Renewing Hope
        Lifting Spirits

CACI sponsors Cause Veterans Day Gala and speaks with Cause Executive Director Barbara Lau

By Rosemary Boggs
November 7, 2007

For a small band of seemingly tireless volunteers, every day is Veterans Day.

Led by Barbara Lau, executive director and co-founder of nonprofit Comfort for America's Uniformed Services (Cause), volunteers are on site at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, DC and Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX to hand out books, DVDs or video games to help move time that often seems to stand still.

In addition to providing funds to assist with the daily needs of Cause, CACI is the presenting sponsor of Cause's Second Annual Benefit Gala, "Renewing Hope, Lifting Spirits." The benefit will be held on Sunday, November 11 beginning at 7 PM at the Kennedy Center. General Barry McCaffrey, USA (Ret) is the event's chair and Jennifer Griffin, National Security Correspondent, Fox News will MC the event.

Cause was founded in 2003 by four West Point Class of '67 graduates who served in Vietnam and wanted to make sure that soldiers fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq had tangible evidence that their service and sacrifices were appreciated and honored by those back home. In keeping with the time honored military tradition of "taking care of your troops," these veterans, their wives and Cause are here for those who were there for us.

Barbara had nothing but kind words about CACI and its sponsorship of Cause. "CACI, its leadership and staff have been wonderful to us. They understood our work and have supported us wholeheartedly from the very beginning. When a company of CACI's stature gets behind an organization, it sends a strong message to the business community …and others follow their all important lead. CACI understood that our returning wounded had done their jobs and that it was time for us (the community) to do ours."

Cause supplies clothing and other personal items as injured warfighters arrive for care and therapy. Cause hosts picnics, Massage Marathons and video game tournaments to give troops occasions to leave their hospital rooms and come together in fun and much needed laughter.

For soldiers who have just been hit with life changing injuries, playing games, attending Ultimate Fighting Championship bouts and enjoying once-a-month home cooked breakfasts helps them reconnect with things they enjoyed before arriving at a military hospital.

"At first, video games were not even on our scope. But it soon became apparent that video games gave those wounded a sense of normalcy. And not all play, some soldiers with new prosthetic limbs have even re-taught themselves how to drive with steering wheel game controllers," says Lau.

"Residents quickly become experts at items we have on hand and clamor for a new game to master," said Barbara. "I never want the day to come when one of the gals or guys show up and I don't have something new to offer. Anything that helps them feel better, even if just for a little while, makes a big difference," Barbara says.

"Cause gives them something to help pass the time and, as the medical community knows, provides needed mental therapy, too. People don't realize how exhausting physical therapy can be or that for many reading cannot be an option until their brains recover, too," said Lau. "I want them to have something available to chase away the ghosts that become all too real in the shadows of night."

When asked how she manages to keep a positive outlook amidst the human devastation witnessed daily, Barbara replied, "I receive so much more than I give. When our Library doors open I am greeted with shouts of happiness. My goal is to 'Make some small difference, in some small way, every day.' It's really a privilege to give just a little back to those who have given so much."

And don't think for a moment that the residents of Walter Reed's Mologne House don't know where the goodies come from. Borrowers always ask Library volunteers to make sure that "folks know how much their generosity means to us."

When asked how individuals could help Lau replied: time, money and in kind donations - in that order. "We are always in need of volunteers to help with the administrative work at the Library and to hand out books, tapes and games - if a soldier is there to make a request, a volunteer should be there to answer it. And we always need money …video game technology changes as quickly as do our troops levels of expertise."

CACI employees can buy tickets to attend the Cause Gala or donate tickets for use by one of the Mologne House residents.

For more information

Donations can be made anytime through the Cause website or by sending a check to Cause at

Cause
PO Box 218
Herndon, VA 20172

You can also donate to Cause through the Combined Federal Campaign - CFC# 33011.

2007 CACI Vet Voices