line, "Military Supporter Update: June 2022."

And I wrote an 'update' regarding that email from the USO, a copy of which can be found below from my blog post titled, "My Point Of View On...Giving Charity And Accepting Charity" that is on both of my "Paul Whiting — Math Magician" and "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blogs (which is where most of my USO donations 'updates' are located):

June 1st, 2022 Update, Written On June 29th, 2022: I received an email from the USO (United Service Organizations) today, June 29th, 2022, with the subject line, "Military Supporter Update: June 2022" with regard to the USO's newsletter "YOUR USO AT WORK," Issue 103 / June 2022, which stated, in part, the following:

YOUR USO AT WORK
Issue 103 / June 2022

DONATE NOW »

https://secure.uso.org

June has been a busy month here at the USO — from assembling thousands of USO Care Packages for troops deployed to places like Eastern Europe, to running our 11th annual USO T-shirt campaign. (There are still a few days left to get your T-shirt!). We are more grateful than ever for military supporters like you who make everything we do possible.

https://secure.uso.org/2205_t-shirt-2/

We hope you enjoy reading these June highlights...

And the following highlights from the USO's newsletter, which I selected to post, are regarding PTSD Awareness Month, which is the month of June, and regarding PTSD Awareness Day, which is yearly (annually) on June 27th:

USO recognizes PTSD Awareness Month

June is PTSD Awareness Month, but supporting our troops’ mental health is always a major USO priority. That’s why we focus so heavily on building connections between service members, helping them stay in touch with loved ones and creating spaces where they can feel safe.

Learn more about how the USO is helping troops impacted by PTSD and other mental health challenges. »

https://www.uso.org/stories/2664-military-suicide-rates-are-at-an-all-time-high-heres-how-were-trying-to-help

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BY THE NUMBERS

"27"

June 27 is #PTSDAwarenessDay, an opportunity to remind everyone that there are effective treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (“PTSD”), although many with PTSD do not get the help they need.

Help spread the word. »

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/awareness/index.asp

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...From all of us at the USO, thank you for being a dedicated and proud military supporter!

And the following is the information from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website highlighting that "JUNE IS PTSD AWARENESS MONTH":

JUNE IS PTSD AWARENESS MONTH

Help Raise PTSD Awareness

There are currently about 8 million people in the United States with PTSD.

Even though PTSD treatments work, most people who have PTSD don't get the help they need. June is PTSD Awareness Month. Help us spread the word that effective PTSD treatments are available. Everyone with PTSD—whether they are Veterans or civilian survivors of sexual assault, serious accidents, natural disasters, or other traumatic events—needs to know that treatments really do work and can lead to a better quality of life...

Make the Pledge

Start by making the pledge to Raise PTSD Awareness:

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/awareness/awareness_pledge_form.asp

And so, I decided to "Make the Pledge" in order to help "Raise PTSD Awareness," which is why I wrote this blog post update! Plus, after I took the pledge, I made a one-time donation on the USO.org website in order to show my support for the USO's newsletter, as well as to show my support for the USO in supporting our men and women in uniform, as described in the highlight "VOICE OF THE USO," from the aforementioned newsletter:

VOICE OF THE USO

“I never wore the uniform myself. Working at DOD has made me feel that I have contributed to my country’s defense but contributing to the USO has multiplied that feeling. Our men and women in uniform deserve everything we can do for them.

“We choose to support the USO because of something I learned. When I worked at the Pentagon, I was asked to contribute to the Combined Federal Campaign, as is every other federal employee. I asked many of my colleagues in uniform where I should direct my donation. Absolutely everyone gave me the same answer: ‘USO!’”

– [Name redacted] and [Name redacted], USO supporters since 1995 (27 consecutive years)

In addition to that, I already make a recurring monthly donation to the USO in order to show my support for our U.S. Military Personnel! You see, I usually make one-time donations to the USO each month—as often as I can manage when they request a donation via email or text message. Therefore, I am planning to continue making one-time donations to the USO in the future, as often as I can manage to make donations, in addition to making the aforementioned recurring monthly donation.

By the way, did you know that the USO is a not-for-profit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DoD)? The following description of the USO is from their 'About Us' webpage:

"The USO is not part of the federal government. A congressionally chartered, private organization, the USO relies on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities, and is powered by a family of volunteers to accomplish our mission of connection."

So, that is why I 'volunteer financially' as a member of the "USO Home Team" through a recurring monthly donation, as well as through one-time donations to the USO each month!

–Paul Whiting (written June 29th, 2022, revised July 21st, 2022, revised August 16th, 2022, revised November 24th, 2022, revised December 14th, 2022, revised December 26th, 2022, revised January 1st, 2023, revised January 30th, 2023, revised March 27th, 2023, revised April 21st, 2023, revised April 27th, 2023, revised April 28th, 2023, revised May 17th, 2023, revised June 17th, 2023, revised June 27th, 2023, revised July 28th, 2023, revised September 27th, 2023, revised November 18th, 2023 and revised June 9th, 2024)

[I feel like I need to clarify why there are so many 'revised dates' on this 'update,' just like there are often times so many 'revised dates' on other 'updates' similar to this one! You see, I really try to keep my writing consistent as possible across all of my blogs. Therefore, as I am writing, I try to use the same phraseology wherever possible with regard to similar types of my writing so that, when I am editing my writing, I can change all of the similar writing at the same time and in the same way! Thus, a lot of the revisions indicated above, after my name (–Paul Whiting), and shown right after the original 'written date,' are often times due to these aforementioned consistent-writing revisions.]

