Underwood (The Event) and Jorge Garcia (Lost), but the real stars of the event were the military families and service members. Panelist Smith, one of three sisters who
joined the military as pilots, got a special surprise, when organizers arranged a video chat with her sister Lacey, who is serving in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Aſter the event, Smith said that when
she is out in the community in uniform, she is grateful for the small acts of kindness that show civilian support for the military. People sometimes come up to her to express their thanks for her service, and once a woman standing behind her in Starbucks stepped in to pay for her coffee. "She said, 'Thank you for what you're
doing, I appreciate it,'" Smith said. "That sort of acknowledgement is so great." Smith said she is hopeful the event will
draw that kind of attention to military families. "I hope that the spouses and the families
are recognized a little bit more. Thank goodness there has been, since 9/11, an uprising of support for the military, but I think there also needs to be a bit more recognition for the family that's backing that military person."
What You Can Do:
Send a message of thanks to a service member's family through the USO or at joiningforces.gov.
Pledge your time: Register at honorcards.org to find service projects in your area.
You can also go to serve.gov to find volunteer opportunities, as well as to develop your own projects.
Share your story with the USO and White House of how you have helped provide support to military families at joiningforces.uso.org/share-story.
Visit projecthollywoodcares.org to help get entertainment industry products to our deployed military.
Post the Joining Forces banner on your website and link to joiningforces.gov.
Follow Joining Forces on Facebook and Twitter. SAG.org
From left, SAG members Blair Underwood and Kym Whitley, Army Sgt. 1st Class Dorothy Jarman and retired Army sergeant Bobby Jarman
Summer 2011 - SCREEN ACTOR 29
Air Force National Guard Capt. Kelly Smith and SAG National Board member Dawnn Lewis
Army veteran Shilo Harris, wounded in Iraq
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