Puppet Power! The SFBAPG invites you to put a smile on an Iraqi kid's face!

This year, the SFBAPG Holiday Party will host a new kind of Gift
Exchange. Open up your closets and your wallets and bring out those
puppets!! They will be mailed to Peace through Puppets, a non-profit
organization that was started by Army 1st Sergeant Bruce Reges who is
stationed in Iraq, and his mother, Jean Reges Burn, a long-time
member of Puppeteers of America.

1st Sergeant Bruce Reges says that they can take anything, including
stuffed animals, puppets, and marionettes of almost any type or size.
Just no depictions of people or pigs, please. Iraqi culture doesn't
accept those. New puppets are good. Used puppets are good too, as
long as they are clean.

Small hand puppets fit in the soldiers' pockets and are particularly
effective. Sergeant Reges started his program by giving the soldiers
small hand puppets to distribute to Iraqi kids. He says the power of
the puppet has been amazing in how it has transcended language and
cultural barriers.

The program suffered a big set back not too long ago, and has had to
modify its course a bit. Although many soldiers are still allowed
one-on-one contact with the Iraqi children, at this point many groups
of soldiers have more restrictions. This change came after three
Iraqi kids were gathered around three U.S. soldiers, asking for candy
and toys, when a suicide bomber killed all six people. Sergeant Reges
says that now he is relying more and more on his Iraqi contacts to
drop off boxes of puppets at the schools; and then the teachers
distribute the puppets to the children.

For photos and more information, go to http://www.peacethroughpuppets.com

Let's make the SFBAPG the model for other guilds to follow. Maybe we
can make a difference in an Iraqi kid's life. Bring those donations
on January 12!