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: "If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States." Dial 988

Therefore, I decided to write this 'update' as a way to highlight that June 27th is PTSD Awareness Day. Plus, PTSD Awareness Day is observed within PTSD Awareness Month which is June.

And I wrote an 'update' regarding PTSD Awareness Month, a copy of which can be found below from my blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was" that is located on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog:

June 1st, 2024 Update No. 1: June is PTSD Awareness Month. And I decided to write this 'update' as a way to explain that June is PTSD Awareness Month by providing information from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website highlighting that "JUNE IS PTSD AWARENESS MONTH," which can be found below:

JUNE IS PTSD AWARENESS MONTH

Help Raise PTSD Awareness

There are currently about 12 million people in the United States living with PTSD.

Even though PTSD treatments are effective and accessible, most people don't get the help they need. Help spread the word that PTSD treatments are available. Everyone with PTSD—whether they are a Veteran or civilian survivor of sexual assault, serious accident, natural disaster, or other traumatic event—needs to know that treatments really do work and can lead to a better quality of life.

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/PTSD/understand/awareness/index.asp

Join Us

During PTSD Awareness Month, and throughout the entire year, help raise awareness about the many different PTSD treatment options.

Make the Pledge

Start by making the pledge to Raise PTSD Awareness:

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/awareness/awareness_pledge_form.asp

Register for the Virtual Walk

Join us for 30 minutes of exercise in June. Sign up for the Virtual Walk:

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/awareness/virtual_walk.asp

Take a PTSD Self-Screen

Answer 5 questions about your symptoms on PTSD Screening Day: June 27:

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/awareness/screening_day.asp

And so, I decided to "Make the Pledge" in order to help "Raise PTSD Awareness," which can be found below:

Awareness Pledge Form

Tell us about your individual or organization's local, regional or national involvement by providing the following information.

Name: Paul Whiting

Email or phone: [redacted]

Choose the category that best describes you:

[✓] Individual
[  ] Organization, agency or business
[  ] VA employee
[  ] VA team, clinic or health care facility

Name of organization, agency or business (if applicable): Paul Whiting: Poet, Artist and Philosopher

Location of VA center, clinic or health care facility (if applicable): N/A

Do you or does your organization provide health care services to Veterans?

[  ] Yes
[✓] No

Website and/or social media sites (if applicable): https://poetartistandphilosopher.blogspot.com/2016/11/i-am-no-longer-being-activist.html

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Thank you for filling out the Pledge form.

We really appreciate the effort you are making to spread the word about PTSD Awareness. Every person who shares the information makes a difference.

Please continue to spread the word! PTSD Treatment Works.

Plus, as you can see above, I included my information from the Awareness Pledge Form, which is why I wrote this blog post update! –Paul Whiting (June 1st, 2024)

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: "If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States." Dial 988

Besides that, I wanted to highlight information from the USO webpage titled, "PTSD Resources: Where to Turn When You Need Help," due to the fact that they were the organization that first made me aware that June 27th is PTSD Awareness Day and that June is PTSD Awareness Month. (Please see my 'June 1st, 2022 Update, Written On June 29th, 2022,' which can be found above.) Please see a brief introduction to the above-mentioned article below, which is dated June 24th, 2013.

"PTSD Resources: Where to Turn When You Need Help" from the USO

Monday, Jun 24, 2013

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean troops and families trying to cope with the anguish of war memories or even mental and emotional trauma from traumatic brain injuries will be forgotten.

Here is a list of resources for both troops and families dealing with PTSD.

And as always, if you or someone you know needs to talk to someone immediately, call the Military Crisis Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or contact them online at militarycrisisline.net. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the article:

https://www.uso.org/stories/1300-ptsd-resources-where-to-turn-when-you

In addition to that, I wanted to highlight information from the Wounded Warrior Project's website regarding "Veterans and PTSD: Understanding Causes, Signs, Symptoms and Treatment." An introduction to the webpage can be found below:

Veterans and PTSD: Understanding Causes, Signs, Symptoms and Treatment

PTSD among service members and veterans

What is Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a diagnosed condition that can develop after a person is exposed to a traumatic event. PTSD is a very common condition for many veterans after military service. Symptoms can include disturbing thoughts, feelings, or dreams related to the events, mental or physical distress, difficulty sleeping, and changes in how a person thinks and feels.

What Causes PTSD?
PTSD can occur after witnessing or experiencing a traumatic event. For veterans, this can stem from combat, training, or military sexual trauma.

