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Our mission
For many of our wounded warriors the road to recovery is arduous, trying, and at times seems without end. Our mission is to express our support to these young men and women through teas held at the military medical center; reminding them of the deep respect and appreciation Americans of all backgrounds and ages hold for them. A tea for soldiers? Where did the idea come from? While watching a television report on the Rehabilitation Unit at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC), Deborah Bonelli listened to an interview with a young couple. The husband, an amputee, and his wife discussed the difficulty of being hospitalized far from family and friends. Deborah immediately understood their situation. Having volunteered for ten years at Claire Pace's tea room at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital; she had heard these same sentiments expressed by many parents struggling with a seriously ill child. For these parents Claire's tea room was an oasis from the stress of their child's hospitalization. So, Deborah decided America's wounded warriors, their family members, and caregivers deserved the soothing effect of an afternoon tea. She wrote to then WRAMC Commander, requesting permission to hold a tea at WRAMC for the wounded warriors, their families, and caregivers. From the success of that tea, Operation Tea Time (OTT) was born.
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How is this accomplished? Through the generosity of fellow Americans from across the country who donate their time, talents, money, products and services. OTT volunteers arrive at the military hospital laden with china, table linens, flowers, baked goods, and children's artwork turning the provided space into a country tea room. Live background music, and the whimsical atmosphere, gives our wounded warriors a feeling of having stepped out of the hospital. |
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Businesses, organizations and schools supporting past teas include: Antique Tea Room, Asia Connection LLC, Barnes & Noble NYC "Noble Knitters", Borghese Cosmetics, Cake Froster's Club of San Antonio, Carter Borden Senior Center, Caspari, Inc., Chado Tea Market, Clinton NY Elementary School, Connecticut Valley Girl Scouts, Everything for the Kitchen, Flour Bluff Elementary School, Flushing Intermediate School 25, A Garden Tea, , Glastonbury Connecticut Community Center, Glastonbury Connecticut VFW, Harney and Sons Fine Teas, Island Recreational, Lah Tea Dah, Lipton Tea, Mike's Italian Deli, Mrs. London's Bakery Café, Marriott Residence Inns, Musicians Emery Davis, Bill Gulino and Jon Weber, New York Friars Foundation, Nosh Art, New York Newsday, Phoenix Products Co., Pinline, Popenhusen Institute, Purple Sage Herbs & Gifts, Randolph Elementary School, San Antonio Botanical Gardens, Serendipi Tea, Simpson & Vail, Southwest Airlines, Slavin, Jackson & Burns DDS, Special Tea Shoppe, WOR Steve Malzberg Radio Show, Tea a Magazine, Tea Time Magazine, The Steeping Room, The Tea Embassy, Tea Lover's Room, Teitel Brothers, Tino's Deli, Walkers Shortbread, and Wilson Elementary School, and wonderful people like you! |