We have been looking for suggestions to rename the Helping Our Heroes Program for the past few weeks. We recently placed this print ad in the Village View Newspaper to help gather more suggestions.
Art and Mary James, owners of HAYS Cleaning, based in Hickory Hills, started the “Helping Our Heroes” program, in May 2010. The original goal of the program was to provide a 3-hour complimentary house cleaning to US Veterans, active Military and their spouses.
The website, www.helping-our-heroes.com, was launched in October 2011. With the Veterans Day 2011 promotion, collection of care package items was added to the program.
In 2012, they partnered with the St. Patricia Holy Name Society, for the collection and shipment of care package items. The HNS has an affiliation with Jim Kruse and Adopt-A-Platoon. Jim is in charge of the organization, based in Hickory Hills. They collect and ship packages monthly to the troops overseas. HAYS and Helping Our Heroes will continue this partnership.
The name was chosen as a compliment to Veterans and active Military. Along this journey, it has been pointed out that many Veterans and active Military do not like the word hero nor any reference to being a hero. They are SOLDIERS and that is how they prefer to be recognized.
Art and Mary want to rename the program, with the word “Soldiers” or “Military” in the name and they would like help from the community to choose the new name. Through Friday, April 12, 2013, they are asking readers to share their ideas for a name change. Submit suggestions via email (mary@hayscleaning.com), on Facebook (www.facebook.com/hayscleaning) or on the “Heroes” website (www.helping-our-heroes.com). Once they have a selection of suggestions, they will create a poll to choose the new name.
Guidelines
- Five finalist name suggestions will be chosen by HAYS Cleaning and will be placed into a poll.
- Voting on five finalist names will take place on the website from April 15, 2013 through April 22, 2013.
- Top three winners will be awarded prizes as follows:
- Third Place Winner – A bucket of cleaning supplies
- Second Place Winner – Eureka Canister Vacuum
- First Place Winner – 3 Hour Housecleaning (limited to our geographical service area)
- Winners will be announced in the end of April.