PTSD Symptoms
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, there are four types of symptoms:

• Re-experiencing:

° Flashbacks: You may find yourself reliving a traumatic event. This could include physical symptoms such as a racing heart or sweating.
° Bad dreams: These might include dreams related to the event
° Frightening thoughts

• Avoidance: avoiding thoughts, feelings, places, activities, or objects that remind you of the traumatic event

• Arousal and reactivity: being easily startled, feeling tense, having trouble sleeping

• Cognition and mood: experiencing negative thoughts, feelings of guilt or blame, or loss of interest in hobbies

When these symptoms last for a month, it is considered PTSD. ...

Please see the hyperlink below for the webpage:

https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/programs/mental-wellness/veteran-ptsd-treatment-support-resources

So, in support of PTSD Awareness Day, I made a one-time donation to the USO (United Service Organizations) due to the fact that they were the organization that first made me aware that June 27th is PTSD Awareness Day and that June is PTSD Awareness Month. Plus, I made a one-time donation to Wounded Warrior Project in order to raise awareness of "PTSD among service members and veterans." –Paul Whiting (June 27th, 2026)

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: "If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States." Dial 988

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YEAR 2026 UPDATES FOR JULY:

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July 4th, 2026 Update No. 1, Written On February 14th, 2026, February 16th, 2026, February 17th, 2026, March 3rd, 2026, June 2nd, 2026, June 28th, 2026, July 1st, 2026 And July 3rd, 2026:

Happy Independence Day, everyone!

The following is actually my second poem with the alternative title, "An Independence Day Poem." And my first alternatively titled "An Independence Day Poem" was written for the 234th Birthday of the United States of America on July 4th, 2010. The main title of that poem is "Between All Of Us."

By the way, If you wish to read that first "An Independence Day Poem," please see my blog post titled, "For the 234th Birthday of the United States of America," which can be found on my "Small All White in the Forest — Poet" blog, as well as on my blog post titled, "For Democracy, Part 4 — The Birthday of the United States of America," which can be found on my "Paul Whiting — A Creative Writer" blog.

And I actually started writing this new "An Independence Day Poem" on February 14th, 2026—Valentine's Day—which is when I first thought of the title, "More Unites Us Than Divides Us," since this title is taken from a statement that I have heard repeatedly in the news about how deeply divided our country is these days, during this politically turbulent time.

You see, when I am writing, I will often first think of a title, which conveys what I am planning to eventually say in a poem, before I have even written one word of that poem. However, at other times, I think of all the words in a poem first, and then I will think of a title later on, sometimes even based upon some of the words in the poem.

In addition to that, even though I originally wrote this poem as an 'update' to the above-mentioned blog posts regarding my poem for the 234th birthday of America, I decided to publish it July 4th, 2026, as a blog post on all of my blogs—despite the fact that I have not published any new blog posts since December 31st, 2022—because I felt that the message in this poem was really important to help unite our divided country!

Thus, I decided to write this new poem "More Unites Us Than Divides Us" for the 250th Birthday of the United States of America, on July 4th, 2026, with the alternative title, "An Independence Day Poem," as follows:

More Unites Us Than Divides Us!
(Or, "An Independence Day Poem")

We all have our differences—of that there is no doubt—
as we are a deeply divided country with seemingly no out!

However, the history of our country is not made out of
whole cloth, since it is much more like a patchwork quilt,
with all of its many flaws, variety and colorful vibrance.

So, it is true that more invites us than derides us!
And that is why more unites us than divides us!

Let us dutifully remember the rebellious beginning of our
multicultural democracy, since our founders rejected the
cruel rule of a tyrannical king and his oppressive army.

So, it is true that more invites us than derides us!
And that is why more unites us than divides us!

This is the reason our nation is similar to blended metals,
such as bronze, brass, or steel, which can be much better
than pure metals, because we are a lot stronger together.

So, it is true that more invites us than derides us!
And that is why more unites us than divides us!

For, our nation was not created out of one similar kind
of people, from only one land, but out of a lot of different
kinds of people, from many lands, who became one people.

So, it is true that more invites us than derides us!
And that is why more unites us than divides us!

That is why "e pluribus unum" (which is Latin for
"out of many, one") was written on the Great Seal of
the United States, as a theme and motto for America.

And there is much more that can be said—which is totally
true—about the diversified unity of the red, white and blue!

–Paul Whiting (originally written on February 14th, 2026, on February 16th, 2026, on February 17th, 2026, on March 3rd, 2026, on June 2nd, 2026, on June 28th, 2026, on July 1st, 2026 and on July 3rd, 2026, then revised July 4th, 2026)

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For my complete political, progressive and charitable donation updates—that include all of my current "Online Activism"—please see my original blog post titled, "I Am No Longer Being An Activist In The Same Way That I Was," which can be found on my "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" blog.

Please see the hyperlink below for the post:

https://poetartistandphilosopher.blogspot.com/2016/11/i-am-no-longer-being-activist.html

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This "Poet, Artist and Philosopher" Post No. 150 was edited on July 4th, 2026.

"Prose is using all of the words that are necessary in order to describe all that is necessary to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]

"Poetry is using the fewest words possible in order to describe all that is possible to describe." –Paul Whiting [June 1st, 2022]